When choosing the most suitable type of wall and floor covering for each niche, it is important to know the characteristics of different types of tiles according to their composition and their best uses, so that we can choose the most suitable option.
Types of ceramic tiles
The properties offered by the different types of ceramic tiles depend on the composition, whether it is glazed or not, and the type of burning, making them suitable for specific uses.
Unglazed tiles are made with a single firing, while glazed tiles are made with a glaze before going through the kiln again.
The material base of various types of ceramic tiles consists of fine and homogeneous molica granules or grains. Its colors range from white, ivory or gray to yellowish brown or reddish. They are concealed on their visible face by painting in monochrome, multicolor, white, marbled or in an endless number of floral or geometric motifs prints.
Types of tiles according to their shape
As for the shape of the pieces, the most commonly manufactured pieces are square and rectangular, due to their ease of subsequent installation, the production of hexagonal or octagonal tiles is more limited, providing greater uniqueness to wall and floor coverings. Tiled bathrooms and kitchens.
To complement the kitchen and bathroom tiles, trim pieces such as smooth or embossed borders and decorative moldings are also made in various shapes.
Types of tiles according to their manufacture
Depending on the method of manufacture, there is a classification that we will see below:
✦ Stoneware
This is the name given to types of tiles and tiles with the dry pressing process. They are subjected to a single burn with a very fine and homogeneous granular support, without coating, which absorbs little water, reduced to 0.5%.
The color of the base is determined by adding colorings to the dough, while the visible face can be plain or decorated with various motifs: marble, speckled and even with patterns that mimic natural materials such as wood and stone . The latter has a decorative function in tiles for the living room or other rooms.
The tiles have a well-made and regular surface and edges , and can be used when they come out of the oven or polished later for a smoother cut and a certain sheen.
Among the most popular shapes for these types of tiles is a quadrangle of various sizes, which is completed with other pieces such as panels, steps, and borders .
Porcelain stoneware is made into tiles and tiles of various sizes. Their length usually ranges from 10 cm to 80 cm. The most sought after shape of this type of material is square and rectangular, with smooth or beveled corners.
Its properties make it ideal for use in ceramic coatings for bathrooms , kitchens, living rooms or anywhere else. It is one of the cheap tiles par excellence.
✦ Catalan tiles
This ceramic tile has great water absorption and is extrusion shaped. A single fire is made in which the enamel is not used, while retaining a glass cover for some special pieces of aesthetic purpose in the various decorations.
The natural color of this tile is terracotta red and the color of the special pieces can be more intense than red-brown as a result of the added glaze or a greenish tint.
The base consists of a slightly uniform grain, which allows us to appreciate the pores and grain, giving these types of tiles a rougher, more artisanal appearance.
As for the shapes and sizes of these tiles and tiles , square and rectangular shapes predominate, although they are also made with curved sides and in polygonal shapes such as regular hexagons or octagons.
Basic pieces are completed with moldings, flange covers and sockets, as well as other accessories such as gutters and steps .
The most common use of these types of rustic tiles is to cover floors, work benches, and half-height cornices for rustic and Mediterranean interiors and patios.
✦ rustic stoneware
This is the name given to types of tiles with low water absorption, manufactured with extrusion and without enamel, which have a base in shades ranging from ocher to dark brown.
Its uneven grain composition gives it a rougher, less smooth appearance where pores and impurities can be seen.
Cut shape, such as Catalan stoneware , offers great variety, although the most commonly used pieces of these types of tiles are usually square, rectangular, and thicker cut stoneware.
In addition to rustic tiles for kitchens and bathrooms , there are other specialty pieces in rustic stoneware for moldings, steps, gutters, or panels.
Other common uses of rustic tiles are facade cladding and exterior flooring.
Inside the rustic porcelain stoneware there is another series of types of these types of tiles , namely:
- The “quarry” tile is named as a version with extruded properties very similar to the type of English tile from which they take their name.
- So-called “spaltplatten” tile is another type of rustic-style tile , which is made by extruding two pieces at a time.
This rustic stoneware has a finer intermediate area so that it can be separated by a sharp blow after firing, realizing that the sides of the piece on the visible face have a gap to protect the edges.
- Salted porcelain stoneware, is a kind of floor and wall tile with contrasting luster and bronze appearance. This is achieved by adding common salt to the visible face during cooking with a decorative function. They are used to cover walls where they cannot be used as flooring due to their low resistance to abrasion.
✦ burnt clay
Although a variety of tile types are known by this name, they are made in small batches by hand, their rustic appearance should not be confused with other types of mass-produced stoneware that have similar finishes.
The terracotta tile base has a very heterogeneous appearance, which is why grain, inlays and pores are easy to perceive, with irregular edges and faces, scattering of measurements and even morphology (the pieces are not identical). This gives them a distinct and distinctive look.
The most common use is for country-style decoration and to generate an atmosphere of antiquity in the spaces in which they are installed, such as tiles for exterior and interior decoration.
It is usually necessary to use some type of wax based waterproofing treatment or other products depending on the functional and aesthetic criteria that you want to achieve with this tile in the interior.
✦ Stainless steel tiles
These are the pieces in which a stainless steel plate is added to the ceramic base. These types of tiles are water resistant, and come in a large number of sizes, finishes, and colors, primarily square and rectangular.
Its field of application is interior design where you can play with the creativity and originality of tiles for kitchens, bathrooms or wall applications.
Floor tiles of other materials
✧ marble and lattice tiles
Marble tiles are one-piece elements or based on small interlocking pieces to facilitate laying in mosaic coverings , where natural materials are extracted and cut into different sizes.
Marble offers many decorative possibilities based on different shades and aged or polished finishes in wall cladding, floors, shower trays, countertops and many other uses .
Basic bits come in a large number of sizes and are completed with all kinds of molds, steps and other special pieces.
✧ natural slate tiles
Tiles made of natural slate like marble are hand-carved pieces, which can vary in tone and texture as it is a material that displays its typical fractures in the layers.
Its most recent use is in the design of kitchens , bathrooms, and tiled murals for different spaces.
✧ glass tiles
They are pieces of pressed glass used for wall cladding in areas with moisture and proximity to water, such as bathroom tiles, glass kitchen tiles or saunas. It has all the properties of glass in its tightness and durability, so it is also very suitable for lining places with constant cleaning treatment, such as tiles for swimming pools and spas.
