Floor tiles or porcelain tiles: what to choose?
The modern market offers a huge range of different materials. For finishing rooms that require moisture-resistant flooring, the buyer often faces a choice between ceramic tiles and porcelain stoneware. Let's take a closer look at these materials and compare their advantages and disadvantages.
Ceramic granite
This extremely strong, wear-resistant and weather-resistant material is becoming increasingly popular. The production of ceramic granite and ceramic tiles is very similar: both tiles and porcelain tiles are pressed from a mixture of clays, sand and minerals and then fired. Only the tile is enameled before firing, and for the manufacture of porcelain stoneware, coloring pigments are added to the clay mixture and distributed over the entire thickness of the product. By the way, porcelain stoneware appeared due to a technological error in the manufacturing process of tiles, when a higher temperature was accidentally set in the kiln for firing. The resulting material turned out to be much less porous and stronger than conventional tiles.
Porcelain stoneware is pressed under higher pressure and baked at a temperature of 1200-1300 degrees, which almost completely imitates the processes of natural stone formation in the bowels of the earth's crust. The material obtained in this way has exceptional strength and very low water absorption, which gives it such useful qualities as frost resistance, heat resistance, resistance to temperature extremes and precipitation.
Since porcelain stoneware is colored throughout its thickness, it is more durable and resistant to abrasion: its color does not fade, tarnish or wear off over time, like the top glazed layer of ceramic tiles. Initially, porcelain stoneware was matte, monochromatic and was used only for cladding public buildings. But technologies have developed, and now porcelain stoneware has turned into a beautiful finishing material with a rich choice of textures and shades. There are several basic types of porcelain stoneware, which differ from each other in appearance and surface properties.
Matte unpolished porcelain stoneware- the very first and main version of this finishing material, obtained by pressing and firing. Strong and durable, without glossy sheen and patterns, outwardly it imitates the structure of natural stone. It can be used outdoors and indoors, in the most difficult conditions and places with high traffic.
Polished porcelain stoneware- a very beautiful and expensive material that requires special care and careful handling. Its delightful mirror shine is created by a special abrasive treatment, as a result of which micropores are formed on the surface of the product, when dirt enters into which hard-to-remove stains appear - they cannot be removed by conventional means. Do not use abrasive substances and materials to clean polished porcelain stoneware, otherwise scratches will remain on its sparkling surface. After laying and during operation, it is recommended to regularly cover its shiny surface with special protective mastics.
This material is not recommended for installation in kitchens, dining rooms and any other areas where there is a high probability of contamination with oils, fats and substances containing bright pigments (for example, from spilled coffee, tea, etc.). Due to its smooth, slippery surface, it is very dangerous to install polished porcelain stoneware in places where water regularly hits the floor.
Tile marking
It is believed that because of the danger of slipping on a wet surface, smooth glossy tiles are not suitable for the kitchen. However, these safety considerations are still more true for bathrooms and pools. In the kitchen, in the hallway or in the corridor, it is unlikely that someone will leave spilled liquid on the floor for a long time. It should also be borne in mind that textured tiles with a rough surface in the kitchen will get dirty faster than ordinary smooth tiles, and it will be more difficult to clean them of grease and stains. However, thanks to modern detergents, this task can be handled if desired, and this gives us additional freedom of choice.