Grade 2: Similar to Grade 1, but with slight imperfections. Recommended for walls or floors. Grade 3: Lowest quality. Thinner tile designed for walls, not floors.
Grade 2. In rooms that have light traffic such as bathrooms or bedrooms, Grade 2 tiles can be installed as flooring. They are not designed to stand up to heavy foot traffic, and should not be used for tile flooring in commercial spaces. This modern tile is also ideal for use as wall coverings.
Grade 1 tiles are the weakest, with the best application as wall tiles. Grade 2 tiles are best used in areas where there is light traffic, such as residential bathrooms. Grade 3 tiles can withstand slightly heavier traffic, and is the most common choice for residential applications.
The grade of a tile informs the purchaser as to whether the tile has met the standard for evaluation in facial defects. Knowing a tiles grade makes the customer aware of potential perceived defects that may make the tile inappropriate for up-close, eye level installs. There are only two grades.
In a Grade A tile, the defect is not noticeable or smaller than 1mm size. h) Pin Holes, which occur when bubbles are trapped in the tile body and burst after firing, can be apparent when viewed from a meter apart with a size larger than 1mm. These are then considered Grade B tiles.
Grade 1 is the lowest grade of porcelain tile. It's only intended for walls or kitchen backsplashes and light-duty residential floors and is not suitable for areas that will see heavy traffic due to its lower resistance to abrasion.
The grades listed above determine your tile's resistance to wear. Grade 1 tiles are the thinnest, while Grade 5 are typically the thickest tiles. Usually, you'll use thicker tiles for places with significant levels of foot traffic. Looking at the edge of the tile can show the amount of glazing on the tile.
The different grades of ceramic tiles – Grade 1 are usually placed on walls, grade 2 are usually for homes flooring; grade 3 is for light to moderate foot traffic; grade 4 is usually for commercial use; grade 5 is for heavy foot traffic.
Drip water test. You can drip water on the back of the tiles, see the speed of infiltration after the water dispersed, generally, the slower the water absorption, indicating that the tiles density is greater. On the contrary, the faster the water absorption, the less the density, the better the intrinsic quality.
Whether in an area of the home that sees high footfall, such as the hallway or kitchen, or in a commercial space, porcelain is the most hardwearing. However, compared to other flooring options such as laminate or carpet, ceramic tiles still represent a durable and hard-wearing choice.
Known for their unprecedented strength, durability, affordability, and longevity, porcelain floor tiles are one of our most recommended kitchen, living, and bathroom floor tile options! Porcelain floor tiles are made from dense clay fired at high temperatures and available in many beautiful options like stone and wood.
Tile Thickness
The vast majority of porcelain tiles are 6mm to 10mm thick and a tile in this range will serve most purposes. Wall tiles typically range from 6 to 10mm thick. Mosaics and decorative wall products also range from 6 to 10mm thick to make combining them easier.
Check the slip resistance: If you're using porcelain tile in a bathroom or kitchen, choosing porcelain tiles with a high slip resistance rating is essential to prevent accidents. Porcelain floor tiles with an R rating of 10 are the most slip-resistant.
A common old fired floor tile is referred to as antique tile or screed and is available in many types, sizes and colours. Often these are old and antique Dutch, Belgian and French tiles. The colours vary from nuanced terracotta tiles to red tiles and from blue tiles to grey tiles.
Yes, a higher quality tile is usually more expensive. But it could have a high quality appearance, higher quality production standards, or a higher durability rating.
While all ceramic tiles are essentially made of the same ingredients, the quality and color of those ingredients can make a dramatic difference in the price. For example, to make a tile with a pure white body requires white clay, which is much harder to find than the red or beige clay found in most tiles.
Think of porcelain as a higher quality ceramic. They're both made of the same material, but porcelain is much stronger. Porcelain tile also gives manufacturers more design flexibility. Ceramic and porcelain are both highly customizable, but porcelain can mimic unique materials (like natural stone) that ceramic can't.
Wednesday, June 30, 2021 7:46 AM. Below grade refers to a room that's below ground, usually basements. They can be damp and humid, so the best floors are either waterproof or hard surfaces, such as any vinyl, porcelain, ceramic tile, or concrete.
Compared to other flooring materials, such as hardwood flooring, natural stone, or vinyl tile, porcelain tile can be less comfortable underfoot due to its hardness. It's colder to walk on, especially in the winter.
Durability: The density of porcelain tile makes it more durable than ceramic tile while being less subject to wear and tear. This makes it more suitable for commercial use as well as in the home. Water Resistance: Porcelain tile is almost impervious to water compared to ceramic tile.
Best for Cost: Ceramic Tile
As a general category, ceramic tile is less expensive than most porcelain tiles. But there is a surprisingly large range of prices for both types of tiles. Note that the very highest quality designer tiles tend to cost roughly the same for ceramic and porcelain.