About Tile Flooring

Ceramic tile has been around for centuries and with today's technology manufacturers have created new design and application possibilities that were not available a decade ago. If you have never used ceramic tile before or it has been a long time since you have done so, you will be amazed at the wide selection of colors, sizes, shapes and new textures that are now available.

Ceramic tile is a natural product made up of clay, a number of other naturally-occurring minerals and water. Glazed ceramic tile has a ceramic coating applied to the tile body that gives the tile its color and finish. Glazed ceramic tile is a popular choice for your interior floors and walls and offers unlimited decorating possibilities.

Towards the bottom of the page you will find various definitions that may help you when selecting tile for your home or business.

Some characteristics of glazed ceramic tile are:

• Durable - a properly installed ceramic tile will outperform and outlast nearly any other floor covering product created for the same application.
• Easy care - glazed ceramic tile resists stains, odors, and dirt and can be cleaned up with a damp mop or sponge or common household cleaners.
• Scratch resistant - Grade III and Grade IV glazed ceramic tiles are extremely resistant to scratching and you never have to worry about a cut or tear like you do with some other types of floors.
• Environmentally friendly - ceramic tile is manufactured using natural materials and does not retain odors, allergens, or bacteria.
• Beautiful and Versatile - modern ceramic manufacturing technology has created virtually an unlimited number of colors, sizes, styles, shapes, and textures that will add rich beauty and character to any room decor.
• Fire Resistant - ceramic tile doesn't burn nor emit toxic fumes. A lighted cigarette, when dropped on the floor, even if allowed to sit, will not do any damage to ceramic tile. Even hot kitchen pans or skillets will not scorch or melt the surface of glazed ceramic tile.
• Water Resistant - most glazed ceramic tile has a dense body that permits little or no accumulation of moisture. This means spills from common liquids found in a kitchen are not a big concern.

Common Tile Terms

Grout – Grout is a mixture of cement and a color additive. For tile floors with wider spaces between each tile sand is added to the grout. Also, a liquid latex additive can be added to the grout to give better resiliency to the grouted areas. For ease of maintenance a penetrating sealant should be used on the grout. It should be noted you might see a change in color of your grout over time.
Some of the other important things we can help with when selecting a tile floor is the slip-resistance, the size and color of the grout joints, the thickness of the tile, height variations from room to room, size of the tile, suitability of the subfloor, and cleaning of the tile.

Glazed – The most common style today in floor and wall tiles, as well as for residential and commercial applications. A liquid glass is applied to the body of the tile and fired at high temperatures. The glazing becomes hard and non-porous resulting in a flooring that is: Stain Resistant, Scratch Resistant, Fire Resistant, Doesn’t Fade from Sun Light, Slip Resistant, and Easy to Clean. Shiny glazes are softer, can be scratched easier, and can be slippery than the satin or rustic finishes.

Unglazed – There is no glazing or any other coating applied to the tile. Their color is the same on the face of the tile as it is on the back resulting in very durable tiles that do not show the effects of heavy traffic. The most common unglazed tiles are the red quarry tiles or the granite looking porcelain ceramic tiles used in heavy commercial areas.

Saltillo Tile – A Mexican tile made of unprocessed clays.

Listello – A narrow tile used to accent field tiles.

Bicottura - It is an Italian word meaning "double fired". The clay body is fired on the first pass through the kiln, and the glaze is applied and fired on the second pass through the kiln. This process is only being used today for decorative wall tile products.

Monocottura – It is an Italian word meaning, "single fired". The tile passes through the firing process one time at a temperature of 2200 degrees. Monocuttura tiles have denser bodies and harder glazes than Bicottura tiles.

White Body Tile versus Red Body Tile - The color of the body is determined by the color of the clay used by the manufacturer that is available in their geographic region. Look at the body of the tile to see if the color is red or white. The quality of the tile is more related to the quality of the manufacturer not the color of the body.

Bullnose – This is the most used trim shape for wall tile installations. Wall tile bullnose is sometimes referred to as surface cap. It has one rounded finished edge on the tile and can be used horizontally or vertically.

Corner Bullnose – It has two rounded finished edges on the tile to be used to complete the corner where the horizontal and vertical bullnose meet. Generally you use only 2 – 3 pieces for a bathtub enclosure.

Stack-on Cove Base – This cove base provides a coving on the bottom and a flat edge on top to continue with more wall tile up the wall.

Rounded Top Cove Base – This cove base has a rounded finished top like bullnose and is used as a cove base in areas that will not have wall tile installed above it.

*The above trims are the most commonly used. There are many other specialty trims available that will only confuse you. Your tile installer will be able to look at your installation and know what trims will be needed.