Ceramic Tile
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What is Ceramic Tile | Points to Consider | Floors or Walls | Inside or Outside | Glazed vs.Unglazed | Tile Size | Choosing the Colour | Choosing the Grout Colour Quite simply a ceramic tile is a mixture of clays which is shaped and fired at high temperatures. The hard slab that results from this process can be glazed or decorated or remain unglazed. Will the tile be used on the floor or wall? Will the tile be used indoors or outdoors? Will the tile be used in a wet area? The first priority to consider is, are the tiles to be walked on? You can always use a floor tile on a wall but most wall tiles will not stand up to the stresses associated with floors. The glazes and strength of the tile body are normally much stronger on floor tiles than they are for walls. Part of the reason for this is to keep the cost of wall tiles down and concentrate on the cosmetic aspect by offering an enormous selection of fancy designs, patterns and colours. Floor tiles tend to put more emphasis on the function aspect. Floor tiles still offer a very large range of colours and patterns but incorporated with most surfaces is the wear factor designed not to show traffic patterns, etc. Properly made floor tiles will look nice be easy to maintain and stay that way for many years. The term light duty floor tiles should be taken into consideration. A bathroom floor for example, would not have the same requirement as tiles on front steps. Some tile manufacturers have better quality control and put more emphasis on a high quality product rather than going for a cheap price. This cost factor vs. quality should be considered. Obviously there are exceptions but usually the higher priced tiles are better quality and have improved performance. You must take into consideration, whether the tile is able withstand freeze / thaw conditions for exterior use. Water absorbs into the body of the tile and if it is then frozen, the results could cause the water to expand, destroying the structure of the tile. The term vitrified or frost resistant means the tile has a low water absorbtion level which causes it to be minimally affected by freeze / thaw conditions and therefore suitable for exterior applications. We do not recommend the use of frost resistant products for exterior usage in Canada due to harsh weather conditions. Glazed tiles come in many types: high gloss, semi gloss, matte or low gloss, opaque or non-transparent glaze, speckled glaze for contrasting colours or even fitted glaze with covers only some parts of the tile. Glazed tiles are easier to clean and should be considered where continual maintenance is a factor. Unglazed tiles can give an entirely different look and are fully functional from the wear standpoint. Unglazed tiles generally need to have a sealer applied to the surface to prevent staining and moisture intake. Choosing the size of the tile is generally of personal taste, taking into account cosmetic, as well as structural functionality. Keep in mind that a mixture of sizes can give a different effect and many ranges now offer different sizing in particular colour ranges. Thickness of the tile is not always an indication of its strength. Different manufacturing processes result in different types of tile bodies. New technology has developed extensively strong tiles that are relatively thin compared to older conventional methods. One of the main advantages of ceramic tile is the tremendous colour selection. Use the opportunity when choosing tile to add your own creativity to a very functional material. Mixing different colours, using borders, listellos, and inserts can make your installation look unique. Colour coordinating with other material such as drapes, carpet, wood, and fixtures should also be taken into consideration. It is important to realize how the colour of the grout can effect the overall appearance of the finished installation. Dark coloured grout tends to highlight the shape of the tile more with less obeservance of the grout colour. |