Ceramic Tile Countertops

Ceramic tile looks good, comes in many colors, textures and patterns, and is heat resistant and water resistant if installed correctly. The custom-look is enhanced now that grout is also available in numerous colors to coordinate with your décor. Be careful to buy a tile that is rated for countertop use. Costs run from inexpensive to pricey, depending on whether the tile is formed by machine or by hand and how many units are needed. Patient do-it-yourselfers are likely to have good results but installing tiles is not easy at it appears.

Some tile glazes can react adversely to acids or cleaning chemicals; be sure to ask before making your selection. It can be a challenge to keep grout satisfactorily clean, particularly in often used areas of kitchens, though using epoxy grouts and thin uniform grout lines can help. Though ceramic tile is fairly durable, it may crack or chip if heavy objects, such as pots, fall on it. A further potential difficulty in kitchens is that the hard irregular surface of ceramic tile can chip china and glassware.