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Ceramic Tile
Ceramic tile is not only the most
durable of flooring surfaces, but it also proves to offer
an amazing array of design possibilities. There are many
variations in size, color, texture, and pattern. It is also
easy to clean and extremely resistant to odors, bacteria,
scratches, stains, and water. For these reasons, it is the
ideal material for use in kitchens, bathrooms, entryways,
and other areas of the home.
Ceramic tile is made from clay or a mixture
of organic materials. The tile is then finished by kiln
firing. Ceramic tile is generally light weight and relatively
thin. It can come either glazed or unglazed. Glazed tiles
are hard and non-porous resulting in flooring that is stain
resistant, scratch and fire resistant, doesn't fade from
sun light, slip resistant, and easy to clean. The tiles
come in many colors and different finishes and textures.
Unglazed tile is unfinished, so there is
no glazing or any other coating applied to the tile. The
color remains the same on both the top and bottom. The tile
is very durable and it doesn't scratch as easily as glazed
tile. For these reasons, it doesn't show the effects of
heavy traffic. It does, however, fall victim to stains.
You can protect your unglazed tile with a sealer or wax.
There are several types of ceramic tile
which include porcelain tiles, quarry tiles, satillio, terrazzo
tiles, and agglomerate tiles. Porcelain tile is a ceramic
tile that is dense, impervious, fine grained and smooth,
with a sharply formed face. Porcelain tile is available
in mat, unglazed or a high polished finish. Quarry tiles
come glazed or unglazed and are made by the extrusion process
from natural clay or shale. This tile is most common in
the dark red shades and works wonderful for surfaces that
receive heavy traffic. Satillio tiles, with Spanish roots,
are a decorative tile commonly used for aesthetics purposes.
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