Almost all of us have heard of ceramic tile, one of the most famous building elements. If you are planning to buy durable tiles for home renovation projects, you can give them a try. Before that, you should know about their basics, and we’re here to make it easier for you. Let’s talk about some important facts about ceramic tiles.
Ingredient list
Ceramic consists of white clay, kaolinitic clay, sand, and talc. After careful refining, the manufacturers mix them and transfer the mixture into a special container. They are glazed, pressurized, and heated at 1150-1200°C so that no moisture is left. The final output is ceramic tile.
Types
We can classify ceramic tiles into three major classes: glazed, unglazed, porcelain. As their name suggests, glazed types have a unique colored glazing layer just like glass. That’s why they look shiny and beautiful. This extra coating introduces outstanding characteristics such as stain-resistant, dirt-resistant, easy to clean, etc. Unglazed ones don’t have a glossy finish. They are denser, porous, slip-proof, and scratch-proof. However, you may need to clean them regularly. Porcelain varieties feature densely packed fine-grain clays. They are resistant to marks, dirt build-ups, moisture, and wear. Porcelain is the perfect choice for heavy-traffic areas because it is strong and lasts for a lifetime.
Where to use
They are heavily used as both flooring and walls. Floor tiles are usually denser and more durable than their wall counterparts. As they are not susceptible to stains and water damage, people install them anywhere in their kitchen and washroom. They can also be used in bathroom countertops, fireplaces, patios, walkways, and attractive interior decoration. It’s better not to install them outdoors because most ceramics aren’t frost-proof.
Design
Only plain and white ceramic tiles were available a few years ago. Today’s units are manufactured in many colors, styles, shapes, and patterns. You can easily choose from numerous modern HD printing, marble effect, wood effect, stone lines, textured design, floral prints, and many more. Order them in rectangle, triangle, hexagonal, or any other shape you like. These attractive designs can give your home’s beauty a boost and collect guests’ compliments. If you are a UK resident, you can rely on the British Ceramic Tile company for your next purchase.
Maintenance
Ceramic doesn’t get dirty often but still requires regular care. Don’t let dirt, wine spills, oil sit on it for days because these impairments can fade away its beautiful sheen. It is advisable to mop or vacuum the tiles every alternative day or twice a week. Feel free to add a tiny amount of mild detergent to the cleaning water. Or, you can remove dirt with a water-vinegar solution. For grime patches, use the mixture of club soda and warm water instead. Harsh cleaners, forceful scrubbing, abrasive soaps are a big no.
Installation
Ceramic tiles are heavy and somewhat challenging to set in places. They must have a clean, even tile backer underneath. You have to attach the tiles to this surface carefully with thin-set adhesives. Once you’re done, cover the in-between tile space with grout and let it dry. We highly recommend taking an expert’s help if you can’t handle heavy tiles or tricky cuts.
