Whether remodeling an existing bathroom or designing one for a newly constructed home, one of the most important features is the shower area. Tile is an increasingly popular material choice for showers due to its durability, style, beauty, and ease of maintenance. Without a little research, one’s first venture into a tile store may be a bit overwhelming.
In the world of tile, the word tumbled describes both the finish and the process used to create the tumbled appearance. Not all Tumbled Granite Tile in Sacramento CA are identical in looks, neither are they created using the same methods.
Appearance -; The most commonly found tumbled tile finishes are: Natural, honed, polished, and antiqued tumbled. Of these, the two most popular are natural and antiqued. The natural tumbled tiles have a slightly rounded appearance to their edges with a soft surface. Antiqued tumbled tiles are rustic-looking sporting a surface numbered with fissures, holes, and pits along with well-worn edges. Tumbling imparts a smooth, worn effect to the tiles. Contact Palm Tile & Stone Gallery to see these styles and much more.
Tumbling Process -; There are two methods by which stone tiles can be given a tumbled appearance. The most prevalent method is to place similar size stones into a plastic or rubber drum (tumbler) and then add water, an abrsaive grit, and sand. The pieces of granite are packed such that they will rub against one another with the grit in between. Depending on the desired finish, the entire process can take a month to complete, with multiple steps using varying degrees of abrasive grit. Obviously, large pieces of tile cannot be processed in this manner, instead they are hand-chiseled or chipped, or a machine is employed to roughen up the edges.
Types Available -; Tumbled granite tile in Sacramento CA is not the only tile in town. Virtually any type of stone can be tumbled. Other sought after tumbled tiles include marble, onyx, travertine, limestone, and slate. The most common of all those mentioned without a doubt, is marble.
After the stones are tumbled they take on a chalky or dusty look, and sometimes their colors are muted. Depending on how the stone is to be used, a color enhancer can be applied after the tiles have been installed and grouted. This is meant only to reduce the dusty appearance and brighten the tile’s color.
