Wall Tile Panelling

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Tiles come in an endless array of sizes, colours and patterns, making wall tile panelling a désign element very much used. They can be used as:

colorful accents for wall inserts for kitchen backsplashes, fireplaces, bathroom walls.

Murals will give a unique touch to a house entrance, bathroom wall or an outside patio wall.

Decorative panels make a stylish statement in any of your rooms: kitchens, baths, living rooms, conservatories, laundry rooms.

The material used for tiles is so different: from ceramic and porcelain to metal wall tiles.

The newest additions are cork and glass wall tiles as eco-friendly choices for building materials.

Most used tile materials are:

Ceramic Tile - still the most common material used for wall tile paneling. At a basic level, they are glazed and unglazed. The unglazed ones have the colour running through he body of the tile. Glazing a ceramic tile allows surface colour and design to be added, so it becomes more durable, preventing staining and water absorption.
Porcelain Tile - is the modern version of ceramic tile. Fired at higher temperatures than ceramic, its density is greater. Being fine grained and smooth, it's proned to take on less moisture and more resistant to staining than ceramic tile. Porcelain tiles are available in mat, unglazed or a high polished finish.

Marble Tile - is extremely porous and that's why in time it will need scheduled maintenance. In order to keep marble tiles stain resistant, they need to be resealed every 12 to 24 months. This is especially true for marble tiled bathrooms because of heat and steam.

Granite Tile – even though it has a natural beauty, they are not used very often for wall tile panelling. Reason? Because of its weight, granite tile has a tendency to slide down the wall when installed.

For an easy install, wall tile panels come in sheets:
- Sheet mounted tiles consist of evenly spaced tiles mounted on a backing sheet of paper,fabric mesh, plastic or silicone tab grid. Marble or ceramic tile panels usually are mounted from the back with fiberglass netting.
  Sheet sizes and number of tiles per sheet vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.
- Pre-grouted tile panels eliminate the need of grouting the joints. Flexible silicone caulk replaces the grout between the tiles, and is used also between the joints of the panel edges.
Types of Wall Tile Panellings

Mosaic tiles have been around for thousands of years and provide and attractive wall tile panelling. Most mosaic wall tiles consist of small pieces of ceramic tiles placed in a prepared pattern on a mesh backing sheet. The sheet of little tiles is then cemented onto the wall and grouted. This process can be quite tricky as the walls need to be very flat or the grout lines will show up any imperfections.

Glass mosaics - have a vibrant and luxurious feel. being waterproof, they are suitable for baths or can create a stylish kitchen splashback. Usually they come in sheets with a front mounted paper to protect glass against scratching and damage.

Cork mosaic is the eco-friendly material for modern wall tile panelling. Panels can come in penny-round style. Water resistant,it is perfect for walls and floors. Usually it's mounted on paper mesh in sheets. If you want to keep its natural color, it needs pre-sealing before grouting. If you want to change the color, it should be dyed before sealing.

Plastic tile panels will change the look of your walls with no fuss: flexible, easy to put up, maintains their look for years and they are easy to keep clean. Panels are easy to cut and shape with scissors, and you can apply them even over your existing tiles.

River stone tiles panels come installed on mesh. Pebbles are worn, with a polished smooth finish, and excellent to cover bathroom or patio walls.