No matter how green they claim to be, few building materials can boast that they are manufactured entirely from recycled materials. Not so with recycled tile. Unlike some other green materials, recycled tile is exactly what it claims to be. Glass that would otherwise be headed for the landfill is rescued, melted down, and re-cast as some of the most beautiful and distinct tiles on the market.
Recycled Glass Tile and Purity
What all glass tile has in common is that it’s made, at least partially, from recycled glass. The content of recycled glass can vary from tile to tile depending on the manufacturer, however, and usually contains recycled glass content of 80%-100%. If you’re a die-hard green building enthusiast, be sure to search out a retailer or installer whose tiles are made from 100% recycled glass. Also, it’s a good idea to ask if any other additives are introduced to the tile. Purists mix and match post industrial and post consumer glass to achieve wide color spectrums of greens, blues, browns, and some intermediate shades. Glass tile manufacturers that aren’t as concerned with using purely recycled materials, however, will often add other pigments and dyes to widen the range of available colors even more.
Recycled Glass Tile Design
While the wide range of soft, earth-toned colors is an attractive aspect of choosing recycled tile, the almost limitless numbers of shapes and designs are also a big draw. Recycled glass can take on just about any shape during the process of melting down and re-forming the glass into tile, and it’s not uncommon to find tiles that are square, oval, diamond-shaped, triangular, tear-drop shaped, or rectangular. From a design perspective this means that recycled glass tile offers far more possibilities than any other tile design. It’s not much of a stretch to say that the end product when tiling with recycled glass is only restricted by the limits of your imagination.
Recycled Glass Tile is a Beautiful Addition just about Anywhere
Recycled tile looks great just about anywhere, and is suitable for use in multiple areas of your home. More popular uses of recycled glass tile include installations as kitchen or bath backsplashes, as pool tile, to tile showers and bathtubs, and as an attractive countertop surface. Less known uses include hanging tiles as glass curtains, as decorative floor medallions in brick or concrete paved patios and walkways, and in conjunction with other tiles to create attractive and original wall murals.
Talk to a Professional Tile Installer
If you’re considering installing recycled glass tile or bricks in your home, it’s a good idea to talk to a professional tile installer or recycled tile manufacturer/retailer before you get started. With so much experience working with this beautiful and distinct tiling material, these professionals have the design savvy and expertise to get your new tiling project off on the right foot. And if you’re unsure whether you can do it on your own, they’re also the right people to call to do the installation itself.
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