The floors in the hallway are constantly exposed to the aggressive influence of moisture, sand, salts. In addition, heels and the soles of shoes regularly affect the floor covering. For an area subject to such loads, you should choose the most resistant floor covering. For some reason, we do not lay parquet in the bathroom and toilet, and for the kitchen we try to prefer tiles. But when it comes to the floor in the hallway, many forget about foresight.
In the old days, floor tiles had an unattractive appearance, so they tried to use it to a minimum. For obvious reasons, it was not customary to decorate hallways and even kitchens with it. But nowadays, when the choice of floor tiles is unusually diverse, it is hardly advisable to abandon it in favor of a board in “problem” rooms. Even the most high-quality laminate cannot be compared with tiles in terms of resistance to the effects of so-called aggressive environments.
The tile in the hallway looks elegant and appropriate. Such a floor covering visually “raises the price” of the interior. At the same time, the tile does not lose its original aesthetics for a very long time and looks like new for many years.
However, tiles, like other coatings, have their drawbacks. She is cold and tough. Walking on it is not as pleasant as, for example, on a wooden board or carpet. With a tiled floor, the interior of the hallway, lobby can turn out to be cold, gloomy, “official”. In this regard, tiling a large area, of which the hallway is a part, seems to be an unattractive solution. However, this is not necessary, because the tile can be used to lining of a small fragment.
The combination of floor coverings in the hallway area helps in solving several problems.
1. Tiles laid out in a small area in the hallway area protect the floors from negative impacts.
2. The combination of floors works for zoning: the hallway area effectively stands out from the general space of the hall, corridor, lobby or studio. The boundary of the zones runs along the junction line of the floor coverings.
For effective zoning, it is important that the tile is noticeably different in color and pattern from the second floor covering.
3. The combined floor deprives the interior of a long corridor or lobby of monotony. The combination of two coatings allows you to bring additional curves or straight lines into the space.
If you prefer not to divide the space into zones through a combination of coatings, you can tile the entire area of the hall, corridor, lobby. This area will look cozier if you choose wood effect tiles. For showiness, you can prefer a black and white solution.
Tiles for the hallway: which one to choose?
It is desirable that the tile is as resistant as possible to moisture and abrasion. Porcelain stoneware has such qualities. It never loses its color because it is dyed to the full depth. The water absorption of porcelain stoneware is close to zero, which means that the tile is absolutely indifferent to moisture.
Tiles in the hallway should not be slippery. When purchasing material, you should pay attention to the anti-slip index. For the hallway, tiles with an anti-slip level of R10 or R11 are suitable.
The color of a tile matters not only from a decorative point of view. If the surface of porcelain stoneware is textured, the light coating may become dirty over time. The fact is that in the irregularities that make up the relief of the tile, dirt will clog. Anti-slip material has a rough surface, which makes it difficult to wash.
Of course, such tiles can be cleaned using effective detergents, abrasives, brushes. However, not always and not everyone has the time and opportunity for this. If the practicality of the floor is important to you, choose darker textured porcelain stoneware.
Light "seams" will also get dirty over time. For the hallway area, it is worth choosing the least easily soiled grout.
Polished and glazed porcelain stoneware looks luxurious. However, it is often too slippery, which means it is not suitable for the hallway.
Tiles in the hallway: ways to combine with another coating
A tiled area may be on the same level with another floor covering, or may rise above it. The tile podium should not be high - in the hallway it is inconvenient and even unsafe. It is enough to raise the tiled level by 3-5 cm.
The podium can be filled with screed mixture or even tile adhesive. The mini-podium in the hallway zones the space more effectively, as the selection of this area becomes more pronounced. As a rule, none of the hosts or guests leaves this area without taking off their shoes. This helps keep the house clean.
The connection of two floor coverings is straight or curly. The second option is more difficult to implement, especially if the boundary between the coatings is curved. It is necessary to make accurate calculations and to cut very carefully.
Just like that, solely for the sake of showiness, it is hardly worth exaggerating. But if curved lines are one of the key features of the interior, such a move would be justified. For example, the junction line of tiles and parquet can repeat the lines of the ornament on the cabinet doors. The curvilinear connection of the coatings will be relevant for the interior, which gravitates towards bizarre ornateness.
It is much easier to improve straight joints, and the choice of connecting parts for them is much wider. The threshold can match the color of the tile, the second coating, skirting boards, furniture, or metal fittings.
Tiles on the floor in the hallway: ideas
If you plan to tile a fairly large area, you can think about introducing additional nuances of color and shape - that is, place a tiled panel in the center of the area, use two types of tiles for cladding, or make a mosaic edging. This will deprive the floor in the hallway of monotony, make it more original and aesthetic.
The combination of coatings not at right angles, but obliquely “breaks” the rigid framework of space. Sometimes such a move is justified if the owners do not like well-defined rectangular shapes. With such a combination of coatings, the hall or lobby takes on a completely different look and acquires individuality.
