Ceramic tile floor

Modern floor tiles allows implementing any design decisions: she is beautiful, original, possesses excellent physical and chemical characteristics. |

Ceramic floor tiles are available in various sizes and configurations: square, rectangular, triangular, hexagonal and octagonal. Most often for flooring in the apartments and homes use tiles in the following sizes: 48 × 48, 50 × 50, 60 × 60, 70 × 70, 80 × 80, 85 × 85,100 × 100, 150 × 150, 170 × 170, 200 × 200, 300 × 300, 150 × 450, 200 × 250, 200 × 300 mm. The thickness of the tile, typically 8-11 mm.

The strength of ceramic tile

Ceramic tiles - very durable material. It does not bend and will not deform even at very high loads and can withstand almost any pressure that may be provided in living conditions. However, this strength of tiles is possible only if properly lined underlayment. It must be absolutely flat and completely fit the tile surface. Otherwise, between the underlying layer and the tiles are formed voids, which sooner or later lead to the destruction of the tiles.

Abrasion resistance of ceramic tile

At floor tiles, this figure is one of the key. Naturally, rubber and leather soles of shoes is much softer than the tile surface and of themselves can not harm its surface. However, the soles of contamination is always present in a variety of abrasive particles (mainly quartz sand). Here are some and lead to abrasion tiles. To assess the resistance to abrasion applies the scale PEI (from the name of the American Institute of Porcelain Enamel Institute, which conducted the study of ceramic materials). According to this scale tile is divided into 5 classes. They bear the name of the test method from the PEI-I to the PEI-V. The first class of the least resistant to abrasion, the fifth - the most resistant. Each of these classes are designed for use in certain circumstances:

• PEI-I. For rooms with low attendance and lack of pollution (bathroom, bedroom)
• PEI-II. For rooms with low attendance and low pollution (residential premises, except the kitchen, corridor and other frequently used rooms)
• PEI-III. For rooms with high attendance (kitchens, corridors)
• PEI-IV. For rooms with high traffic and intense exploitation (gala in doorways, shopping halls, offices)
• PEI-V. For rooms with high attendance and a very intensive use (shops, restaurants, rooms for visitors to the post office and banks)

Fire resistance and fire resistance

Due refractoriness floor tiles can be used for lining the floor area adjacent to the stoves and fireplaces. Fire means that the tile does not burn at all and when heated emits no toxic gases.

Stability color

Ceramic tile is very well maintained its original color even in direct sunlight.

Chemical resistance of ceramic tile

By this we mean the resistance to aggressive chemicals (household chemicals, acids). According to the chemical resistance of ceramic tile is divided into five classes (in descending order): AA, A, B, C and D. Class AA - slabs not exposed to the chemical elements, class A - is resistant to chemical elements, etc. d.

Hygienic tiles

Ceramic tile is considered one of the most hygienic materials. On its surface, easy to remove bacteria and germs by disinfection. Therefore, such a veneer tiled walls and floor in the transaction.

Choice of floor tiles

The important criteria of quality tiles are the format and appearance. Tiles should be clearly defined dimensions, correct the corners and a flat surface. If you suffered a glazed tile surface, it should be evenly dyed, without streaks, whitish edges or network of small cracks.

Variety tiles can be identified by the marking on the package. By European standards of all markings for 1 st class must be red, for the 2 nd - blue, for the 3rd - green.

Ceramic tile is fully simulates not only the color but the texture of flooring and parquet slabs.

In addition, the information is placed on the packaging tiles as pictograms. For example, the image of the foot on a black background placed on the packages with floor tiles. Foot on the shaded background indicates higher wear resistance.

When choosing floor tiles for the bathroom should be aware that this tile will inevitably contact with chemical agents, stain (personal care products, cosmetics, etc.). In addition, to maintain hygienic tiles need to use a chemically active detergents. It should therefore be to choose tiles with high performance chemical stability (in particular, are resistant to acids and alkalis).

When choosing the color tiles, it is desirable to consider the possible optical effects. For example, if you have small apartments with little space for the area, it is better to choose light colors: they are able to visually enlarge the space. Note also that any contamination is less visible in the dark and having a granular surface structure. But the glossy tile surfaces - especially black - the more glaring scratches and small chips.