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CERAMIC TILE GUIDE
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Ceramic tile has been used for centuries and offers consumers more options in color, texture, pattern, and overall beauty than most other floor covering materials. With new manufacturing techniques, today"s ceramic tile designs are virtually indistinguishable from natural marbles, travertines, slates, and other stone products. Glazed ceramic and porcelain tiles are great choices for bathrooms, kitchens, foyers, sunrooms, and great rooms.
WALL TILE:
Ceramic wall tiles are usually less durable than tile designed specifically for flooring. Most wall tile is glazed with a semi-gloss or matte surface. The glazed surface has a very low slip resistance and becomes slippery when wet. Therefore, glazed wall tile is much more suited for wall or countertop applications rather than floors.
GLAZED CERAMIC TILE:
Glazed ceramic tile is comprised of two basic elements: clay and water. Various clays are mined, ground, blended to a fine powder, then pressed together to form the body of the tile. The pressed clay body is then dried to reduce the moisture content. Next, the surface of the tile is coated with a colored glaze (similar to glass). The glaze is then permanently fused to the surface of the tile by firing it in kilns at approximately
2000° F to form the finished product.
PORCELAIN TILE:
Porcelain tile is made from a blend of fine-grain clays and other minerals to produce a very dense body that makes it highly resistant to moisture, staining, and wear. Because of these features, porcelain tile will withstand years of heavy foot traffic in both interior and exterior applications while maintaining its color and beauty.
THROUGH-BODY PORCELAIN TILE:
The densest of all tile types, through-body porcelain tile has a through-color body and is defined by its <0.5% water absorption. These tiles can withstand heavy foot traffic and are suitable for both indoor and outdoor applications.
To determine the overall performance and durability of the glazed surface of ceramic tile, there are standardized industry tests and classifications that rate tile"s specific resistance to scratching, breaking, abrasion, moisture, etc.
SCRATCH HARDNESS:
Most tiles are rated for hardness or scratch resistance using the MOHS Test and rating system. The MOHS test rates tile from 1 (softest) to 10 (hardest). Ceramic tile with a value of 5 or more is suitable for most residential floor tile applications. Tile with a value of 7 or higher is normally acceptable for most commercial applications or heavy traffic areas.
WEAR RATING:
To help select suitable tiles for specific applications, tiles are rated using the P.E.I. (Porcelain Enamel Institute) scale. The tiles are given a wear-resistance rating from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest).
• PEI 1: Light Traffic: Recommended for residential bathrooms or other areas with light traffic and where shoes are not frequently used.
• PEI 2: Medium Traffic: Recommended for residential interiors, except entryways, kitchens, stairs or any area where tiles may come into contact with gravel or sand.
• PEI 3: Medium-Heavy Traffic: Recommended for all residential interiors and light commercial applications. Not recommended for commercial entryway.
• PEI 4: Heavy Traffic: Suitable for all residential interiors and most commercial applications, including shopping malls and public areas.
• PEI 5: Heavy-Plus Traffic: All residential and commercial areas where heavy-duty wearability is needed.
WATER ABSORPTION:
Ceramic tiles are also classified by their water absorption rate that reflects the density of the body of the tile. There is a direct relationship between the water absorption rate and the suitability of the various types of tile for interior or exterior applica
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"Our lives teach us who we are." — Salman Rushdie, 20th-century Anglo-Indian novelist
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