subject: Try Glazed Porcelain Tiles For The Perfect House [print this page] Glazed porcelain tiles are ideal for the perfect flooring in your home. There are many differences between porcelain tiles and ceramic tiles for use on your floors or walls. Ceramic tiles are made from red or white clay and are fired then finished with a glaze that helps the pattern and colours to be sustained. These are normally easy to cut due to softer materials and have a PEI 0-3 rating.
Porcelain tiles are made by dust pressed methods from porcelain clay that creates a fine grain and smooth face. These tiles offer more water resistance and frost resistance than ceramic tiles. Glazed porcelain tiles offer a surface that is resistant to wear and tear and a harder surface that is great for high traffic areas such as the kitchen or tea room. Full porcelain floor tiles have a colour and pattern that follows through to the base of the tile, so the patterns are never worn away like ceramic tiles.
Glazed porcelain tiles are coated with liquid glass, and then baked so that the protection is impervious to wear and tear as well as stains. Unglazed tiles do not have a coated surface, and full body porcelain tiles don't show wear anyhow due to the colour and design being throughout the entire tile. These types of tiles have a PEI rating of 0-5 meaning they can be used in any area. PEI classes are 0 through 5. The porcelain enamel institute scale is one that is used to help detect areas that tiles should be used in. The glazed tiles that have the overall 0 to 5 rating can be used anywhere from no foot traffic to industrial traffic, making them ideal for use in your home.
Glazed porcelain can be found through many online retailers for varying costs. Here are a few different types of glazed porcelain that can be used in any area of the home.
The Wood Grain Collection made by Takla offers your floors the hard wood appearance with the protection of glazed porcelain. These tiles have a water absorption rate of less than 0.05%, and are first grade quality porcelain. The thickness of the average tile of this type is 3/8 inch and the finish is matter, and slightly embossed to have the appearance of wood grain. The PEI rating for these tiles is 4, and they are considered a green building material.
The Takla Roma Travertino Collection has a marbleised appearance and can be found through many retailers for varying costs. These tiles have a water absorption rate of 0.04% and are first grade quality porcelain with a matte finish. There are a few different mosaics available in this line of tiles whose thickness is right at 3/8 inch.
The Kaska glazed porcelain offers a Tiger, Cotto and Noce series. These tiles are comparatively priced, and offer a full colour body porcelain tile. These tiles are made in Turkey and have standard edges and a PEI 4 rating. These tiles are ideal for floors or walls in any home with any amount of traffic. The glaze on the tiles helps to protect and lengthen the life of the tiles, so they can be used in the kitchen, near the doors or even on the walls to beautify your home.
