The allure of tile flooring has recently burgeoned due to numerous factors. However, this trend has sparked a discourse on the potential health implications of tiles. Do they pose a genuine health risk?
Tile flooring does not inherently present any significant health hazards. If it did, it would not be a staple in building construction across the globe. The most sought-after and economical tiles available today are safe and pose no lasting health implications.
Understanding that the norms and methodologies have undergone significant transformations over the years is crucial. Previously, some types of floor tiles were notorious for emitting harmful chemicals. Still, current regulations have been implemented to safeguard our health.
Table of Contents
●Does Tile Flooring Pose a Health Hazard?
●Is Tile Flooring Beneficial for Health?
●Which Is the Least Toxic Tile?
●Tile Cement Toxic?
●Does Tile Emit Radiation?
Ⅰ. Does Tile Flooring Pose a Health Hazard?
Present-day construction tiles do not pose any health risks. Any tile flooring option you opt for today will not significantly impact your health, whether in the short or long term. Every building material, including tiles, must pass stringent health safety standards before they are deemed suitable for construction. Any material with toxic attributes that could jeopardize your health will not pass these safety tests. Hence, the tiles you choose for your flooring will not contain harmful substances that could pose health risks.
Historically, apprehensions regarding tile health risks arise from using certain chemicals. Various potent chemicals were once prevalent in floor tiling, including formaldehyde, polyvinyl chlorides, and volatile organic compounds. These chemicals were instrumental in producing tiles and posed health risks.
However, most tiles today lack these chemicals, significantly reducing the possibility of floor tiles posing a health risk. A few tiles still contain a higher concentration of chemicals, such as vinyl, which can contain a mix of potentially harmful chemicals. Nonetheless, these chemicals are neutralized in the vinyl tile form, thus preventing any health risks from vinyl tiles. These harmful chemicals are only emitted if the tiles burn. Considering this, avoiding vinyl tiles for kitchen backsplashes is advisable!
Ⅱ. Is Tile Flooring Beneficial for Health?
While not detrimental to your health, tile flooring does not actively enhance your health either. It is a safe and neutral flooring option. While no explicit health benefits are associated with tile flooring, it is generally easier to maintain and clean than other flooring alternatives.
To illustrate, compare tile flooring to carpet flooring. Carpets can easily trap dirt, bacteria, and chemicals within their fibers. Dust mites, dander, particle pollution, mold spores, and more can become ensnared in the carpet. These contaminants can often be challenging to detect, resulting in an unclean carpet without your knowledge. Tile flooring does not encounter this issue.
Tiles possess a smooth surface devoid of fibers that can trap dirt. Any dirt present merely rests on the tile surface, where it can be easily spotted and cleaned. However, mold can grow on or between tiles in damp areas. Consider this point if you plan to add a bathroom to your home or refurbish any wet area. But, like dirt, this is easily identifiable and can be cleaned. Regular cleaning ensures that carpet and tiles will not adversely impact your health.
We have another article that is floor tiles – cleaning guidance
Ⅲ. Which Is the Least Toxic Tile?
Ceramic and stone tiles are the most common and least toxic tiles available. Ceramic tiles are the most popular and commonly used in the current market. They do not emit any harmful chemicals and are fashioned from clay. Producing ceramic tiles involves molding the tiles from clay and baking them. No additional chemicals are introduced during this process that could increase health risks or toxicity.
Natural stone tiles are also entirely chemically neutral. However, this can depend on several factors. The term ‘stone’ can encompass a wide array of different materials. Manufactured stone, for instance, is more likely to have undergone chemical intervention during production. Nevertheless, this is still highly unlikely to be a serious concern. Any stone that is simply quarried and shaped will not contain anything toxic. If stone were a toxic building material, we wouldn’t see the widespread usage of stone houses and their popularity.
Several other tile options, including cork, linoleum, and bamboo, are devoid of toxins. The realm of tile flooring is broader and more diverse than ever, with virtually no toxins present in any tile type!
IV. Is Tile Cement Toxic?
Once the tiles have been set and the cement has dried, it poses no toxicity issues. The chemicals in tile cement can be harsh and undesirable to come into contact with. However, this is only a risk during the tile installation process. Tilers employ safety masks and other protective gear to prevent exposure to the toxic elements of tile cement during installation.
Once the tile cement has dried, any toxicity is encapsulated in its solid form and does not pose a risk to your health. It’s the dust emitted by tile cement that may cause problems. During installation or removal, the dust can potentially impact health negatively. This is why tilers wear masks to protect themselves from inhaling dust. But it is not a risk once the cement is placed and allowed to dry undisturbed.
This holds true for any type of modern tile adhesive. Provided you protect yourself with a mask and goggles during installation, it poses no toxic threat whatsoever.
V. Does Tile Emit Radiation?
Yes, tiles can emit radiation, but this shouldn’t raise alarm bells. It’s important to realize that we are all constantly exposed to background radiation. Some regions of the world are more radioactive than others, but radiation is omnipresent to some degree. Therefore, exposure to extremely low radiation levels from tiles does not harm your health.
Ceramic tile, for instance, can display increased radioactive activity when used in flooring. However, the concentration is not enough to pose any real health risk. Ceramic materials are typically mined from potassium minerals, which contain uranium.
But this is only slightly higher than what we are ordinarily exposed to. People in some regions of the world—such as Iran—are exposed to much higher and more constant levels of radiation with no adverse effects.
This concern is also common with various types of stone tiles since stone also contains background levels of radiation. Once again, though, it’s nowhere near dangerous levels and not something you need to worry about.
Therefore, there is no reason to worry about tile flooring and your health. With this knowledge, you can confidently decide whether tiles are the right material for your home designs!
While you’re pondering over the materials for your home, check out our other article discussing the best brick for home construction. Please drop by our George Ceramic today for top-notch bricklaying and masonry tools!