Tile Characteristics

by Kim Kinrade

Ceramic tile is one of the oldest floorings dating back to ancient civilizations. Much of the reason for this is that ceramic tile is composed of clay which is available in almost every part of the world. The first clay tile was probably baked in the sun but fired clay tiles have been found from thousands of years ago. Tile, both in large squares ands in mosaic patterns, has been unearthed under the volcanic lava of Pompeii and, once cleaned still displays its original color and glaze.

For flooring purposes there are many designs and styles of tile. In the 1960's, tile attached to web backing was glued to bathroom floors and walls and then grouted for a waterproof surface. This tile was very small and came in a variety of colors which made for striking floor design.

In today's bathroom tile is featured on both the walls and floors. From the inside of the shower cabinet through to the main bathroom area tiles are a great way to gain both function and style. Especially popular are the large 16" tiles which are cumbersome install but give the room an exotic feel.

Installing tile in the kitchen is still popular as tile is easy to clean, resists blows and scuffing from pots and chair legs and ties in designs and color schemes from other rooms. It has always been the floor of choice for commercial kitchens as, properly grouted and sealed it is easy to clean.

Types of Tile

Porcelain Tile: Porcelain tiles are fired in the kiln at very high temperatures which produces a dense, solid plate. Some porcelain tiles are classed as "full-bodied" which means that the color is the same throughout. This class of tile is usually graded by its absorption rate which is less than 0.5% by American National Standards Institute, or ANSI. Because it is so dense porcelain has as high chip resistance which makes it as strong or stronger than many stone tiles. It is perfect for high-traffic areas, like the kitchen or hallway, and many designs offers the appearance of stone without the bother.

Ceramic Tile: If you turn over a ceramic tile you'll see a terra cotta backing which is quite porous while the top side has a fine glaze over the design. These tiles not fired as high as porcelain tiles and thus are more brittle. This means you can't use them outside, especially in an area of a freeze/thaw cycle where they will shatter in a few years. The advantages of ceramic tile include the fact that they come in an almost endless array of colors and designs. And unlike porcelain tiles they are easily cut and shaped for almost every angle and shape of floor or wall imaginable.

Types of Tile Manufacture

• Dust Press: Mostly a thod for making ceramic tile dust press is an almost dry mixture of clays, talcum and several other ingredients which are pressed into a mold under high pressure before being fired.


• Extrusion: Like the dust press method a high degree of pressure is used to form these tiles however the mix is wet and forced through a nozzle into the mold. Cement tiles, as well as some ceramic, are made in this manner.


• Slush Mold: Also used with cement and ceramic tile the wet mixture is poured, rather than forced, into a mold.


• Ram Press: This is basically a dust press method using larger tile. Both cement or ceramic tile can be made this way.

Choosing the Right Tile

As shown in the manner in which they are manufactured tiles have many different purposes and should be chosen for the right use. The American Society for Testing and Materials has established a basis for testing tile which can help homeowners and tile installation contractors pick the right tile for the right project.

• Abrasion Resistance
• Impact Resistance
• Breaking Strength
• Stain Resistance
• Visual Quality
• Water Absorption

Water absorption qualities are of particular importance as it places the tiles into one of four types of tile:

• On-Vitreous:  +7.0% (high water absorption)


• Semi-Vitreous:   3.0-7.0% (porous)
  
• Vitreous:   .5-3.0% (medium porous)
  
• Impervious:  less than .5%
  

The main criteria many homeowners look for is design and price but checking the box for the specifications will save a lot of headaches down the road.