Tile for Floors and Walls in Manitowoc
Tile is a hard-wearing surface, and it is at home in the rooms that get wet. It also comes in a wide range of sizes, colors, finishes and patterns. This page covers the basics, and the guides at the bottom go deeper.
Carpets Plus of Manitowoc is a tile store as well as a carpet store. We carry floor tile and wall tile, and you can look at samples in person at our showroom on Calumet Avenue.
Porcelain and Ceramic
Most tile is porcelain or ceramic. Both are fired clay. Porcelain is denser and takes on less water, which is why it is the usual pick for bathrooms, entries and other wet or hard-used spots. Ceramic is a common choice for walls and for floors that see lighter use.
Many tiles today are made to look like stone, wood or concrete. Up close, in a store, you can judge how convincing the look is and how often the pattern repeats.
Floor Tile and Wall Tile
Tile made for a wall does not carry weight, so it can be thinner and glossier. Tile made for a floor has to stand up to foot traffic and give you some grip. Many floor tiles can go on a wall, but a wall tile should not go on a floor. Manufacturers say where each tile can be used, so ask before you fall for one.
Size, Finish and Grout
Large tiles mean fewer grout lines and a calmer look, and they need a very flat surface underneath. Small tiles and mosaics follow a slope more easily, which is why you see them on shower floors.
A matte or textured finish gives more grip on a wet floor than a polished one. Grout color matters more than most people expect. A matching grout makes the floor read as one surface, and a contrasting grout outlines every tile. Choose the grout with the tile, not afterward.
Where Tile Works
- Bathrooms and laundry rooms, where water is part of every day.
- Kitchens, which see spills and a lot of foot traffic.
- Entries and mudrooms, which take salt, sand and wet boots for a good part of the year in Manitowoc.
- Walls. We carry wall tile as well as floor tile.
Tile flooring in Manitowoc covers the rooms where tile earns its place, and tile or hardwood in a Wisconsin kitchen compares the two for the busiest room in the house.
What Goes Under Tile
Tile and grout do not bend, so the surface beneath has to be stiff and flat. That gets looked at during the in-home measure, before a tile floor is planned. Flooring installation in Manitowoc explains how tile goes in compared with other floors.
Caring for Tile
- Sweep or vacuum up grit so it does not get ground into the surface.
- Mop with warm water and a mild cleaner made for tile.
- Skip harsh acids and ammonia, which can damage or discolor grout.
- Wipe up spills on grout lines before they set.
Tile Guides
- Tile store in Manitowoc: what to look at before you choose
- Tile flooring in Manitowoc: where it works and what to ask
- Tile installers in Manitowoc: how a tile job runs
- Tile or hardwood in a Wisconsin kitchen
- Flooring installation in Manitowoc: how each floor goes in
- Is vinyl flooring right for your bathroom?
See Tile in Person
Tile is hard to choose from a screen. Stop into the showroom on Calumet Avenue with a cabinet door, a paint chip or a photo of the room, and ask about taking a sample home. You can also try a few looks in the room visualizer before you come in.
When you have a short list, we come out, measure, check the subfloor, and give you a written estimate with no obligation. Give us a call at (920) 686-0060, or send us a note to get started.