Your home is the place that is your safe haven, the place where you relax and spend a good chunk of your life. Building a home is a once in a lifetime event for most people and when you do it, it is best to get it right. One of the first things that you see when you go home is the exterior and it helps invoke a warm feeling. This is why choosing the right material for your exterior walls is very important.
What Is Exterior Wall Tiling?
In India, we are more accustomed to painting the exteriors of our houses to make them look attractive. While paint is easy to come by and a cheaper option, it comes with a host of disadvantages like minimum protection against elements and peeling and fading over time.
Exterior wall tiles are decorative tiles that can be used to tile the external walls of your home.
With the rapid advancement in technology, exterior wall tiles are slowly gaining popularity among architects and homeowners, since they come with a host of advantages. These decorative tiles are available in a plethora of designs, colours, and materials, adding to their popularity.
Click here to read more about waterproof paint vs tiles.
What Are The Advantages Of Exterior Wall Tiling?
Exterior tiles are usually laid to create an extra layer of protection over the outer walls. These tiles are made using ceramic, porcelain and vitrified materials. These materials have low porosity and are thus resistant to heavy rainfall. They can also withstand harsh weather conditions, such as extreme heat or cold. Due to their impervious nature, they allow very little standing water to seep in and are resistant to frost, mildew, scaling and other issues that come with standing water.
These tiles are also easy to clean and, unlike paint, do not develop wet spots on their surface. Painting creates a rough, dented texture that attracts a lot of dirt and makes the exterior look dirty. Since tiles have a smoother surface they do not allow dust to settle on their surfaces which keeps the walls naturally clean and beautiful to look at.
Installing tiles not only allows for a smooth, clean finish, but also ensures years of longevity without requiring extensive maintenance.
Here are the three of the most popular exterior wall tile designs for Indian homes:
Timeless Brick Look Tiles
Brick-laid exteriors are quite a common sight in India. It exudes a rugged and rustic look, while giving the exterior a timeless look. While the appeal of brick laid walls is undeniable, laying natural bricks as an exterior wall design is not a very practical idea.
Natural bricks are porous in nature, and unless sealed regularly, can get damaged by moisture over time. Also, due to their rugged texture, bricks have a lot of dents and grooves, creating tiny niches where dust and dirt can settle. Since it is difficult to clean exterior walls often, over time this built up settled dust and grime can spoil the overall look of the same.
The brick look tiles can give your home that rustic look with the convenience of tiles. Available in a large variety of colours, you can give your space any look that you need. Brick tiles in earthy colours, such as brown and beige, can give your home an inviting look, while brick tiles in grey can give it a modern look. The tiles are also available in bright colours, such as blue, to give your home a serene and calming feel.
Natural Stone Look Tiles
Stone cladding is the decor_ative method of stacking natural stones on a wall surface that is made of materials other than stone, such as concrete. Stone cladding makes the exterior of your house look classy, refined and adds texture. It gives the space a modern yet rustic appeal using natural or man-made stones.
Needless to say, the cons of natural stone cladding outweighs its pros. Natural stones are porous in nature and tend to absorb water, making them vulnerable to natural weather conditions. This means that to use them on the exterior walls you would need to seal them on a regular basis. Natural stones are also very heavy, and laying them on exterior walls can turn out to be a labour intensive task.
What if we say that you can get that same homely and natural stone look, but without all the hassle? Yes, we are talking about stone look tiles for the exterior walls!
Give your home a cosy and snug look with stone look tiles. Easy to install, these tiles require minimal maintenance – making them a great choice for your homes! With a variety of colours and patterns available – the sky’s the limit when it comes to decorating your home with these tiles.
Wood Look Tiles
While cosy wood cabins evoke a feeling of serenity and being one with nature, having wooden exteriors can be very impractical – especially in the humid and wet parts of the country where wood will rot due to the constant onslaught of moisture.
Wood look tiles are a great way to incorporate that cosy serenity into your home – in a convenient tile form. The subtle brown hues of these tiles can make you feel closer to nature and evoke a sense of belonging.
While choosing tiles for your exterior walls keep the weather conditions of your surroundings in mind. Apart from creating a great aesthetic for your exteriors, tiles also have a functional role to play. For example, darker tiles retain more heat and are ideal for installation in cooler climates, but can cause issues when installed in hotter climates. So, keep all aspects of the tile in mind while making a choice.
What would you prefer for the exterior of your home – paint or tiles? Let us know in the comment box below!
