Tiling Archives - Natural Stone Tile Company & Shop

Glass mosaics are an excellent choice of tile for anyone who wants something a little more flamboyant, although not so much to dampen the clean appearance of any modern kitchen or bathroom space.

One of the biggest pluses associated with glass mosaics is that they aren’t likely to fade out of fashion or look particularly dated in the next few decades or so. They work extremely well with any modern interior design, so you can rest assured that a preference for glass mosaics will work in your favour should you choose to sell in the future.

Choosing glass mosaics takes time and should include plenty of consideration for your preferred colour, design and shape. Here at the Stone Tile Emporium, we have a wide range of glass mosaic options available to suit a variety of interior design preferences, such as Contemporary Chic or Iridescent Pearl.

Every type of glass mosaic we have offers a unique blend of colours and themes, giving you an alternative to the standard features of natural stone tiling. If there’s anything that could potentially become dated in future with glass mosaics, it’s likely to be the shape. Rectangular tiles in general may fade away in time but we’re always on top of the latest design trends here at the Stone Tile Emporium.

So should you go with glass mosaics for your home? It’s an easy yes in our opinion, as you get all sorts of exciting features that this kind of tiling is associated with, all of which are capable of lighting up both traditional and modern living spaces.

To learn more about our glass mosaics here at the Stone Tile Emporium, contact us today on 01737 210125. We look forward to hearing from you.

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We’re all after that luxurious finish when it comes to tiling, whether it’s a contemporary home or something a little more antique. However, achieving luxury in a contemporary home can be quite tough, especially with so much to compete with in the market. Here are a few luxury stone flooring ideas that might give your contemporary kitchen or bathroom the sparkle it needs to reach new heights.

Glamour

Original Style Artworks Baroque Blue Bathroom Wall Tiles

Glamour and contemporary go hand-in-hand, so going for something that dazzles or sparkles could work particularly well. Once the mirror effect of your shiny stone tile attracts the natural light of your bathroom, it creates a shimmering atmosphere that compliments any modern bathroom design.

Urban Chic

Urban chic is really growing in popularity. The slate flooring effect means that bathrooms and kitchens are now adopting a unique design that compliments the idea of natural stone. With the addition of some exposed brickwork and wooden cabinets or furnishings, you could create a beautifully luxurious urban environment in your bathroom without substantial expenditure.

Scandinavian

Original Style Earthworks Tumbled Marble Beige Floor And Wall Tiles In Bathroom

The Scandinavian effect incorporates plenty of wooden features as well as cubic furnishings and no short amount of natural light. With the addition of some naturals tone tiles, you can create a spa-like atmosphere that lives up to the demands of luxurious contemporary bathrooms. A touch of the outdoors, such as plant life, shells or stones will also work really well here.

For more information on our wide range of slate tiles and more, get in touch with us today or visit our shop in Reigate, and we’ll take you through our unrivalled collection of natural stone.

Bathroom decoration takes time and often incorporates various attractive tiling features, from glass mosaics to unique natural stone. Of course, there are many things that need to be considered before you start purchasing your tiling, such as whether or not it suits a wet location. You also need to consider what size you’ll be going with. Remember that smaller tiles generally provide better grip, although you can also get larger tiles with effective slip-resistance. Here are a few other things to consider regarding shower tiles.

Tiling also contributes to the feel of the shower. Remember that if you’re tiling somewhere you are likely to sit, such as in a miniature sauna or shower room, the tiling should be larger and possibly incorporate a curved finish. Smaller tiles are more likely to be uncomfortable.

If style and design is your prime concern, think about tiling your shower area with two different tiles. This could be two different types of texture or simply a varied selection of colour. You could even go for some glass mosaics to give you more flexibility when creating unique shower room design ideas.

A final tip for your shower tiling project would be to choose carefully when going for mosaic tiles. You shouldn’t just rely on the gluey substance on the back of mosaics as they can quite easily slip. Contact between the back board and the mosaic tile is essential and leads to a seamlessly stunning installation.

Original Style Earthworks Burnt Sienna Slate Floor Tiles In Living Room

If you’re eager to decorate your home with some stunning natural stone tiling, you should probably start by considering which rooms will benefit most from limestone, slate, travertine or possibly even marble.

Natural stone tiles are great if you want to bring an abundance of character to your home, whether its a contemporary layout or something grade-listed and antique.

Here are three less obvious rooms in any household that can benefit from stone tiling:

1. Conservatory

If you’re tired of a concrete conservatory floor or having trouble with rotting wood, natural stone tiles are a great flooring alternative. Natural stone tiles bring a certain warmth to any room, though it works brilliantly from the comfort of a conservatory armchair whilst you enjoy the outdoor scenery.

2. Entrance Hall/ Hallway

The hallway is often overlooked when it comes to interior decor, with people happy to lay down some carpet or natural wooden flooring without worrying too much. On the other hand, a beautifully decorated entrance hall with limestone flooring can really set the tone of any successful interior design atmosphere.

3. Laundry Room

If you’re lucky enough to have a designated laundry room, you might consider decorating the walls and floors with natural stone tiling that reflects the general atmosphere of the room. If it’s near the kitchen, stone tiles that mirror the design aspects of next door can really enhance the continuity of your home.

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We’re set for some great weather in the coming days, so there’s never been a better time to carry out some outdoor DIY. If you’ve always dreamt of relaxing outdoors during the summer whilst reading the paper or enjoying a cold drink, you might benefit from a new patio area. Natural stone tiles are ideal for any new patio, with all kinds of designs available to suit your preferences. Here are a few tips from us at the Stone Tile Emporium on how to create the perfect garden patio.

Remember that not all tiles are the perfect fit for a garden patio, so it’s important to make sure you choose the right natural stone that’s capable of coping with harsh weather and rainwater. You also need to be aware of how some outdoor patio tiles can easily absorb water and cause cracks during the winter. Therefore, a good choice of material would be porcelain, as it does not absorb water particularly fast.

For strength, granite tiles are a great choice as they are particularly sturdy and won’t get damaged in stormy weather. Naturals tone to avoid would be something like slate, which is softer than granite and may not be able to cope with mixed weather conditions over a long period of time.

When it comes to decorating your new patio, you should try and incorporate as much of the natural beauty of your garden as possible, whether its potted plants or accessories like rocks and shells. You could also create a canopy of foliage to cover an outdoor dining area.

Depending on how big a part you want your new patio to play, you can introduce a whole host of great features, including an outdoor fireplace or perhaps some artificial lighting. Just remember that design trends don’t stick around for long, so keeping to your own preferences is always the best way to go.

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There are a number of things you can add to your bathroom once you’ve installed your natural stone tiles for the first time and some of them really help to enhance the natural atmosphere.

On the other hand, you might be interested in decorating your tiled walls with something a little more comical or flamboyant. Either way, here are some great bathroom wall decorations we think work well with natural stone.

Slate tiling is quite a dark, bland form of stone that offers its own unique natural design. However, spicing it up with some attractive decorations can improve the atmosphere of your bathroom with ease.

Jet Black Porcelanosa Wall Tile In Bathroom With Contrasting White Bath Tub

A contemporary mirror would really stand out in such a modernised bathroom style; whilst you could possible even incorporate a few canvas portraits that resemble the surroundings. So if slate is your chosen tile, think modern and contemporary with your decorations.

Another popular choice of stone in bathrooms is limestone tiling, which can be used to create both a contemporary and period-style bathroom space.

If you’ve gone for something a little more classic, why not decorate the walls with a wonderfully Romanesque towel handle, or possible a beautifully designed candle holder? Either way, limestone looks great when you’ve gone wild with bathroom decorations, so designate a style choice and start decorating!

Archerfield Limestone Tile Floor In Cosy Seating Area

We thought it would be a good idea to remind you of some of the benefits of having natural stone tiles as part of your interior design plan, especially as the summer holidays often go hand in hand with various household construction projects. If you’ve considered making the most of our vast natural stone range here at the Stone Tile Emporium for parts of your property, here are some of the reasons why it’s such a popular alternative to other forms of flooring.

Appearance

Artisans - Kit Stone Clifton

Stone Tiles offer a wide variety of different styles and finishes and promote a unique elegance and luxury which can’t be replicated by any other type of tiling or flooring. Stone tiling is different every time, so you also know that no one else in the world has the style you’ve gone for! It is a classy, high quality alternative to carpets and wooden flooring, whilst it also has a historic demeanour with various fossils shaped over millions of years often still visible in the stone.

Maintenance

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Stone Tiles need to be sealed before and after their installation. Once you do this, you don’t have to treat them again for up to two years. They are extremely easy to look after and the sealing procedure isn’t as difficult as it sounds either.

Atmospheric

Porcelain tiles gallery image 1 - MUD_Bestone porcelain

Stone Tiles are great all year round as they can help cope with both the hotter and colder seasons. However, Stone Tiles create a sense of warmth wherever they are used, so during the winter with the addition of a warm, cosy fire, you’ll certainly feel a lot more comfortable surrounded by some beautiful stone tiles.

Marble Tiles Gallery Image - Original Style Earthworks Viano White polished marble and Nero Polished Marble

We’ve all experienced the ups and downs of carrying out DIY work and installing new stone flooring or wall tiling is probably one of the most common DIY jobs that you’ll come across. There are always questions that need answering when tiling, so we’ve decided to put together a few FAQ’s for those of you who are seeking out some helpful tiling advice or information. Three questions will be answered each week, so keep an eye on our blog over the coming weeks!

Q. Is it safe to drill through my bathroom tile installation?

A. Yes. However, it all comes down to what your tiles are made from. If they are thin and ceramic, a cheap drill bit is all you need to carry out the job. Porcelain tiles on the other hand require small diamond drill bits and can be much more difficult to start.

Q. Can tiles stick to plywood?

A. Plywood is quite a common bathroom material, though it must be thick enough to not be affected by regular changes in temperature. You will need a latex based bonding solution rather than standard PVA solutions to get tiles to stick to Plywood.

Q. Do I have to seal my natural stone tiling?

A. Yes. Natural stone isn’t porous so you’ll have to carry out a grouting procedure. Once the grout has been left to dry, it should become waterproof. Grouting doesn’t have a significant effect on the look of your natural stone tiles, so don’t worry too much about this.

Our tiling FAQ continues into week 2, where we focus on some of the more basic aspects of tiling for those who are carrying out their first ever stone tile project. Sometimes the most obvious questions bring about the most useful results!

Q. How do I work out exactly how many tiles I need?

A. To work out the exact number of tiles you need for your designated tiling space, multiply the height by the width of your wall space to get a measurement in square metres. Then find out the measurement of your chosen individual tiles and divide the surface area of your tiling space by that of your chosen tile.

Q. How can I get a neat and organised row of tiles?

A. It’s important to have tiles of equal size to have a perfectly symmetrical set of wall tiles. Place cut tiles of equal size at both ends of your row, using a spirit level to make sure you have them in line. After marking out the positions on the wall, use a batten to trial your row of tiles, putting spaces in between each one. Mark out the tile positions and gaps along the batten and use this as a gauge.

Q. How can I make sure the spaces between the tiles are even?

A. You can make the space between each tile even by putting plastic tile spacers between each one. Try to make sure that each spacer is pushed as far in as possible so they can also be grouted over. Try not to leave any marks on the tiling in the process.

Accidentally damaging a stone tile can be frustrating to say the least, especially if it interferes with the natural stone tiling effect you’ve worked so hard to achieve. A lot of the time, we ignore damaged tiles and accept the fact that there’s little you can do to repair them. Well in fact, there is something you can do. Here’s how to replace a damaged tile…

– Loosen the grout around the edges of the damaged tile using a grout remover. Once you’ve done this you can start to rake out the rest of the grout.

– Drilling holes into the central areas of the tile helps to weaken the surface, so use a small ceramic drill bit and drill four holes in a square shape into the tile. You can increase the size of the ceramic drill bit if necessary.

– Equip yourself with a hammer and chisel and gradually chip away at the central space between the holes you’ve made. This gets rid of the central part of the tile, although you should be careful not to scratch the wall beneath it.

– From here, use the chisel to get underneath the rest of the tile, moving towards the edges until you’ve removed it entirely. This is where you need to be careful not to damage the surrounding tiles. Try and get rid of much of the adhesive as possible as well.

– Check that your replacement tile fits neatly into the new gap and that the adhesive isn’t pushing the tile further out in comparison to the others. Put new adhesive on the replacement tile and position it in the space.

– Use a flat piece of wood with that is larger in length to the tile to push it into place. Fit new tiles spaces so you can fill in the edges with grout. It’s important to wait for the adhesive to dry before doing this.

Category: Tiling

Can’t Find Your Perfect Tile? – Why You Should Consider The Exciting Alternative of Glass Mosaics

3 Design Ideas to Achieve a Luxurious Contemporary Bathroom

Glamour

Urban Chic

Scandinavian

DIY Solutions – Shower Tiling Ideas

Tiling Dilemma? 3 Rooms That Benefit From Stone Tiling

1. Conservatory

2. Entrance Hall/ Hallway

3. Laundry Room

DIY Solutions – Creating The Ideal Summer Garden Patio

Decorating Tiled Bathroom Walls

3 Reasons Why You Should Switch to Stone Tiles This Summer

Appearance

Maintenance

Atmospheric

Tiling FAQ – Week 1

Q. Is it safe to drill through my bathroom tile installation?

Q. Can tiles stick to plywood?

Q. Do I have to seal my natural stone tiling?

Tiling FAQ – Week 2

Q. How do I work out exactly how many tiles I need?

Q. How can I get a neat and organised row of tiles?

Q. How can I make sure the spaces between the tiles are even?

Replacing Damaged Stone Tiles

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