The use of subway tiles for your kitchen design has become very popular today. The original type of material was the ceramic subway tile. Subway tile originates as early as the 1900's when a rectangle shaped tile was used in the subway systems of New York.This simple design aspect gained popularity over the years and is a widely used design idea in many tile projects. Offered in an array of colors and finishes, ceramic tile subway could be used as either a contemporary feel or even a country feel depending on the decor of the rest of the house.

Since the late glass tile has been a popular choice for consumers and builders alike. The choice of glass subway tile has risen because of the brilliance in color that it offers. The coloring is more vibrant than that of ceramic. When light, whether it be sunlight or interior lighting, the reflection of color and clarity is what the consumer likes.The Glass Subway Tiles and be used indoors and outdoors, kitchen backsplashes, shower walls and even in a pool setting. The installation of glass tiles has some do it yourselfer's concerned.

Cutting glass is not as simple as cutting ceramic, however with a wet saw it cuts that concern in half. Using a wet saw will give you the clean cut you need for installation. The best thing to do is when installing the tile in a subway pattern, make sure after you cut the tile to ease the cut edge with a very fine grit sand paper or steel wool. After you cut and ease the cut edge, on the exposed ends of your design turn the cut edge to the inside so you have a factory edge on all exposed ends.No matter the design you choose for your tile installation, glass subway tiles offer the flexibility you need to transform your space into something truly spectacular.

Without paint, Michelangelo could never have created the masterpiece that is the glass subway tile of the Sistine Chapel. The great flexibility that paint allows an artist explains why he chose this medium to compose his work. If glass tiles were available when he was alive, perhaps the chapel's vaulted ceilings would have been covered in vibrant glass instead of paint. Just like great artists, choosing the right materials for your own construction project allows for endless possibilities of imaginative designs.

While all glass tiles offer designers a broad pallet of colors and options with which to work, glass subway tiles have become the preferred way to incorporate glass into tiling projects. One wonderful aspect of subways is how flexible your design layout can be. Unlike typical, square-shaped tiles, subway tiles are rectangular, and thus offer a greater range of interesting patterns that can be created. Most people opt to arrange their subway tiles in a traditional, brick-style layout, but setting the tiles so all grout joints line up is also popular. Also, the subways can be turned on their sides, so the same brick or inline pattern can be installed with the tiles' long sides in a vertical position.

When deciding how to lay out your glass subway tiles, you cannot forget to consider the different possibilities presented by the broad range of vivid colors available. For instance, if you decide to use only one color, then you may find a brick layout allows for the tiled surface to remain visually interesting in spite of the monochromatic color scheme. Another option could be to mix two or more different colors together.

Over the past decade there has been a transition in tastes from ceramic to glass subway tile which is driven primarily by the unique advantages of glass as a building material. Visually, glass offers a depth and clarity that is unmatched by even the most finely glazed ceramic tiles. The brilliant colors that shine through glass tiles contrast sharply with the dull, muted tones of ceramic alternatives. Secondly, glass is impervious to moisture making them an ideal material for high moisture areas such as bathrooms. Luckily for homeowners, new manufacturing techniques have made glass subway tile available as a durable surface option while enhancing its unique beauty.