Different Kinds of Tiles & Their Usages | Part-2

Ceramic
Ceramic floor tiles are made from a dust-pressed clay that is fired at high temperatures with an applied surface finish; can be glazed unglazed and available in matt, satin or gloss finishes.

• Need to know: Fully vitrified ceramic tiles are the most waterproof of all tiles, making them suitable for the wettest areas in the home. When ordering your tile amount make sure to order a sufficient amount of tiles in the first instance, as tiles are made in batches, using the same clay, fired in the same oven and tiles ordered from a different batch can vary in colour.
• Usage: The suitability of the tile depends on how hardwearing it is. Tiles that are suitable for a bathroom may not be suitable for a kitchen or a hallway, since they will not be sufficiently durable. Similarly, any ceramic tile that can be used on a floor can also be used on a wall, but wall tiles cannot be used on floors. Floor tiles will have two to three coats of glaze applied in order to prevent scratching and wearing. Glazed floor tiles can be quite slippy and tend to mark more easily. The toughness and durability of a manmade tile is gauged on a five-point scale according to its PEI rating, with one being the weakest and five being the hardest. Tiles of a one or two PEI rating are suitable for low traffic areas, such as bathrooms, while three and four are best for kitchens, conservatories and hallways. Tiles with a PEI rating of five are suitable for outdoor use.
• How to: If you want to have a go at laying tiles yourself, ceramic tiles are the best option. They are easy to cut and don’t require any special treatment and the calibration of the tiles is always exact, i.e. all tiles in the box will be the same size. The tiles are applied with ceramic floor adhesive to a sound floor. In newly built homes make sure the concrete has been allowed to cure before laying your tiles, otherwise the tiles may crack. If you’re considering underfloor heating with ceramic tiles make sure to use heat-proof adhesive. A timber floor will need to be sheeted out with plywood before tiles can be laid.
• Cost: Ceramic tiles are the least expensive of all tiles, though cost will increase depending on the colour, size and complexity of design.

Mosaic
Mosaic is made up of tiny tiles and mounted on a wax, mesh or paper backing in order to facilitate laying.

• Need to know: Mosaic tiles are generally the most expensive type of tile, as there is a lot of waste involved in production. Tilers will also charge more to lay the tiles because of the additional work involved.
• Usage: Mosaic is relatively expensive and therefore generally used in small spaces or as a feature decoration among larger tiles. Because the tiles are small they are popular for using on uneven or rounded surfaces, since the backing can bend to fit. Mosaics are suitable for indoor and outdoor use and are good anti-slip tiles.
• How to: Mosaic tiles are laid in large tiles sets with a mesh backing that facilitates a speedier tiling process. They must be installed over a flat, smooth surface as any unevenness will be easily spotted. If you are laying mosaics that have a paper backing make sure to lay them with the paper facing outwards. Once laid, the paper can be peeled easily from the surface of the tiles.
• Cost: The cost of the tiles will vary according to the type of material that they are made from.

Hope-this post will help you choose the best tile for fulfilling your desired purposes.