Tile Flooring

There are three main types of tiles: ceramic, porcelain and stone. Other materials like glass and metal are also used as tiles but, generally only in decorative applications and not as flooring. Porcelain and ceramic tiles are both made out of clay that is glazed and fired in a kiln. Porcelain is made from more refined material and fired at a higher temperature and pressure than ceramic, resulting in a harder more durable product. 

The colour of the product is determined by two main factors. The first is the colour of clay that is used in the tile. If the colour of the face of the tile is the same as the clay that it is made from, this is called “through body colour” because the colour is persistent through the entire tile. The glaze on these tiles is clear and applied to seal the tile and give it a certain level of shine. The advantage of a “through body colour” tile is that if it gets chipped the colour underneath will be the same as the top and the damage will be less noticeable.

While tile flooring is traditionally cold on the feet, there are now in floor heaters that warm the tiles. In floor heating has become very popular and is often used in bathrooms where a warm floor is good for walking on with bare feet but, putting in carpet would be the wrong choice.