Apron in the kitchen: the advantages of ceramic tiles and the fineness of its installation

Apron is an integral part of any modern kitchen. It is laid out in the area of the working area between the furniture and the surface of the countertop. A classic option for designing this plane is ceramic tiles. Its choice is due to a number of positive characteristics. This material is durable, practical, attractive, easy to care for, resistant to temperature changes, moisture, abrasive substances. What to look for when choosing a ceramic tile for an apron? What are the features of the installation?

The subtleties of choosing a ceramic tile for a kitchen apron

The modern market positions a wide range of ceramic tiles, which can be used to equip the working area in the kitchen (see this). When choosing it, it is necessary to pay attention to the following factors:

• Color - a palette of finishing material should be selected by analogy to the basic solutions used for floor finishing or furniture production. Also, contrasting options are possible, but they should be combined with the rest of the interior;
• Texture - ceramic tiles can be matte and glossy, smooth and corrugated. From these indicators, convenience of care will directly depend. Experts recommend to give preference to smooth glossy surfaces. Clear them from drops of fat, moisture and other contaminants will not be difficult. At the same time in the micropores and grooves there will be accumulation of dirt and for its elimination you will have to use special brushes;
• Size - there are a lot of options, from mosaic to large tiles. When choosing here it is worth considering the dimensions of the room and the overall design decision. The smaller the space of the kitchen, the smaller the tile. Universal is the finish of 10x20 cm and 10x10 cm;
  Physical indicators - the material must be heat-resistant and durable.

Installation of an apron: features of the process

You can do the laying of the apron by your own efforts. To do this, it is desirable to have the minimum skills of construction work. First of all, it is necessary to prepare tools and materials. Here you will need a spatula (preferably rubber), a good rag without lint, tile cutters, glue mix, crosses, grout and directly ceramic tiles. The surface, where the installation will be carried out, should be freed from furniture, leveled and re-primed. Also, before the beginning of the masonry, you need to perform the layout taking into account the size of the gap between the furniture and the table top. Pay special attention to the calculations when laying the design finishes, providing for the presence of drawings and compositions. It is important that the material stock is at least 20%.

The main stages of installation of ceramic tiles for the kitchen: preparing the mixture, applying glue or mortar to the wall or the finishing segment, masonry, installing crosses to form smooth seams, removing the mixture. Then everything is done by analogy. It is desirable to start the process from the center. In the presence of images in the composition, the first is to stack the design drawings, having performed before the layout. Before proceeding with the installation of the next series, it is necessary to give a little drying to the previous one, which will avoid displacement. After finishing the work and completely drying it is necessary to make sure that there are no voids and to work the joints with grout.

From the author: http://www.ceraland.ru/plitka_dlya_kukhni/