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If getting prolonged longevity of flooring for your buck is what you want, then tile flooring is where you want to put your money. Whether it is relatively lower cost tile made of ceramic, slate, or porcelain, or pricier stone tiles such as marble or granite, you\’ll have a floor that will likely be there the remainder of your lifetime and possibly that of future generations.

A number of tile floorings from the ancient Roman period (264 BC-400 AD) have survived to this day.

According to the flooring industry, ceramic tile ranks third in sales after carpet and vinyl floor coverings, and its appeal continues to grow at a rapid pace. While other forms of flooring such as carpeting, hardwood, and good quality vinyl can beautify a dwelling or place of business, tile certainly takes the beauty a step further by adding elegance and sophistication.

When visitors to a home or office walk onto tile flooring, it often generates thoughts of the property owner\’s class and style. And with an immense variety of tile sizes, designs, patterns, and colors to choose from, there are countless ways the owner can express that flair.

Aside from its elegance and remarkable durability, ceramic or stone tile flooring is incredibly easy to clean and maintain. It is, in all practicality, impervious to stains and corrosion. If the space between tiles is well sealed with grout, the floor can even withstand being submerged in water (unlike the best quality hardwood or vinyl floors).

In the unlikely event of damage to a tile flooring, a tile or section of them can be replaced with relative ease, leaving no signs of the mishap.

Tile flooring is composed in two basic styles of surface finish; glazed and unglazed. The style one chooses is based on his or her taste (or that of the person\’s hired interior designer), and the overall setting and room furnishing that will be placed on it.

Ceramic tiles are basically man-made with substances removed from the earth becoming a clay that is molded and then fired in kilns, ovens that are set to temperatures of about 2,400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Today, much of the process is automated by machinery.

Stone-type flooring such as marble or granite is somewhat costlier than ceramic. Whenever the implied notion of a \”limited supply\” is taken into consideration, the price of such materials is generally higher than that of man-made or artificial products.

Marble and granite tile flooring are processed from stones that were extracted from deep within the earth or underneath sea beds; stones that may be millions of years old and subsequently compressed by nature\’s extreme heat and pressure.

Keeping your tile flooring clean often involves a simple sweeping of dust or light mopping with generic household cleaning solutions found in the kitchen.

The rough sandy substance that connects tiles together, called \”grout\”, is what may at times be a bit more of a challenge. Fortunately, the market has an abundant supply of commercial grout-cleaning products that are readily available, making the overall appearance of the floor something to be proud of…for a long time to come.

Mira Floors and Interiors is Greater Vancouver\’s premiere floor and window covering specialist for both home owners and commercial spaces. Mr. James Alisch and his team can assist in all aspects of floor installations, carpet, hardwood, laminate, vinyl and tile. For further information about your flooring options go to Mira Floors and Interiors