Prescription For Healthy Environments: Tile

by Ariel Schuster, Design Consultant at Artaic 

Prescription For Healthy Environments: Tile

Today more than ever, tile mosaics are being recognized as the ultimate practical solution for designing spaces that promote healthy, easy, and beautiful living. 

Whether it is healthcare, education or home-design, tile is a practical, beautiful, and eco-conscious material that has earned its seat at any design table.  With properties that support personal health and well-being, eco-conscious living, and ease of care and maintenance, the inclusion of tile will make your life healthier and easier.  This may seem like a bold claim, but I’d be willing to bet that when you finish this article your next Google search may be for tile to replace carpet – I’ll save you a step, and happily provide you with the tile.  Let’s stick with area rugs from now on, shall we? 

Healthier Living Through Tile 

We’ve all seen the ambulance-chaser asbestos ads for what seems like decades, but that fluffy stuff in the walls isn’t the only building material that can negatively impact your health. Fortunately, tile is not one of those materials, and is celebrated for being easy to maintain and clean.  It goes without saying, but everything you put into a space impacts the quality of the air you breathe. Yup, you heard that right, everything from floors to walls – excuse me while I try not to think about wallpaper in bathrooms. Meanwhile, tile is antibacterial and antimicrobial, meaning bacteria literally can not grow on its surface, nor can any kind of fungi or mold, and I can tell you the only mold I welcome into my home is on my cheese. To get a bit more technical – many building materials also include Volatile Organic Compounds, or VOC’s; these compounds are often found in non-ceramic building materials, and can negatively impact health. Tile, however, is created at extremely high temperatures thus making it an “inorganic’ material free of VOC’s. A few more accolades to add to the tile resumé? Tile is free of PVC’s (polyvinyl chloride), which is a toxic plastic found in vinyl flooring harmful to you and the environment, and free from formaldehyde which can be found in a number of wood products. You know that smell of Biology class on dissection day? No thank you!

Sustainable Living Through Tile

Now that we have articulated just how preferable tile is as a building material let’s bring it into 2020, because it’s also healthier for our planet! Tile has the lowest carbon footprint of any flooring material used in North America.  Tile is also extremely durable and has a lifespan of 75+ years. Dogs + hardwood floors = inevitable refinishing costs, and if you’re like me – the dog stays!  I don’t know about you but with tile, a lifetime of use sounds pretty economical.   If I haven’t already convinced you that tile is the way to go, let’s bring our forests into this fight. Because tile is composed of natural clay and other natural raw materials, the production of tile doesn’t exploit any other natural resources (such as trees) for energy.  And when it comes to your energy bill every month, good news – tiles’ inherent thermal mass reduces peak heating and cooling, which helps moderate temperature swings in any space. In other words – less work for your HVAC system and more cash in your pocket on the first of the month! Discover 100% Recycled Sintered Glass and our inspired collection Resalvaged.

Easier and Cleaner Living Through Tile

We have established that tile is a healthy choice for you and your environment, so is turning Vegan.  Fortunately, tile could not be easier to maintain – and I know my fair share of fair-weather Vegans.  Tile is extremely durable; water resistant, scratch resistant, and fade resistant. So spill away! Feng-Shui your space with confidence when the seasons change, and let it bake in the sun (but please, humans wear sunscreen).  When it comes to cleaning it could not get easier – soap and water, this simple dynamic duo is suitable nine times out of ten. By contrast, have you ever cleaned your rug? Beware the brown water – rugs collect ALL the things we bring into our homes, mold, allergens, dust mites… the list goes on. Why have a rug when you could have a beautiful tile floor?  And if you’re missing that warmth that your carpet provided – heat that flooring – we have the technology! Not only in your home, tile has been known for ages as a durable, cleanable material in all commercial settings – especially healthcare facilities. 

Positive Artwork & Imagery Through Tile

Let’s address the elephant in the room – this beautiful custom lobby feature! Driscoll Children’s Hospital used 3/4″ vitreous glass for a feature piece that’s sure to bring smiles to children and adults alike. Positive, calming and healing imagery is used in a variety of different ways to keep those not-so-calm, nervous patient rooms and healthcare lobbies more approachable. See the full project here. 

Was I right?  Are you itching to start Googling?  To sum this all up – utilizing tile in your home or commercial project is a distinctive way to achieve a healthy, sustainable, and uniquely beautiful environment. So the next time you’re in the market for your floor and walls, and want a cleaner, more sustainable material, the choice is easy, choose tile!