photo courtesy of Casa Roma

Ceramic tile has decorated floors since the days of Greece, Persia, and Rome. It is made up of raw materials that come directly from the earth and is known for its durability, practicality, and beauty.

As a practical choice for your floor, you also have a unique opportunity for self-expression with the extensive range of colours, textures, sizes and styles available, enabling you to create a living space that is a true reflection of you.

Why is ceramic tile a good choice for my home?

Durable: a properly installed ceramic tile will outperform and outlast nearly any other floor covering product created for the same application.

Water Resistant: Ceramic tile withstands moisture because of its non-porous nature, making it a great choice for bathrooms, laundry rooms, and kitchens.

Beauty: Whether it is an old world charm you are looking for or a post-modern look and feel, designing with tile offers endless possibilities.

Maintenance: glazed ceramic tile resists stains, odors, and dirt and can be cleaned up with a damp mop or sponge.

Design: There are literally thousands of colours, sizes, styles, shapes and grades of ceramic tile to choose from. All will add rich beauty and character to any room.

Scratch Resistant: High-grade ceramic tiles are extremely resistant to scratching and tearing.

Environmentally Friendly: Ceramic tile is manufactured using natural materials and does not retain odors, allergens, or bacteria.

Fire Resistant: Ceramic tile doesn't burn nor emit toxic fumes. Cigarettes, hot kitchen pans, and skillets will not scorch or melt the surface of glazed ceramic tile.

How do I decide on colour and style?

One of the main advantages of ceramic tile is the tremendous colour selection. When choosing tile, add your own creativity to a very functional material by mixing colours, borders, and inserts to make your ceramic flooring unique.

Colour coordinating with other material such as curtains, carpet, wood, and fixtures should be taken into consideration.

Choosing the size of the tile is generally of personal taste, taking into account cosmetic, as well as structural functionality. Keep in mind that a mixture of sizes can give a different effect and many ranges now offer different sizing in particular colour ranges.

Glazed tiles come in many types: high gloss, semi-gloss, matte or low gloss, opaque or non-transparent glaze, speckled glaze for contrasting colours or even fitted glaze which covers only some parts of the tile. Glazed tiles are easier to clean and should be considered where continual maintenance is a factor.

Unglazed tiles can give an entirely different look and are fully functional from the wear standpoint. Unglazed tiles need to have a sealer applied to the surface to prevent staining and moisture intake.

It is important to realize how the colour of the grout can affect the overall appearance of the finished installation. Dark coloured grout tends to highlight the shape of the tile more with less observance of the grout colour.

What do I need to know before buying?

Ceramic tile is a natural product made up of clay, a number of other naturally occurring minerals, and water. These materials are fired under high temperatures, resulting in a hard body called a bisque, which is then either treated with a glazed wear layer, or left untreated.

Some tips before purchasing:

• Glazed tiles allow for an unlimited array of colours and designs. They also provide a non-porous surface that is extremely stain resistant.
• Unglazed tiles are baked pieces of clay and their colours run throughout the entire clay body. These tiles are thicker and denser than glazed tiles. Although the colour ranges are limited to the colours of the clay, they are suited for extra heavy commercial applications.
• Installing ceramic tile is a major undertaking, and we recommend you have our professional staff install your ceramic tile for you.
• There are a lot of variations in how ceramic tile is made, so choose a brand carefully. To make sure you get the best quality ceramic and proper installation, talk to the experts at Nufloors Coquitlam.
• Ceramic tile is fired in a kiln and then cooled at varying degrees of temperature and humidity. This expansion and contraction can cause tiles to vary in size, so ask for consistently sized tiles (unless of course, you prefer the effect of different sized tiles).
• Make sure the ceramic tile you purchase are of the same "Lot#" and "Shade#". This will ensure that your flooring was made in the same batch.
• Ceramic tiles with bright reflective surfaces (bright glaze finish) are not recommended for floors as they can pose a slip hazard and have poor abrasive resistance.

Density Ratings of Ceramic Tiles

The bisque, or body of the clay gets its strength and stability through the raw materials and the density of the clay.

Few air pockets within the clay signify a dense bisque, and a higher absorption of water:

1. Non-vitreous tiles absorb 3% or more of their weight in water and are best suited to indoor applications.
2. Semi-vitreous tiles absorb between 3% and 7% water and should also be used for indoor applications.
3. Vitreous tiles absorb 0.5% to 3% water and are suited for both indoor as well as outdoor use.
4. Impervious tiles are the densest, strongest tiles. They absorb between 0% and 0.5% their weight in water and are suitable for indoor and outdoor applications.

PEI Ratings

Although there are no industry standards, most ceramic tile is rated for use by the Porcelain Enamel Institute (PEI) abrasion test as a guide to durability. PEI ratings measure the wear resistance of the tile surface. They do not rate the quality or price of a tile.

Class 1 - No Foot Traffic
For residential bathrooms where softer footwear is worn.

Class 2 - Light Traffic
For residential traffic, except kitchens, entrance halls, and other heavy traffic areas.

Class 3 - Light to Moderate Traffic
For all residential and light commercial areas such as offices and reception areas.

Class 4 - Moderate to Heavy Traffic
For medium commercial and light institutional applications such as restaurants, hotels, hospital lobbies and corridors.

Class 4+ - Heavy to Extra Heavy Traffic
For heavy traffic and wet areas such as walkways, shopping centers, building entrances, and around swimming pools.

Monocottura Technology

Monocottura is an Italian word meaning single-fired. The tile is shaped, glazed, and fired in one step, dramatically speeding up tile production and thus, saving on costs. This method gives tiles a denser body and harder glaze, and installation is easier because the tiles are constructed with a flat back.

How can I ensure value for money?

Our collection is a range of ceramic tile solutions that we feel represent the most value for quality and price. You can be sure you're buying quality for value when you choose from this range.

If you need further help, come on in. Our salespeople can explain the relative merits of installing ceramic tile and help you choose the best tile for your home.