In case, you are looking for some tile installation options, I suggest one of the good bets would be quarry tiles. Quarry tiles are actually ceramic tiles, inexpensive and best for high abuse areas like kitchen, bathrooms and hallways. Though, mostly used commercially, they are becoming popular for home improvement projects these days. Apart from being cheap and affordable, they are highly durable and one of the best tile flooring ideas which makes their installation worth it! If you check, the tiles are available in some really good vibrant colors of red, orange and green and hence best for making your home stand out! What makes them unique is their manufacturing process wherein different colored clay are mixed with shale, blended well, cut into squares and then heated at high temperatures which allows the tiles to become hard and durable, just what you need! I would suggest you go for the Daltile quarry tiles, they have been known to manufacture good quality tiles at affordable prices with varied patterns and color ranges.
Well, along with flooring, quarry tile has been commonly used as a baking stone wherein it is not glazed or treated with any chemicals and hence can be safely used for baking pizzas or rolls. This type of tile is popular as unglazed quarry tile which means the surface isn't glazed. As far as installation is concerned, let me tell you that it isn't a big deal if you follow the steps given below. Let us see how to go about this DIY project.
Installation
Being a DIY project, it is definitely easy to go about if you have patience and follow the steps accurately. The cost would depend on the total area you want to install the flooring.
Gather the Materials
Of course, first of all you need to gather what all things would be required through the process - measuring tape, mortar adhesive, cement board sheets for the entire floor, trowel, screw gun, drywall screws, quarry tiles (half-inch thick), adhesive, tile spacers, grout mix, sponge, bucket, grout cleaner, sealer, and putty knife.
Prepare the Floor
Now that all the materials are handy, you need to prepare the floor. Remove all the appliances or materials and make the room empty. Take the cement board sheets and fix them on the floor using screws and screw gun so that the entire base is covered with it and will act as a sub floor. Along with the screws, apply mortar adhesive on the lower side of the cement board so that it gets fixed properly. Allow the cement board to fix in for sufficient time after which divide it in 4 sections so that installation becomes easy.
Lay Quarry Tiles
Next, start installing the tiles in the design or pattern you have thought of, considering one section at a time, using the adhesive. However, you would have to use the tile spacers between each of them for grout installation. When you are done with all the 4 sections, let the tiles dry for about 24 hours.
Apply Grout and Sealer
After the tiles have properly set in, remove the spacers between them using a putty knife. Prepare the grout mixture you have bought from the market and apply it between the tiles so that they stay compact and get adhered to each other in a way which would make them last for longer duration. Allow the grout to dry as well. Remove the excess with the help of a grout cleaner. Lastly, apply the sealer so that it remains waterproof and resistant to moisture. Unglazed or unsealed surface is porous and hence prone to damage so don't forget to apply the sealer. This would especially prove to be useful in case of bathroom flooring. You are done!
Installing quarry tiles for your walls and floors is a good economical bet, so go for it. And the aforementioned steps would help you always. Good luck!
