How to choose the right floor tiles for the hall?
The floor in the hall is a place extremely susceptible to dirt brought in from the outside, and during winter and rainy days – also to moisture. Therefore, it is appropriate to cover this surface with a suitably durable material, which at the same time will not be a problem during regular cleaning. Ceramic tiles turn out to be an ideal solution.
When buying floor tiles for the hall, it is worth checking their purpose: are they really floor tiles, not wall tiles, and will they work well in the hall in terms of strength and interior design?
An important parameter, in this case, will be abrasion resistance (so-called PEI). The higher the PEI level, the more resistant the tile. PEI 4 or PEI 5 tiles are recommended for rooms such as a hall.
Frost resistance will not be an important property for me. In winter, the temperature around the front door is often much lower than in other parts of the house. In addition, it is worth noting that tiles with good frost resistance also cope well with moisture.
In places like the hall, it can be slippery when some water has collected. Therefore, anti-slip tiles can turn out to be a choice that increases the safety of household members. The symbols R-1, R-2 and so on indicate the degree of anti-slip. The higher the number, the higher the rank.
Hallway tiles – fabric
According to finishing experts, stoneware and terracotta are the best materials for hall tiles.
Porcelain tiles are distinguished by a high level of hardness and a high degree of resistance to abrasion – as we have established above, these are important features. Unfortunately, the strength of the stoneware also has its drawbacks, because if we plan to cut tiles for a gas meter, pipes, etc., we must take into account difficulties. When washing stoneware tiles, be careful also with detergents that can matt the surface.
Terracotta, on the other hand, is characterized by, among others easy to clean and with different types (glossy, matte and semi-matte tiles). Glossy tiles are particularly exposed to visible scratches and loss of their original glow. When installing tiles, it is worth ensuring that the cladding has wide joints, because terracotta has this characteristic that it changes its volume under the influence of temperature. For the same reason, the adhesive mortar should be flexible.
The color of the floor tiles for the hall
Of course, the colour of the tiles is largely a matter of taste, but for the hallway, we recommend tiles in light shades, on which there are less visible traces of sand, water or other dirt. In addition, bright colours optically enlarge the space, which in the case of a small area should have a positive effect on the overall appearance.
A traditional solution is a one-colour floor, but more and more people decide to diversify in the form of a two-colour floor, e.g. with a strip imitating a carpet. Tiles that look like wooden panels are quite an interesting solution. On the other hand, the more extravagant solutions include grey tiles for the hall, which look good with accessories in vivid colours (yellow or red).
