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 Ceramic
Tile
Since early civilization,
tile has been used by builders for its durability, practicality
and beauty. Today, tile still embodies these functional and aesthetic
properties. Whether it is an old world charm you are looking for
or a post-modern look and feel, designing with tile offers endless
possibilities.
Ceramic tiles comes in two basic groups:
glazed , and unglazed
Difference between glazed
and unglazed tile :Glazed tiles -are made the same as unglazed
except that a glass wearlayer called a "glaze" is
fused to its surface by means of tremendous heat. Unglazed tiles
-are true inlaids. They are simply baked pieces of clay whose colors
run throughout the body.
Glazed Tiles
Most glazed tiles
are not suited for heavy commercial installations. They are generally
suited for light residential to medium commercial
use, but there are exceptions. Technology for glazed has improved
dramatically over the past few
years. There are some new glazes on the market that are hard and
durable enough for the use in heavy commercial applications.
Advantages of glazed tiles:
- The glaze offers
the manufacturers the ability to produce an unlimited array of
beautiful colors and
designs.
- The non-porous glaze creates
a smooth surface that's practically stain proof.
Unglazed Tiles
Unglazed tiles are the work horses of the industry. They are generally thicker
and denser than glazed tiles. They include such products as:
Quarry Tiles and Porcelains.
The tough inlaid qualities of most unglazed tiles make them ideally
suited for, but not limited to, extra heavy commercial installation.
Many customers appreciate the natural qualities and beauty of unglazed tiles and choose them for residential areas.
Generally, the color range in unglazed tiles are limited to the
natural colors of the clay...ranging from a light sand to a red
brick, but
there are exceptions.
Some manufacturers achieve a wide range of beautiful colors by
mixing color pigment in with the clay.
Advantages of unglazed tiles:
- Superior strength for heavy commercial use as well as residential.
- The
rugged surface texture and mat finish of the unglazed tiles give them
good "slip resistant" qualities
for use in wet areas.
Description of various popular tiles:
Quarry Tiles:
- These are unglazed tiles
made from natural clays and shale.
- Their colors are usually limited to earthtones, ranging from red
to a light tan, although some manufacturers offer a wider color range
by adding color pigments to the clay.
- Their body is both thick and dense, making them a popular choice
for both heavy commercial and residential installations.
- Their surface generally has good slip resistant qualities.
Porcelain Tiles
- Porcelain tiles are made
up of special clays and minerals similar to those found in china
ware.
- The special clays allow the product to be fired at extreme temperatures
(2500 degrees F) resulting in a denser and harder body than most
other tiles.
- They are highly stain resistant and strong.
- They come with a plain, rough, or polished finish.
- The combination of beauty and durability makes them ideal for heavy
commercial and residential installations.
Terra-Cotta Tiles
- These are either handmade or machine made pavers.
- The machine made terra-cottas are much denser than the handmade tiles and can usually be installed outdoors as they are frost resistant.
- The most popular handmade tile is the Saltillo tile from Mexico. (Saltillo tile is not frost resistant and can not be installed outdoors):
- Saltillo tiles are crudely made, varying widely in size, shade and texture from one to another. Occasionally, they will even be marked with animal tracks.
- These handmade tiles are very poroous and must be sealed and waxed to prevent staining and wear.
- The colors range from terra-cotta to yellow to brown. Additional colors can also be achieved with the use of stains.
Mosaic Tiles
- Mosaic tiles are small
tiles, less than 6 square inches in size.
They come mounted on perforated paper sheets or latex mesh for easy
installations.
- They are usually very dense products that are tough and highly stain
resistant.
- Mosaics are ideal for shower floors because their small size gives
them the flexibility to follow the contour of the floor as it slopes
to the drain. The numerous grout joints also aid in slip resistant.
- Their toughness and stain resistance also makes them ideal for counter
tops.
- While most quarry, porcelain, terra-cotta and mosaic tiles are unglazed,
all of them can be produced with a glaze.
Wall Tile
- Any ceramic tile is suitable
for walls, but the very thin, high glossed and decorative tiles
are most commonly used.
- The most popular size for wall tile is still 4 1/4" x 4 1/4" but
there appears to be a trend taking place for larger, more luxurious
tiles.
- Wall tiles have a very soft glaze and porous body and therefore should
never be used on floors or for outdoor applications.
Floor Tiles
- These tiles, glazed or unlglazed, have the sufficient strength, impact
and abrasion resistance to withstand weight and foot traffic.
- They are usually thicker, denser and heavier than wall tiles.
- If the substrate is strong enough to support the weight, floor tiles
may also be used on walls and counter tops.
Various Gloss Levels
- Glazed ceramic tile varies in gloss levels depending on the look
the manufacturer wants to achieve. It can range from a mat, to
a satin, to a high gloss.
- GENERALLY speaking, the higher the gloss, the softer the glaze.
Areas of the home that don't receive heavy wear, such as bathrooms,
use a higher gloss level than area such as kitchens
| Natural
Stone |
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| Natural
Stone tiles come in wide variety of sizes,colors and textures.
Personal Touch Flooring's design consultants are standing by ready
to assist you! Natural Stone adds an elegance to your home, and
the choices are limitless. |
- Marble Travertine
- Tumbled Natural
Stone
- Granite
- Limestone
- Slate
- Medallions
- Stone Slabs
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Tumbled
Stone
Just as marble, travertine
and other natural stones can be honed and polished to add a touch
of refinement, they can also be tumbled and distressed to look
more aged. This is the secret behind Tumbled Stone. It's a modern
recreation that captures the romantic look of stone from centuries
past. Tumbled Stone's weathered surface and seemingly timeworn
edges lend an air of rustic elegance to any home. |
Travertines
To see how inspiring Travertines beauty can be, cast your eyes toward the Roman
Coliseum or St. Peter's Basilica. Both of these famed structures are constructed
out of travertine. In the home, it invokes both awe and comfort. |
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Slate
Slate is an extremely
durable tile whose beautiful color variations indicate the presence
of minerals such as iron oxide. All slate exhibits clear clefting
along parallel planes which gives it a unique, streaming texture
- a particularly dramatic statement in even the finest of homes. |
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Limestone
In the home, limestone turns floors, walls and counters into natural works of
art. It's been used as a traditional building material in Europe for centuries
because of its inherent beauty. |
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When
it comes to tile, don’t think square. After all, there
are so many exciting tile patterns to choose from — and
so many ways to use them to a room’s best advantage.
Have a small room
you want to look bigger? Use a trellis pattern with color-matched
grout to enlarge its appearance. How about a large room that
could use some visual trickery to break up a monotonous expanse
of floor? Blend colors in a lacework pattern with contrasting
grout to add texture and interest. No matter how you want to
alter the appearance or scale of a room, there’s a tile
pattern designed to work for you. |
Marble tile with Inlaid Medallion
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