Ceramic Tiles

Ceramic tile is a hard, durable, versatile material that's available in a wide variety of sizes, patterns, shapes, and colors. This all-purpose flooring is an excellent choice for high traffic and high moisture areas. It's commonly used in bathrooms, entryways, and kitchens.

Common ceramic tiles include unglazed quarry tile, glazed ceramic tile, and porcelain mosaic tile. As an alternative to ceramic tiles, natural stone tiles are available in several materials, including marble, slate, and granite. Thickness for most floor tiles range from 3/16" to 3/4".

In general, ceramic tile is more expensive than other types of floor coverings, with natural stone tile ranking as the most expensive. While tile is more time-consuming to install than other materials, it offers the most durability and flexibility of design.

To help you select your ceramic tile there are some terms you should know before going shopping.

Ceramic Wall Tiles
By design, ceramic wall tiles are less durable than tile designed for flooring applications. 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 tiles are well suited for wall or countertop applications rather than floors.

Glazed Ceramic Tile
Glazed ceramic tile is made of two basic elements, clay and water. The various clays are mined, ground and blended to a fine powder, and 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° Fahrenheit, 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, which makes it highly resistant to moisture, staining and wear. Because of these features, porcelain tile is perfect for flooring applications and will withstand years of heavy foot traffic in both interior and exterior while maintaining its color and beauty.

To determine the ceramic tile glazed surface overall performance and durability, there are standardized industry tests and classifications which rate tile's specific resistance to scratching, breaking, abrasion, moisture, etc.

Scratch Hardness
Using the MOHS test and rating system, most tiles are rated for hardness or scratch. 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 by the P.E.I. (Porcelain Enamel Institute) scale. The tiles are evaluated for wear resistance on a scale 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 wear ability is needed.

Water Absorption
Reflecting the density of the tile body, ceramic tile are also classified by their water absorption rate. There is a direct relationship to the water absorption rate and the suitability of the various types of tile for interior or exterior applications. Tiles suitable for exterior applications must have a very low water absorption rate, especially in climates subject to freezing and thawing cycles. These are typically porcelain body tiles, which have a moisture absorption rating of less than .5 %.

Shading
Like the other natural products ceramic tiles will vary in shading. This only adds to the beauty and appeal of the products. When choosing ceramic tile, it's best to view 2-3 tiles together to visually determine the overall appearance of the tile.