Despite the abundance of new materials on the flooring market, ceramic floor tiles are still quite a popular material. The classic option for its use, no doubt, can be called the floors in the bathroom, kitchen and hallway, on the balcony. It is unthinkable without the use of tiles and decoration of public buildings - lobbies and trading floors of all kinds of hypermarkets, halls of high-rise buildings, corridors of all kinds of offices.
It is also indispensable in premises that are subject to increased standards of sanitary and hygienic requirements (beauty salons and fitness centers, swimming pools, medical institutions, kindergartens and schools).
Ceramic tiles for the floor, the price of which is as diverse as its appearance, is suitable for practical decoration of the premises of a modest garden house and for the exclusive design of a country mansion.
And new designer collections and achievements of the construction industry in this area (photo tiles, luminous grouts) only support the unflagging consumer interest in this type of product.
What kind of ceramic floor tiles exist?
Previously, all ceramic tiles were made using double firing technology. The clay mixture was molded, pressed and fired. Then glaze was applied to it, after which it was fired again. This production technology is called bicottura. Ceramic tiles for the floor using this technology are porous and not very durable.
Monocottura is a technology of simultaneous firing of utel and glaze in a kiln. Such production is more modern and allows to produce products with the most perfect characteristics. Almost all floor tiles have recently been produced by a similar method.
A variety of monocottura can be called clinker tiles, the production technology of which is quite similar. It is produced exclusively by the extrusion method, which allows you to give the elements any, even the most bizarre, shape. This is how various structural details for stairs and facades are created.
Firing for clinker tiles is used at a higher temperature than in the production of conventional ceramic floor tiles, which makes it possible to give the clinker significant resistance to abrasion and chemical aggressive environments.
Ceramic granite is the youngest material from the ceramic tile family. For its production, a rather complex composition of raw materials is used, including a mixture of clays of various grades, feldspar and quartz, and metal oxides. In addition, the processing parameters of porcelain stoneware are much more extreme. Suffice it to say that temperature firing is carried out at a temperature of 1200-1300°C. However, the physical properties of the resulting material are impressive, because in its strength it surpasses even natural stone! Large-format polished porcelain tiles look especially fashionable, immediately giving the interior a touch of luxury.
Cotto is an unglazed tile produced according to the classical technology for more than 400 years, also known as "rural" or "Florentine cotto tile". Usually has various natural shades of terracotta and ocher and is not glazed. It is quite durable, which allows it to be used for laying on the floor. However, if you are going to buy cotto as a ceramic floor tile, please note that in this case you will need to treat the surface with hydrophobic impregnations and wax mastics. You will also have to purchase special care products, since the surface of the cotto is quite porous and easily absorbs various contaminants, losing the brightness of shades over time.
But all difficulties will be rewarded by that elusive touch of antiquity that this material will give your interior. That is why cotto tiles are so loved by designers. Coatings made of individual elements of an unconventional rhombus or hexagon shape or laid in a fashionable modular manner look especially aesthetically pleasing.
What tiles are in fashion today?
The flooring, of course, should be in harmony with the main interior of the room and, in any case, should not introduce a sharp dissonance into it. Fashion is changeable, and tiles are laid for a long time.
The classic ceramic floor tiles 30x30 cm, with natural stone or wood coloring, are still quite in demand.
It looks especially good with designs in various ethnic directions. If you decide to complete the room using Japanese elements in decoration, buy ceramics that imitate bamboo stalks, which looks more modern.
Elongated rectangular fragments help to visually zone the room and are easily combined with other floor coverings such as laminate or cork. The transition from one material to another is outlined by a contrasting or tonal molding.
Relevant in the modern design of the floor is tile with relief, which, in addition to the original look, also performs a very practical anti-slip function. Illuminated from different angles, it creates a rich play of texture and looks different at different times of the day.
But 3D ceramic floor tiles are especially original, the photo of which is not able to fully convey the stunning effect of its use in the interior.
Where frost-resistant tiles come in handy
Due to its practicality, ceramic tiles are also in demand for finishing all kinds of unheated premises - stairs, floors on the balcony, lobbies and terraces of country houses, garages and utility rooms. We will make a reservation right away that ordinary ceramics will not work for these cases.
The frost resistance of the tile is indicated by the pictogram in the form of a “snowflake” applied by the manufacturer to the packaging.
Maximum resistance to low temperatures (down to -50°C) is indicated by three similar icons. By the way, such a tile can withstand heat well (usually up to + 60 ° C), and its size is most often 15x15 cm.
Frost-resistant ceramic floor tiles acquired such unique properties due to the release by the single firing method. It was this technological technique that made it possible to achieve almost zero water absorption of the tile, and it is precisely this indicator that is fundamental. Suffice it to say that with a value of more than 3% of tiles, it is highly undesirable to use tiles for outdoor work.
Recently, frost-resistant ceramic floor tiles have almost universally been replaced by porcelain stoneware, which is vitrified and has a zero water resistance and high mechanical properties.
The only limiting factor for the ubiquitous prevalence of porcelain stoneware, of course, is its price.
Domestic ceramic floor tiles have relatively affordable prices, but it is most likely that you will not be able to buy porcelain stoneware cheaply. Although recently there has been a steady downward trend in prices for this popular material, there is still a difference, and the range of ceramic tiles is much more diverse and extensive.
