Porcelain Floor Tiles
Porcelain floor tiles are popularly used in residential and commercial buildings, with a low water absorption rate of below 0.5 per cent. The porcelain used to build porcelain floor tiles is usually thicker than other types of flooring. They are also called ‘slate tiles’ or ‘slates’ because they are made up of small-sized solid particles of clay. The process of manufacturing these tiles is similar to that of building up the slabs of clay using kiln-drying and enamel grinding. The difference lies in the production of the ceramic material itself.
Today porcelain floor tiles are made using a technique called abrasive blasting. This technique makes use of a highly compressed gas mixtures, under high pressure, to produce the product. With the help of the blasting or air flow some rough surfaces of the tile are left, which in turn give a rough texture to the product. This rougher texture gives the floor a finished look, which is in accordance to the standard ceramic tiles used for flooring.
The quality and finish of the tile depend on the amount of pressure and air flow used while manufacturing them. Porcelain floor tiles are measured in terms of per square inch. This measurement is the sum of all the individual tiles measured together. Each square inch has a written code according to which the size of the floor is indicated.
Advantages of Using Ceramic Tiles Over Other Types of Flooring
The reason why there is a widespread use of porcelain floor tiles in the residential and commercial sectors is because of their low cost relative to other floor coverings. Since porcelain floor tiles can be produced to any specification, they fit into any space very easily. They do not make use of any sort of traditional joinery like nails or glue. This makes them easy to set up. Moreover, since they are highly resistant to wear and tear and easy to maintain they are a favorite choice for those who have limited budgets.
With the passage of time porcelain floor tiles tend to lose their shine if exposed to a higher temperature. However, there are ways through which they can retain their brightness and shine even under higher temperatures. One such way is by maintaining proper ventilation in the room where they are being used. By installing the right type of filter in your air conditioning system you can prevent the dust particles from entering into the surface of the porcelain floor tiles thereby preventing fading of the tiles.
Another reason why they are preferred over other types of tiling is that they provide an extremely high level of protection against fire. This is because they do not allow any sort of gases, vapors or liquids to pass through them. Another benefit that comes with porcelain floor tiles is that they are highly resistant to scratching and denting. These characteristics make them highly suitable for use on floors that experience high traffic as well as for use in areas where breakable objects are prone to occur.
