Types of tiles used in building construction and their applications
Tiles are used in building construction and are thin panels or elements used to cover surfaces such as facades, floors and walls.
Brick is currently considered an essential element in adding beauty and finishing to the interior and exterior of a building.
It mainly consists of clay or any form of inorganic raw material.
Tile making
Nowadays tiles are also made from recycled materials,
making them an environmentally friendly item.
The shape of the brick is also obtained through various processes such as extrusion,
pressing at room temperature, or any other method.
After shaping, they are allowed to dry, as these dried elements are exposed to fire.
This firing stage aims to ensure that they have the desired properties,
which people are looking for in different building applications.
There are different types of tiles used in building construction, glazed or unglazed.
It is non-combustible in nature, and is unaffected under light.
Types of tiles based on application
There are different types of tiles used in building construction that are unique to the type of surface on which they need to be applied.
Below we will present the types of tiles based on the application:
- Roofing
- Flooring
- Walls
- Partition
Roof tiles are ceramics made from baked products, and their manufacture is similar to that of bricks,
while wall tiles as well as floor tiles are used in the interior and exterior areas of the building.
Also, this is mainly used based on decorative or aesthetic requirements.
These belong to the ceramic category and are called white porcelain.
The tiles used on walls and floors are also available in both glazed and unglazed forms.
Mostly wall tiles are glazed with a thin layer of glass when available in the market.
Floor tiles are also designed to add some beauty to the flooring,
but they are subjected to high loads, pressure and other unwanted physical actions.
Therefore, this type of tile is manufactured to be more durable, corrosion-resistant, waterproof and easy to clean.
Floor tiles, in addition to the mentioned characteristics, must also provide good aesthetics.
The degree of burning is the characteristic that distinguishes wall and floor tiles,
and when compared to floor tiles, wall tiles burn at a lower temperature.
It is then vitrified and re-fired at a lower temperature.
Types of tiles based on materials and manufacturing
- Ceramic tile or non-ceramic tile
- Tile and porcelain
Ceramic Tile
Ceramic tiles are used for indoor floors, swimming pools,
outdoor floors and walls and for special installations in both indoor and outdoor situations.
Most types of tiles fall under the category of ceramic tiles,
which are made from a mixture of clay and other materials, which are fired in a kiln.
Different types of unglazed and glazed forms of ceramic tiles:
- Ceramic tile
- Clay and porcelain
- Fully glazed tiles
- Glazed tiles
- Stone tiles
Porcelain tiles are made from clay while porcelain stoneware tiles contain a large amount of silica present in the form of sand, ground porcelain stoneware, etc.
Silica is added to the porcelain stoneware tiles to prevent shrinkage during the installation process.
Clay tiles are also made using high quality fired clay.
When fired twice, unlike terracotta tiles, we get faience.
The porcelain is initially exposed to fire, and after glazing the clay tiles, it is heated again, to finally produce faience.
Porcelain is also available in a large variety of changing colours, and this will help enhance clay works.
Unglazed and glazed ceramic tiles
Ceramic, glazed and vitrified tiles are currently being developed,
and glazed tiles were only used for walls in the initial stages.
Glazed ceramic tiles are mainly manufactured through two steps:
Step 1: With the help of special white clay which is heated at a temperature of 1200°C, the body of the brick is made, these finishing elements are called biscuits.
Step 2: The biscuits are accompanied by glaze and decorations, if any, and heated in the oven.
For different types of flooring and different traffic wear, glazing techniques can be improved.
Glazed Ceramic Tile
It is a tile made of clay materials in addition to other finely ground materials,
which are exposed to fire at a higher temperature.
Fully glazed tiles are those tiles whose thickness is also glazed.
Glazed ceramic tiles have higher abrasion resistance and can be used in heavy traffic areas.
Tile and Porcelain
The manufacturing ability, absorption capacity and breaking strength of porcelain tiles are different from those of ceramic tiles.
Porcelain tile is also made of clay, but compared to ceramic tile, it uses heavier or denser clay.
During manufacturing, porcelain tiles are also exposed to intense temperature for a longer period.
This is done until all the water in the element evaporates,
as this unique manufacturing method makes this brick more solid and dense compared to ceramic tiles.
This is why porcelain tile is considered a premium product when durability, design,
color and value are taken into consideration.
Porcelain tile is highly waterproof, with a water absorption rate of less than 0.5%.
The cost of porcelain tiles is higher compared to ceramic tiles.
Porcelain tile is gaining more application in surface areas characterized by high traffic.
This tile is a type of glazed tile, sometimes referred to as glazed porcelain tile.
Porcelain tiles require special cement to be installed, which is harder and denser compared to ceramic tiles.
Therefore, when using this tile for wall surfaces, cement is used, which has a high adhesion property.
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