Know Your Floor Tile
Finding a tile the whole family likes isn’t hard. Just make sure it's the right one for your home and choose a tile that's rated for the area you where you plan to install it. Here’s some tips to help you make a good selection!
As a general rule, entryways need a harder, abrasion-resistant, moisture-proof tile. Bathrooms require a moisture-proof tile that’s usually made of a non-slip material. Modern slip-resistant tile is treated at the factory with a slightly abrasive material to "rough up" the surface for safety reasons.
Also, its worth noting that some tiles are rated for indoor or outdoor use only, while others can be used in either application. Remember to check manufacturers guidelines to verify this.
Floor tile is typically 1/2" to 3/4" thick, and manufactured in squares measuring 4"x4" up to 24"x 24". Other shapes, such as octagonal and hexagonal are also available. (Wall tile is thinner and comes in squares from 3"x 3" up to 6"x 6".)
Mosaic tiles are two inches square usually (or smaller) and can be installed individually. Mosaic tiles are also available in pre-mounted paper or fabric mesh sheets for ease of installation or larger areas.
Tile’s popularity as a floor covering is growing every year. It’s not a surprise either as tile has so many positive features - Here's just a few:
* Tile has a natural, handmade look that's very durable, yet easy to care for.
* Tile works well in areas with lots of foot traffic, and it's especially suited to entry foyers because it’s very durable yet attractive too.
* Design patterns available are unlimited when using all of the possible combinations of size, texture and color.
* You can further expand your creative choices with hand painted tiles and colored grouts. *Professional designers love tile because of the uniqueness that can be added to a clients home.
Basically, all tile feels hard, but some types of tile are harder than others. To provide a standard of comparison, tile is rated by a series of standardized tests. The tests evaluate a tile's relative hardness using the Moh Scale. It measures the tile’s ability to stand up to wear and the percentage of water absorbed by the tile.
The Porcelain Enamel Institute hardness ratings are as follows:
* Group I - Light Traffic: residential bathroom floors where bare feet are common.
* Group II - Medium Traffic: home interiors where little abrasion occurs.
* Group III - Medium-Heavy Traffic: basically any home interior.
* Group IV - Heavy Traffic: homes or light to medium commercial areas.
* Group V- Extra Heavy Traffic: can be used anywhere - residential or commercial
Moh Scale ratings are reliable and help you find the right tile for your specific need.
Pay particular attention to the ratings test that measures the percentage of water absorbed, or what is called ‘porosity’. A tile's porosity is especially important when choosing tile for bathrooms and kitchens, since these areas need moisture proof flooring.
Porous tiles should not be used outdoors, where cold weather produces freeze/thaw cycles that can crack or otherwise damage the tile.
The classifications for the porosity of tile are: Impervious (least absorbent), Vitreous, Semi-vitreous, and Non-vitreous (most absorbent).
Finally, the hardness of tile is caused by the firing process. Usually, the longer and hotter the firing, the harder the tile will be. The raw tile material, called bisque, is either single-fired or double-fired.
For single-fired tiles, the glaze is applied to the raw material and baked once in a kiln.
Double-fired tiles are thicker. Raw material is baked a second time after additional color or decoration is added.
You can find lots more information about all types of floor tile online and at manufacturers websites. For professional tile installation contact Fox Valley Remodeler at 630-219-1892.
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