Tile borders and trim play a functional role, as they prevent tile edges from chipping. However, they can also prove to be a huge aesthetic upgrade, making your tile designs seem neat and professional-looking. You can make your tile design seem professional-looking by knowing how to choose the right trim and install it properly. Keep reading to discover how you can achieve a polished finish for your DIY projects. 

Understanding Tile Border Styles for Professional Results

Before going deeper into how to choose your trim materials, it's important to go over some basic trim styles. Three popular ones are: 

  • Bullnose trim: This rounded-edge trim design adds a curved edge over perpendicular corners. This provides a soft transition, ideal for areas like shower niches, wall corners, and countertops. 

  • Pencil trim: This is also slightly rounded but narrower than the bullnose trim. It's available in marble, glass, and ceramic, and works as an elegant separation between different tile patterns. 

  • Chair rail trim: This trim creates horizontal borders along a wall, providing a stylish way of separating tile patterns. If you're after a more expressive look, this may do it. 

Selecting the Right Trim Materials

Another choice you'll have to make when choosing your tile borders and trim is the primary trim material. Your main choices are: 

Aluminum: It's lightweight, easy to use, and cost-effective. However, its softness makes it more prone to dents and scratches, and it's not naturally corrosion resistant, so you'll have to add a protective coating. 

Stainless steel: This is a stronger and more durable alternative to aluminum, which comes with high corrosion resistance and won't dent as easily. It's more expensive and heavier, though. 

Ceramic: Using a ceramic trim can bring unity to your design, as it can provide a better match for your ceramic tiles. They come in a wide variety of colors and patterns. 

Stone: Marble varieties like Carrara, Crema Marfil, Calacatta, and Nero Marquina can be the more upscale option. They also work well with stone tile installations. 

 

Room-by-Room Applications: Maximizing Impact

While any design choice is ultimately yours, some basic guidelines can help you make appropriate choices. Kitchen areas need trims that look good but also provide resistance to heat and moisture. Bathroom trims need adequate waterproofing so that moisture won't creep underneath and lead to mold or mildew. Floor edges need to resist wear and tear while also providing proper water insulation. 

Transform Your Space with Professional Tile Finishing

Using the right tile borders and trim can make a world of difference to your home's look and feel. Luckily, you have countless options to choose from and experiment with until you find the ones that fit your plans. The best way to decide is by seeing them in person, and you can do that by visiting our showroom at Wayne Tile.