How to trim a table with ceramic tiles

It's hard to say who first figured out to trim the table with ceramic tiles, but that's not important. The main thing is that today anyone can afford the pleasure of finding beautiful and durable furniture, with a minimum of effort. Ceramic tiles can instantly give the old shabby table a new life or decorate an unsightly piece of furniture, giving it an original style.

Pros of the original solution

Today, the building materials market is characterized by a huge selection of ceramic tiles for every taste. Here you and monophonic glossy classics, and stylish matte tiles, and intricate paintings, in general, choose - I do not want. You can decorate the oval table with ceramic tiles by adding original inserts from the mosaic, and then apply them on other interior items. For example, if your kitchen table is painted with roses or ornaments, you can put the same pattern on the edge of the cabinet or under the ceiling to create a harmonious interior in one spirit.

There are a lot of options, and the fact that the ceramic tile allows you to create an unusual interior, it is understandable and without unnecessary demagogy. But if the merits of this decision were limited only to decorative qualities, there would be no need to write an entire article on this topic.

Ceramic tiles, above all, improve the performance of a finished surface, whether it be flooring, walls or furniture. If you have an old, past fire, water and a bunch of repairs a dining table, with a ceramic tile over the scratched surface, it will look much nicer than covered with oilcloth. Yes, and this furniture will serve more than one year!

Good quality ceramics are not afraid of hot dishes, no scratches from the knife, or accidentally spilled liquids. You can do anything with such a table, the main thing is not to forget to wipe the surface with a rag in time to enjoy the pure shine of the tiles again.

So, let's list the main advantages of the tables covered with ceramic tiles:

• high aesthetics;
• abrasion resistance;
• longevity;
• simplicity in operation and maintenance;
• hygiene.

How to choose a tile

To enjoy all the above advantages, you need to choose the right ceramic tile. Not all manufacturers can boast of good products, which would not be colored due to accidentally spilled red wine and would not spoil because of the hot pot set on it. Requirements for ceramic tiles for the kitchen table are much higher than for walls.

First of all, pay attention to the thickness of the tiles. It should be no thinner than 5 mm, otherwise this coating can burst if you put a hot pot on the table or, say, make chops. Since the thickness should exceed 5mm, the wall tiles automatically fall off.

Pay attention to the thin floor tiles. Such products have sufficient thickness, as well as some types of mosaic tiles. As for the coating, most people prefer a matte tile, because the glossy needs more thorough care.

However, no matter how solid the tiles you bought are, do not use it as a cutting board. If you cut directly on the table, the knife will quickly become dull, and the dough will be difficult to roll out on such a surface - the joints between the tiles will interfere. The latter problem is solved simply by installing a monolithic marble slab.

Helpful tip: If the cutting board does not slip on a smooth ceramic surface, glue rubber pieces or a thin rubber sheet over its entire surface to its back side.

Do not choose too large tiles with a side more than 15 cm. They will have to be cut anyway, and the table will not look very nice either. If you are going to decorate the sliding table with ceramic tiles, you should take into account the size of the gaps, which will be reduced by gluing the tiles. It may be necessary to correct the mechanism itself so that the table top does not get stuck during assembly.

As for manufacturers, the market can offer a lot of options. Mostly in specialized stores foreign products predominate. One of the world's leading manufacturers is Italy. A table with ceramic tiles from Italian craftsmen is able to set the mood and style of the whole room. If you prefer something "simpler" and do not chase on pompous classics or fashionable tendencies, you can safely buy tiles of domestic production. Recently, there has been an increasing tendency to use tile battle to create an original mosaic on the floor, walls and furniture. Perhaps, and you are more suitable for this option, and money will be spent much less.

For those who are not inclined to spontaneous creativity, there is one more manufacturer that has established itself as a supplier of quality, durable and beautiful products - Malaysia. Tables with ceramic tiles in this case will last for more than one year and will always please a brand new shiny surface.

Finishing the table

Materials

To trim the table with ceramic tiles it is not enough to have only the coating and glue. It is necessary to prepare a number of materials.

Materials:

• ceramic tiles( tiles, curbs and corners);
• special adhesive for floor tiles;
• composition for grouting on epoxy basis;
• laths for edging, the width of which is equal to the width of the table top + tiles;
• sealant;
• remover for grouting.
  

Tools

During the finishing work you may need not only standard tools that can be found in any home, but also special tools. To work went smoothly and quickly, it is better to stock them in advance.

Tools:

• ceramic cutter;
• "ironing"( grinding the edges of the tile);
• notched trowel;
• washers 2 mm;
• plastic spatula for grouting;
• a rag.
  

Work progress

If you are finishing the old kitchen table, clean it first and grind the surface. If you make a table from scratch, 12 mm thick plywood panels or 19 mm thick boards are suitable as a basis for the countertop. It is best to calculate the dimensions beforehand in the construction of the table so that they are multiples of the size of the tile. So you can avoid ugly halves and fuss with sharpness.

Procedure:

1. Clean the surface of the base( table top) from dust and remove any irregularities.
2. Mark the table top so that all the slabs of slabs are in the back of the table, but not near the stove or sink if you trim the built-in countertop.
3. No matter what form your kitchen table is, you need to designate one "key" tile, marking it on the surface so that it sets the direction of location to other tiles. So you will get an even number or a harmonious pattern. Circle this tile with a pencil around the perimeter and, focusing on it, make a marking of the whole table top.
4. The nature of the cladding directly depends on the design of your future countertop. So, if you intend to use curbs, then you need to start the lining with them, pre-attaching the edge of the auxiliary rail.
   
5. With a notched trowel, distribute the adhesive in a space that will hold 4-5 slabs. Do not cover the entire table at once, because the adhesive composition dries very quickly. The thickness of the adhesive layer should not be more than 3 mm, otherwise the excess will simply crawl between the tiles and spoil the appearance.
6. Do not forget to separate whole tiles from each other with gaskets. If there are slats along the edge of the table, it is also necessary to place spacers between them and adjacent tiles.
7. When you glue 4-5 tiles, check the horizontal level by placing a piece of rake on top. If you notice the curvature, there is still time to tear off the tile, until the glue has solidified, and glue it correctly.
8. When all the tiles are in their place, dilute the epoxy grout and work the seams between the elements. Do not dilute immediately a lot of grout, because it dries pretty quickly. Remove excess paste after drying with a special compound and rags. Judging by the numerous reviews, the table with ceramic tiles is best treated with epoxy trowel, because it is incredibly durable, not afraid of moisture and does not emit toxic substances.

How correctly to wipe seams between tiles, you learn from the video below