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| Fri Mar 27, 2015 | Post #2 | himanshu
Join date: Feb 2008 | 1. You can check for the grade of the tile. Tiles are graded using a numerical numbering system based on their thickness and quality. A rating of 1 is the highest quality and thickest tile available, 3/4-inch thick, and you can use them anywhere. Grade 2 reflects that some imperfections exist but the tile still is usable on walls or floors. These tiles are approximately 1/2-inch thick. Grade 3 tiles are the thinnest, 1/4-inch thick, and are appropriate for use only on walls. Grades 1 through 3 sometimes are referred to as standard, secondary or cull grade, respectively. 2. Secondly you can check for PEI rating. Tiles rated I or II are not suited for installation on a floor. Floor tiles must be rated at III or higher for residential use; the highest rating, IV, is recommended for high-traffic commercial floors. The PEI rating applies only to glazed tiles. 3.Water Absorption (W.A.)
A tile’s rate of water absorption: weight of water absorbed as percentage of tile weight.
Icon: Umbrella shielding rain
Nonvitreous: High absorption (more than 7% water absorbed). Not suitable for outdoor use or for rooms
with a lot of moisture, such as bathrooms.
Semivitreous: Moderate absorption (3% - 7% water absorbed). Not suitable for outdoor use or for wet
rooms, such as bathrooms.
Vitreous: Low absorption (0.5% - 3% water absorbed). Suitable for outdoor use and for wet rooms, such
as bathrooms.
Impervious: Lowest absorption (less than 0.5% water absorbed). Suitable for all interior and exterior uses.
Notes:
• Glazed tiles are resistant to water at the tile surface, but susceptible at the edges.
• All grouts, except epoxies, will allow some moisture absorption.
• Only vitreous and impervious tiles should be used outdoors or in bathrooms.
• Most glazed tile is fired to give an absorption rate of less than or equal to 3%, which places them in a
frost-proof category (vitreous and impervious).
• Glazed white body (talc clay) wall tiles are nonvitreous with more than 7% absorption. If these tiles
become saturated and are installed in an exterior freeze environment, the tiles will be damaged by the
freeze-thaw cycle, resulting in cracked tile or spalling (chipping or crumbling) of the glaze finish.
In general, the more resistant a tile is to water, the more it will cost. Impervious and vitreous tiles tend to
be more expensive than semivitreous and nonvitreous tiles. 4. Lastly you can also check for the coefficient of friction. Recommended C.O.F. greater than .50 – Recommended for standard residential application
C.O.F. greater than .60 – Required for commercial applications to meet or exceed ADA (Americans with
Disabilities Act) guidelines | | |
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| Sat Mar 28, 2015 | Post #3 | JAI PRAKASH
Join date: May 2014 | The simplest way is to expose the tiles to the light and check the quality of polish on it. The surface has to be smooth as much as zero errors. The tiles should be of no.1 grade i.e not bend from corners. | | |
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Bathroom Flooring-Interior Questions (29) | |
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