If you have never considered tile before, you will be amazed at the variety of colors, patterns, sizes, shapes, and textures that are now available. With the sophisticated manufacturing processes being used today, tiles have become easy to maintain, much more affordable, and can complement any interior design.

Tile is a general term for three basic types: Ceramic, Porcelain and Natural Stone.

Ceramic Tile: Ceramic tile is a natural product made up of clay, minerals and water. Ceramic tile comes in two forms: glazed and unglazed.

Glazed Tile: The glazed tiles have a special ceramic coating that is applied to the body of the tile which gives the tile its color and finish.

Unglazed Tile: The color is the same on the face of the tile as it is on the back resulting in very durable tiles that do not show the effects of heavy traffic.

Porcelain Tile: These are denser and less porous than ceramic tile and highly resistant to moisture, stains, bacteria, mildew and odours. Porcelain tiles come in either a glazed porcelain or a through-body porcelain tile.

Through-body porcelain tiles have the same colors all the way through so if they get chipped or scratched the color will not change.

Glazed porcelain tiles are similar to glazed ceramic tile. They have a design layer (glaze) on top of the tile body that is a different color and will be noticeable if chipped.

Natural Stone Tile: These are products cut from solid stone blocks from stone quarries around the world. For this reason no two pieces are exactly the same. Slate, travertine, marble, granite and limestone are the most common natural stones that Maguire's installs.

Your lifestyle, home, and application will help determine whether natural stone is right for you, and also which stone is best for your design and needs. There is a large degree of variation from product to product in both how to install and how to maintain the stones. Typically you can find a wide variety of sizes available in most natural stones, and also in rectangular and square options.

Surface finishes can range from tumbled or chipped edges to smooth, honed edges and high polished options. However, not all sizes and finishes are available in all stones, as some products are too brittle or too porous for certain applications.

Natural stone offers magnificent potential for use on floors or walls that will remain durable and aesthetically pleasing for a lifetime. Maguire's includes both a pre-sealant prior to installation of any stone as well as a finishing coat of sealant after the job is complete. We also provide our customers with a full stone care and warranty kit upon purchase of stone flooring.