Why tiles flooring?

Tile may be the only flooring material that truly works in any room of the house. It's most often used in kitchens and bathrooms as well as foyers, mudrooms, and other high-traffic areas. But many homes, especially in warm climates, use tile to great effect in living areas and bedrooms, too. In other words, you really can't go wrong with tile. If there are any drawbacks to this durable, elegant flooring, it is that it can be hard and cold, and is somewhat tricky for DIYers to install.
Ceramic tiles have a hard, solid surface, that does not attract or hold onto dirt, dust, pollen, or other allergens. When these small particles do land on a ceramic floor, they stand out against the surface, making it easy to wipe them away with a mop or sponge. This helps to keep the air free of irritating materials that can be harmful to asthma and allergy sufferers.

 What is the difference between ceramice and porcelain?

The fundamental difference between ceramic tile and porcelain tile lies in the technology behind their production. Porcelain is the result of a more controlled manufacturing process than ordinary ceramics, made through a mixture of porcelain and various minerals burned at over 1200°C. The resulting material is more homogeneous, dense, vitrified, and resistant than conventional ceramics. It is also less porous and therefore has a very low water absorption index, making it more durable as well. This feature makes it suitable for high traffic locations such as airports or shopping malls. Porcelain glazes are also known for their greater color variation, providing a rich custom look.

Ceramic, in turn, is composed of a mixture of clay and some minerals. Due to the slight variations and irregularities, it may yield a more interesting aesthetic result.

Differences between Italain and China tile?

One major difference between them is Variation. Almost every tile comes with a variation rating (from V1 to V4) that indicates how much variation there is from tile to tile.

V1 - No variation, every tile looks exactly the same

V2 - Slight or subtle variation, the tiles are fairly consistent

V3 - Heavy variation, either of color or pattern

V4 - Dramatic variation, such as many tiles designed to look like slate

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While high consistency (a V1 rating) is a desirable trait for solid color tiles, tiles that are designed to look like stone or wood are more attractive with better/more natural-looking variation. Since more natural-looking variation requires better technology, these tiles are usually at a higher price point.

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Repetition

Glazed tiles with patterns tend to have repeat patterns. A tile line where each tile has the exact same print tends to be fairly inexpensive (as they are cheaper to produce), while a tile whose pattern doesn't repeat will be more expensive.

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What types of finishes exist?

The finish refers to the upper surface of the tile's coating and can be polished, shiny, satin, matte, or natural.

Is tile a durable material?

Before ordering a certain number of porcelain tiles, it is necessary to know the extension of the surface to be tiled and have selected the installation technique and plan.

Being stated the above, it is necessary to know that:

• even a batch of top quality tiles can contain some defective tiles (the standards allow for a 5% of defective tiles)

• some tiles must be cut or drilled, therefore a certain number will be wasted.

• some tiles should be kept aside for any future repairs, it is also important to spare a sample to show in case of any complaints.

All in all, about a 10% extra tiles should be ordered exceeding the actual extension of the surface to be tiled, moreover, a sole order is recommended, for the product of another lot might not be perfectly uniform with the one of the previous order.

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