Gorilla and Mushroom Renovation

Defects are fixed, renovation should start soon. It is time to select a suitable floor for the home. Walking around in Balestier, one would find the convenience of visting the most popular floor supplier around, namely, Hafari, Liang Heng Seng and Soon Bee Huat, located almost side by side to each other.

There so many type of tiles and material to choose from, and we were spoilt for choices... even within the same class of tiles (eg Homogeneous), there are various quality to look out for! sigh~~~ it is a long process to find the right tile for the budget, and the home.

Again it boils down to the wants and the needs of the individual. These are my research info to get one started

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MARBLE
Pros
- Natural hard stone that comes in a variety of shades and hue, from off-white to brown, gray or pink.
- Creates a timeless look.
- Flat, smooth surface. Marble can be grinded to make it level, making the joining lines almost invisible, making it look as if only one piece of material is used for the floor
- Cool to the touch, especially suitable for hot climate in Singapore

Cons
- Expensive
- High maintenance.
- Although hard, they are softer than granite, thus more prone to scratches. Easily repaired with a fresh polish.
- Porous by nature, marble stains easily when spills are not cleaned up immediately.

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GRANITE
pros
- The hardest stone used for flooring, making it durable to wear and tear
- Granite is a highly polished stone, making it easy to cleaned and maintain
- Cool to the touch, especially suitable for hot climate in Singapore
- Contains more reflective crystals, thus providing more glamour to the overall look of the home
- Usually comes in darker and richer tones, well suited for people who prefer a dramatic design for the home.

cons
- The highly polish surface can also becomes too smooth and slippery which demands additional care when walking on it
- Granite tiles are expensive, prices ranks a close second to Marble.

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HOMOGENEOUS, POLISHED
Pro
- Man made material created to be as tough as granite
- A wider range of effects/designs and colors
- Can be polished to make it reflective shine like those of a mirror
- The polish of Homogeneous can last longer than the shine of marble.
- In an event of a breakage (due to fallen objects), unlike ceramics, Homogeneous tiles will not show a tile base/ body of a different color.
- Patterns/ designs are more subtle and predictable, without the ugly crack lines and spots usually found in natural stones
- With much lower water absorption rate and higher density
- cheaper than natural stones

Cons
- Depending on the skill of the tiler, tiles laid may not be even
- Warpage may occur during the process of manufacturing
- Cos it is synthetic, not possible to polish/ grind to make the gaps between slaps to give the seamless look

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Ceramics Tiles
Pros
- Low Cost and more valued for money
- The widest popular range of color, texture and design
- Shortest time needed to lay
- The pattern of ceramic can be repetitive and constant, therefore more
acceptable by the majority
- Can be glazed to make it shiny but it's not as long lasting as compare to the polished surface of Homogeneous tiles or natural stones
- Comes in all kind of sizes

Cons
- In an event of a breakage (due to fallen objects), will show the tile base/ body of a different color.

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LAMINATES
Pros
- Quite scratch resistance.
- Alternative to parquet
- Easy to install and requires no 'drying' time
- Ideal for bedrooms or raised platform/flooring.
- Creates a 'warm' cozy feeling.
- No hacking is necessary. Can be laid over existing tiles. Only the skirting needs to be removed.

Cons
- Sensation under feet is synthetic.
- May only mop with 'dry-mop'. Water left over may leave watermarks.
- Will discolor if exposed under direct sunlight.
- Depending on color, not ideal for large area, as it may look cheap and synthetic.

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