Tile
If you have never considered ceramic tiles before, you will be amazed at the variety of colors, patterns, sizes, shapes, and textures available for you to choose from. With the sophisticated manufacturing processes being used today, ceramic tiles have become easy to maintain, much more affordable, and can compliment any interior design.
Glazed Tile
Most of the common ceramic floor tiles have either a glazed, or unglazed surface. The glazed tiles have a special ceramic coating that is applied to the body of the tile and then fired under tremendous heat. The glazing becomes hard and non-porous resulting in a flooring that is:
- Stain Resistant
- Scratch Resistant
- Fire Resistant
- Doesn’t Fade from Sun Light
- Slip Resistant
- Easy to Clean
Ceramic vs Stone
Ceramic is a man-made product and is generally homogeneous in construction. In other words, each and every tile has the identical composition and therefore has predictable qualities. On the other hand, stone tile is a product of nature and can differ in composition from tile to tile and therefore has unpredictable qualities. Ceramic tiles are generally non to slightly porous with a very low absorbency. Stone tiles can be very absorbent and for this reason can cause several different setting problems. Test data is available for many common stones and should be requested by the consultant. Ceramic tile is generally light weight and relatively thin. Stone tile ranges from 3/8-inch thick to as much as 1 1/4-inch thick and can be very heavy. A 12-inch square stone tile can weigh as much as 10 pounds or more. The backside of a ceramic tile is cast with many different corrugation designed to provide the proper bonding of the tile to the setting bed. The backside of a stone tile has no corrugation and is generally saw-cut or smoothed. Ceramic tile is generally resistant to acids. Certain stone tile, marble for example, is very sensitive to acids. |
