Tile flooring is attractive, durable, and easy to clean. Some tiles can be installed by the homeowner. There are floor tiles to suit every use, every taste, and every pocketbook.

Stone flooring has been in use for millennia. Today, stone floors create a feeling of luxury. They can create of mood of great formality or relaxed informality, depending on the type of stone. Generally, marble floors are the most formal and flagstone floors are the most informal. The natural variation in color and pattern make stone floor tiles very beautiful, and they are very durable as well.

Terrazzo tiles are formed from marble or other stone chips embedded in concrete. The surface is polished to a high sheen. Terrazzo floor tiles are beautiful and easy to maintain. Clay has been used for floor tiles from ancient times. Today, the clay can be processed in a number of different ways, resulting in several categories of tile.

Terra cotta is clay that has been fired but not colored, the same material used for garden pots. It is usually left unglazed. The color can vary, due to variation in the mineral content of the soil, but usually has an orange cast. Terra cotta floor tiles absorb liquid, so they have to be treated before use indoors.

Ceramic tile is made from clay fired in a kiln. Then a colored glaze is added, and the tile is fired again, making the colors very vivid. Ceramic tile can be slippery, so they are usually treated with an abrasive if they are to be used a floor tiles. Unglazed ceramic tiles, called quarry tiles, are also available. They stain easily, so they should be sealed for use as flooring.

PVC floor tiles were developed after World War II. Today, the process is so sophisticated that PVC flooring can mimic any other material, from hardwood to porcelain. They are inexpensive and easy to install.

Porcelain tiles are clay tiles fired at very high temperatures. This creates a dense tile that is quite resistant to moisture. The Porcelain Enamel Institute rates the hardness of porcelain tiles for use in light traffic areas, group I, to extra heavy traffic areas, group V.

Mosaic floor tiles are usually made from porcelain, ceramic, or glass formed into squares of less than two inches (2.5 cm). The squares can be arranged to form a picture or a repeating pattern. Artisans create unique floors using mosaic tiles. The tiles are also available in standard patterns, which can be purchased attached to a backing for easy installation.

Linoleum tile is increasing in popularity because it is made of natural materials with low-energy processes. It contains no toxins and is mildly antibacterial. Early linoleum was only available in muted colors, but today bright, vibrant colors are also available.

Installation Method:

1. The pvc floor tiles should not be installed before the completion of upholstery (including paint), unless there is proper covering protection to prevent the tiles from being polluted or damaged.

2. The tiles can not be drenched or shined directly; it should be placed flatly with the room temperature over 20.

3. Installation must be after the floor or new-installed cement is completely dry which usually needs over 30 days. 3 weeks is necessary even in good draught condition. The cement floor needs to be decorated with correct proportion 1:3 and it is allowed to be touched 3 days later.

4. Special Notice: Inspect the ground before installation, the installation is feasible with the moisture under 40%; it is special ground with the moisture 40%-60% so you should install a little to confirm before mass-installation; and it is unsuitable to install with the moisture over 60%. A way to test the moisture is to flatly place a couple of pvc tiles on the ground and see if there is vapor on the back 6-12 hours later.

5. Before installation, thoroughly clean the floor. If uneven, it should firstly be rubbed out or made even. If there is much gravel, it should be stuccoed again.

6. Make the referential ink line according to the building in order to get the center, then measure 90°with set square to get the vertical equal line, and finally, flip the datum line with ink.

7. Regard the datum line center as the starting point and then daub the floor glue with steel knife towards one of the lines; after 20 or 30 minutes, you can start the installation. It is better to daub the relevant place within 60 minutes. Equality is very important in daubing, and the pvc flooring glue is semi-touchable, so it is ok just to press the tiles.

8. After daubing and the glue is becoming a little dry (about 20 minutes), when it is not sticky in touching, install the tiles along the datum line. The tiles should be put in order and placed from top to bottom, then press around each tile to make it well agglutinated.

9. If the glue overflows from the joint, wipe immediately with wet cloth, or it will be troublesome. Please take care. (If allowed by the environment, gasoline or diluent can also be ok.)

10. When winding up, it needs to put one tile to the last floor tile that installed to make two inosculate well. Then get another as practice and make one side cling to the wall and cut the other side along the edge with art knife, and finally break along the cutting line.

11. When the edge installation is finished, it needs to clean up the fragments; and press with roller to make the tiles inosculate flatly. Then wipe with wet cloth. If there is still something dirty, please clear with a little rosin water carefully and then with clean water.

12. After installation, first clean up all the dirtiness, and then maintain the surface with acryl colophony to keep the tiles bright.

13. In daily cleanness, clean water is ok. Waxing periodically to keep the pvc floor bright. Twice or three times each month in acryl colophony is very useful.