For 120 years, subway tiles have been widely used in kitchens, bathrooms, and, of course, New York City subway stations. Ken gives a quick history on the tile that never goes out of style.
I've worked in flooring for 42 years. As you can imagine, I've seen lots of styles come and lots of styles go. But there are some styles that seem to stick around. One of those, believe it or not, is subway tile.
I wanted to know more about subway tiles, so I did some research on the ol' Google machine.
"The original story about subway tile begins in the late 1800s with the advent of indoor plumbing and the demand for sanitary surfaces in the home. As the industrial revolution transformed the tile industry, a sophisticated and precise system of ceramic tile work quickly evolved in England and America. These clean, glossy white tiles quickly gained popularlity and by 1905 they were proudly displayed in New York City's first subway systems." Thank you to subwaytile.com for that brief history lesson.
Subway tiles are not always 3" x 6" anymore. In fact, there are many 'descendants' of subway tiles—but they all still have a simple rectangular shape. Subway tiles have existed for more than 120 years and I'm sure they'll remain popular for a lot longer.
If you have any questions about selecting tile floors, give us a call at 401-214-0285 or visit our showroom. We serve customers throughout Rhode Island and southeastern New England, including Newport, Middletown, Jamestown, Portsmouth, Bristol and more.
About Ken: Ken Fain is the co-owner of Island Carpet in Middletown, RI and a floorcovering veteran of more than 40 years. His popular 'Ask Ken' video series answers common flooring questions on a variety of topics. It has reached thousands of viewers on both YouTube and Facebook.
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