In as much as copper is an extremely elegant addition to any home, people are still skeptical as to how to incorporate copper tiles into the various living spaces of their homes. And with some individuals the problem is not really about ‘how’ to incorporate such tiles, but actually how to refinish them. Because tiling your home with copper is something of a rarity, there is not a sizably impressive amount of information on copper tiles in general. But if you did take time to actually learn a thing or two about the potential uses of copper and what that could mean to you, you could see yourself changing your pre-conceived notions towards becoming an ardent lover of copper products. In this article you will learn about the many uses of tiles made from copper and how to actually refinish them once the potential benefits have influenced you to invest in them.

Generally copper is a good thermal and electrical conductor of heat because of its several uses in electrical wiring, lightning rods and piping. It is heat and fire resistant based on its application in water heaters and cooking wares. Copper is also used in adorning public places of interest by virtue of its use in making statues and murals which are resistant to all kinds of weather phenomena. But apart from the aforementioned, copper has a miraculous ability to kill germs whenever such disease causing pathogens come into contact with surfaces made from copper. Plus, copper is strongly waterproof owing to its continuous use as a roofing material since time immemorial. In the backdrop of the numerous characteristics of copper, it only stands to reason that copper tiles have distinctly unique uses in the family home.

It is largely advised that you make use of these tiles as inlays in the bathroom and in other rooms that may come into regular contact with water. The waterproof and antibacterial qualities mentioned above render these tiles as uniquely adaptable in environments where resistance to water penetration is vital. A lot of people think that the copper itself might end up reacting dangerously with water and bringing about catastrophic disasters in the family home, like having your toes melting; this is not the case. With the recent development of bronze and brass alloys, the ability of your tiles to kill infectious diseases is further strengthened. Better still, self-disinfection is more than a possibility with copper/brass tile alloys, it is real. In addition to bathroom walls and floors, tiles made from copper can again be used in your swimming pool area as a powerful waterproof material, thus adding a refined degree of class to an otherwise dull pool area.

However, out of all the places to use tiles made from copper, the kitchen is the most recommended, especially on the tops of counters, walls and floors. Because copper as a substance has a distinct ability to resist heat, it becomes very much impervious to heat stemming forth from the oven or stove. Under normal circumstances other materials would start bulking and cracking from the heat, like vinyl. Another reason why copper is good as a kitchen flooring material is that it keeps your kitchen cool. The inherent ability of copper wall tiles to keep your kitchen conveniently cool comes from the fact that copper, as a material, is heatproof and fireproof, thus making it a fire break in circumstances where a fire might break out in the kitchen. Now let’s move on to ‘how to’ refinish copper tiles.

Unfortunately, copper tarnishes rapidly whenever it is exposed to air and it loses its original color when it comes into contact with oils and other undesirable elements. Therefore it is important to clean, buff and polish your copper tiles to ensure the original luster remains adorably the same as when the tiles were first aid out.

Start by making a mixture of warm soap and water. Take this mixture and use it to remove dirt, grease and grime with a soft bristled brush and water. With that done you must then rinse your copper wall tiles with water, leaving the surface to dry out before moving onto the next stage, polishing. Copper backsplash tiles are best cleaned using a paste made from similar concentrations of flour, vinegar and salt, all mixed together. Using a soft cloth, rub the paste over your tiles in circular motions. Proceed to leave the polish untouched for as little as 6 minutes, otherwise it will be hard to achieve an immaculate shine. The final part of the refinishing process entails buffing, or rather cleaning away the polish with a clean and soft cloth. Rub over your tiles and press deep into the copper as if you were trying to bore a hole through it by simply rubbing over the surface. Continue rubbing until your copper starts to glisten like the sun on the tiles of the Taj Mahal.