Floor Tile Installation

We Recommend Porcelain Tile

If you are looking for longevity and durability with the least amount of maintenance, you should be shopping for a porcelain tile. Porcelain is by far the most durable tile on the market, but beware not all porcelain is created equal! Below is some information on the properties of porcelain tile to assist you in your shopping.

Porcelain tiles are typically made with "porcelain" clays that have specific properties. Typically, these tiles are dense and by definition, they have water absorption of 0.5% or less. Non-porcelain tiles have water absorption greater than 0.5%.

There are both glazed and unglazed porcelain tiles. It is important to know the difference, as the glazed variety is usually a little easier to clean. Typically, glazed porcelain tiles have filled in microscopic holes that could be present in the unglazed tile. On the other hand, unglazed porcelains may have better slip resistance.

Tile Classifications

Tile is classified into 4 categories: Non-Vitreous, Semi-Vitreous, Vitreous, and Impervious. The water absorption determines the best area of use for each tile.

Shade Variation

The Ceramic Tile Distributors of America has come up with a shade guide that applies to ceramic and porcelain tile. The Scale is V1-V4.

Shade variation is inherent in all tile products, including man-made tiles such as porcelain, glass and ceramic. Shade and texture will vary significantly from piece to piece within production runs. V1 shade variation has little or no change from piece to piece where a V4 will have a large variety of color and/or texture differences.

Dye Lots

Ceramic tile is a natural material with a natural composition which becomes resistant when fired at very high temperatures. This process, however, can cause slight differences in the shades of color of a tile between one batch and the next. Therefore, tiles are grouped before packaging according to their “dye lots” or shade and their caliber. The “dye lot” (or shade of that batch of material) is then indicated on the label of every box. This is why when placing your order for tile, it is very important to order enough tile to not only complete the job but also to have extra for any repairs that may need to occur sometime down the line. Five to twenty percent extra tile should be ordered depending on the specified pattern.