Planning and Designing a Porcelain Floor

Porcelain tile kitchen floors are classically beautiful, distinguishably resilient, and versatile. And, with a range of hues and textures to choose from, porcelain tile offers remodelers, contractors, or interior designers to utilize their creativity to create unique patterns. All in all, porcelain offers unmatched design versatility. Tiles can mimic natural stones, aztec geometric patterns, insipired landscapes, fabric patterns... The list goes on.When planning your porcelain floor, ask yourself the following questions:

Where Will The Tile Be Installed?

Determine what type of traffic you expect the room to endure before purchasing any porcelain  tile. If you’re installing a porcelain floor in a high-traffic are where spills and stains are likely than you should factor in a slip-resistant porcelain tile that will clean up easily and withstand wear and tear. On the other hand, if you’re floor will be in a low-traffic area you may wish to choose a decorative and textured tile to bring the area some personality. Unlike floor applications, wall applications do not endure the same wear and tear, so play up that wall with a little color or design.

What is the Room Layout?

Are you working with a square room or is it a complex space? Map out the dimensions of the room to determine a) how much tile you’ll need to purchase, and b) what size of porcelain tile works best for your space and c) how much tile you’ll need to cut. The goal is to cut as few tiles as possible.

Porcelain tiles come in a range of both designs and sizes. After you have selected the ideal pattern, you're going to want to consider the size of your tile. Square tiles that come in 12" by 12" or above will take far less time to install than 1" by 1" mosaic tiles. If you are DIY-ing, you may want to opt for larger tiles which require less cuts and less installation time.

What Type of Design Do You Want?

The pattern, orientation, and color can help shape the overall design theme you're going for in a room.

Pattern or solid?: Decide on whether or not you’re going to use a patterned tile and then carefully plan out your floor in order to avoid any installation/design mistakes.

Orientation: If you’re using a patterned tile it’s necessary to remember that simply turning the orientation can affect the entire look of your floor.

Color: For smaller rooms, you may want to consider a lighter tile so it gives a "larger than life" vibe. Uniform dark tiles make a room look smaller.

Simply put, carefully design and plan your porcelain floor before you purchase a single tile. That way, you’ll have your pattern, design, and measurements finalized in order to purchase the correct amount of materials. While most flooring experts will recommend the use of a professional tile installer for your porcelain floor the planning and designing of the floor can be completed by both the installer and the homeowner.

More Resources:

Houzz, "Porcelain Kitchen Floor Tiles"

HGTV Remodels, "Reasons to Choose Porcelain Tile"