1. Repair or Replace?

Tile tends not to wear out if it is properly selected and installed. However, sometimes tile that is not designed to withstand heavy traffic is installed in an area of heavy traffic, and begins to show wear. If this is the case with your tile, consult a tile flooring professional to see if your tiles can be treated or reconditioned to restore them and prepare them for future wear. If this is not possible, replace your worn tiles with tiles designed to withstand the stresses of the location where they will be installed. Factor 6 of this guide will inform you about tile rating systems, and will help you purchase appropriate replacement tiles.

2. Brand

As you begin to shop, you'll find that a wide variety of tile brands are available. Some major manufacturers produce tiles in many styles and colors. Other brands, however, can be very specialized and might produce tile using one technique, utilizing a design from a geographic region, or for specific home applications. Tile can be found in large home improvement stores like Home Depot and Lowes, but higher end brands are only display in specialized showrooms.

3. Get Help or Do It Yourself?

Installing tile is a skill, but it is a skill that can be learned. Successful tile installation requires careful preparation and planning, some design sense, and the ability to cut, lay out, and secure the tiles. Laying tile is a common and satisfying home project. However, a majority of homeowners choose to use professional installers rather than to do-it-themselves. Professional installers may be aware of some design options and techniques that you may not be familiar with. They will be able to anticipate challenges that may be unique to an environment. If you have spent many thousands to remodel your bathroom or tens of thousands to remodel your kitchen, consider using a flooring tile professional to install your tile to ensure that the results are equal to the rest of your remodeling investments.

4. Subfloor

Tile flooring requires a subfloor or substrate that is flat and inflexible. The subfloor must be flat to that the tiles adhere and so that foot traffic will not force the tiles off its adhesive. A flexible board may enable you to lay your tile flat and yield a success initial installation, but foot traffic the causes the subfloor to flex will eventually result in the tiles coming loose. If you are working with a tile installation professional, they will be able to evaluate your requirements for subfloor and install it themselves. If the tile is being installed in a bathroom or kitchen, the subfloor may need to be waterproofed prior to the tile be laid.

5. Materials

There are four major variables to consider in the purchase of tile.

1. Size: Standard tiles can be a small as 1/4" square and as large as 12" square. If you are tiling a large floor, large tiles tend to look better and more appropriate. Large tiles also are less labor intensive to install, and large tiles work well in high-trafficked entry foyers and kitchens because less of the floor is comprised of harder-to-clean grout. Smaller areas can benefit from the use of small tiles, and small tiles used on a bathroom floor have the advantage of being less slippery because more of the floor surface is grout.
2. Shape: Tiles come in many geographic shapes. Shapes be used uniformly or different shapes of tile can be combined on the same floor.
3. Color: You will find tiles in every color and design. Generally, you need to decide if your tile floor will be a neutral color and design element, and if you will add color to your rooms using rugs, vases or and other design elements. A properly installed tile floor will outlast your furniture, appliances, and fixtures, so a neutral color will give you the most redecorating options in future years. If you do decide to use bold colors in your tile floor, remember the old addage that "more is less". Color tile accents often make a bolder statement and are more attractive than an entire floor of brightly colored tiles.
4. Finish: Glazing is the process that ads luster and color to tiles. Glaze is added and the tiles are fired at high temperatures in the kiln. Glazed tiles tend to be slippery -- particularly when wet -- though you can purchase glazed flooring tiles glazed with a "no slip" finish. This is a good idea for kitchens, rec rooms, and entry ways.  Unglazed tiles are porous, and are susceptible to staining, unless they are sealed. Unglazed tiles used for indoor flooring are usually sealed, though sealing is less durable than most glazes and floor tiles may need to be resealed periodically. Unsealed, unglazed tiles are most frequently used outside in the yard or on the patio.

6. Tile Rating

A rating system is used for tiles to indicate what use they are designed for in your home:

• Class 1: Not designed for foot traffic. Designed for walls, ceilings, or counters.
• Class 2: Light traffic. Designed for walls or residential bathrooms that do not get heavy use.
• Class 3: Light traffic to moderate traffic. Good, reasonably durable tile suitable for many areas of the home. Bathrooms, sitting rooms, living rooms.
• Class 4: Moderate traffic to heavy traffic. Can be used with confidence in any area of the home as well as for commercial flooring. In homes, these might be used in the areas with the heaviest traffic and wear: foyers, kitchens, family or recreation rooms.
• Class 5: Heavy traffic or extra heavy traffic: Designed with commercial use in mind, and provides more protection than is necessary for home installations. Appropriate for subways, commercial building lobbies, bus terminals.

7. Design and Style

Part of the charm and appeal of tile is that the design options are limitless. Here are just some of the considerations:

• Color: Uniform or varied. Neutral or bold.
• Shape: Uniform or varied. Each tile has its own shape, and tiles can be laid out in combination to create a large shape.
• Borders: Will you use a border or no border?
• Evoke a style: Tile can be very powerful in evoke a style or period. Do you want to use your tile to invoke a Mexican hacienda? A French chateau? A Japanese pagoda? Tile can be instrumental helping invoke any of these in your home.

8. Cost

The prices of tile vary widely. We encourage you do match your tile in design and quality to the other elements in a room. If you are spending $1,200 for a designer bathroom sink and $1,500 for a lighted mirror, it makes little sense to buy the cheapest tiles you can find. Likewise, if you have installed modest kitchen appliances in your modest home, it probably does not make sense to purchase premium tiles imported from Venice. However, as we have mentioned previously, tile is one of the most permanent features you can add to a room. So make sure that whatever tile you buy is of sufficient quality and of appropriate rating (see Factor 6: Tile Rating) to retain its appearance for many years.