What are the tiles made from?
Ceramic is primarily made up of clays, quartziferous sands, glass
substances and other minerals. Only natural raw materials are
used, mixed with water and fired at high temperatures
to create a naturally beautiful product and to achieve hardness and
durability.
Did you know? Ceramic tile is . . .
- Fire
Resistant
- Fade
resistant
- Safe
slip resistant
-
Non-conductive will not produce a shock
- An aid
to insulation
-
Mechanically, one of the strongest surfacing materials
Ceramic tile improves air quality
- Tile is
neither an original nor secondary source of air pollution.
- Tile
will not absorb odors. Therefore, smoke, paint fumes or other
contaminants do not linger.
- There
are generally no fibers, gases or toxic by-products when installing
ceramic tile.
- Tile is
chemically inert and inhibits the growth of mold, fungus and other
viruses.
Build a healthy home Ceramic tile provides .
. .
|
Health Benefits |
Reduction in
allergies, improved air quality |
|
Energy
Efficiency |
Aids in
insulation |
|
Resource
efficiency |
Renewable,
plentiful raw material |
|
The Environment |
Manufacturer
recycling of production energy and waste materials, non
landfill burdening |
|
Affordability |
Last a lifetime |
Are ceramic products more or less expensive than other flooring
materials?
Ceramic tile prices are competitive, especially if you take into
account more than just the initial expenditure: adding up the
cost of materials, installation, maintenance and possible repairs or
replacements, ceramic tiles are the most economic material
for floor, wall and faηade covering.
Cost Effectiveness (relative to 2000 pricing)
|
Wall Products |
Installed Costs |
Useable Lifespan |
Maintenance
/Year |
Replacement Cost |
40 yr Cost |
Total Cost/Year |
|
Ceramic Tile |
$5.21 |
LIFE |
$0.18 |
NONE |
$12.41 |
$0.31 |
|
Painted Plaster |
$4.15 |
5
yrs |
$0.21 |
$0.61 |
$17.43 |
$0.44 |
|
Marble |
$3.05 |
LIFE |
$0.18 |
NONE |
$30.25 |
$0.76 |
|
Wallpaper, Fabric |
$4.90 |
7
yrs |
$0.50 |
$2.10 |
$36.90 |
$0.92 |
|
Floor Products |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ceramic Tile |
$6.19 |
LIFE |
$1.22 |
NONE |
$54.99 |
$1.39 |
|
Carpet |
$1.93 |
10
yrs |
$1.53 |
$2.24 |
$72.09 |
$1.80 |
|
Vinyl, Waxfree |
2.72 |
9
yrs |
$1.39 |
$3.43 |
$73.56 |
$1.84 |
Classifications of tile:
|
Class 0 |
Wall use only
technically unsuitable for floors. |
|
Class 1
|
Residential and
Commercial wall and bare foot floor traffic. |
|
Class 2 |
Wall and
residential bath floor, soft-soled floor traffic. |
|
Class 3 |
All residential
walls and floors and light commercial. |
|
Class 4 |
Medium
Commercial, light industrial and institutional, moderate
soiling. |
|
Class 5 |
Chemically more
resistant, extra heavy traffic, abrasive dirt. |
Water absorption %. Did you know?
Low rates provide frost
resistance
-
Vitreous 0.5
3%
-
Impervious 0
0.5%
Higher rates enhance bonding
-
Semi-Vitreous 3 7%
-
Non-Vitreous > 7%
What are the advantages of porcelain tile?
The wide range of colours and textures and an accurate recreation of
the look of natural stones, granites, slates, travertines,
limestones, marbles, quartzites, terracottas and even woods and
metals, combined with the low maintenance of ceramics and the
technical properties of a hard-wearing material which is resistant
to all weather conditions, chemical attack, scratches, stains,
fading, heavy loads and fire.
What are the advantages of glazed ceramics?
The beauty and variety of colours, of designs and of
decorations made available by glazed tiles has always been one of
the most valued qualities of ceramic products in general. The glaze
also makes cleaning easier and hygienically more effective.
Glazed porcelain tile combines the aesthetical qualities and the
ease of maintenance of ceramic tiles with the durability and surface
hardness of its vitrified porcelain body, suitable for both
commercial and domestic applications, indoors as well as outdoors.
|
