Ceramic

Nothing quite emphasizes beauty like Ceramic Tile Flooring.  It's  unmatched durability will prove to provide years of life, long before bearing the first indication of it's age. Ceramic Tile has come a long way and Personal Touch Flooring has a selection that will astound and dazzle your senses. We have all the styles, sizes and patterns to suit your existing space and décor and, as always, the best ceramic installers in their field. So if you have been considering a gorgeous ceramic tile floor for your living space, look no further.

We carry the brands that you trust: Ragno, Florim, Dal Tile, Marazzi, AFI, American Olean, Interceramic
We also carry imports from Italy, Spain, and Turkey such as travertine, tumbled stone and marble.
We use Schluter products in the installation of ceramic and stone

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
• 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.

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

Why Ceramic?

Affordability
Thanks to the recent advancements in technology, ceramic tile is no longer affordable to just the "Rich and Famous". Today, ceramics are in the same price range as other better quality floor coverings.

Investment
Because ceramic tile is considered a permanent product, the Real Estate Appraisal Guide lists it as a product that increases the resale value of your home; therefore, it is an investment, rather than a cost.

Cost
Ceramic tile is less expensive than most alternative products. While the initial cost may be higher than some, in the long run it is less expensive because it does not have to be replaced every few years.

Ceramic Tile's Outstanding Characteristics:

Durability
Some building products are beautiful but not durable. Others are durable, but they lack beauty. Ceramic Tile is the ultimate product, combining both beauty and durability.

Stain Resistance
Ceramic Tile is the most stain resistant building product there is. In fact, most glazed tiles are stain proof.

Color Permanence
Ceramic tile is one of the only decorative building products that will not fade or discolor with sunlight.

Dirt Resistance
Ceramic tile is the easiest of all decorative building products to maintain. Soil remains on the surface for easy cleaning.

Hygiene
Ceramic Tile is the cleanest of all building products. Its surface will not retain liquids or absorb odors.