Recently, when performing finishing work, such material as porcelain tile has become increasingly popular. If before it was used more for decorating public premises, now it is often used in houses and apartments. Such popularity is provided by the basic characteristics and appearance of this material.
Main characteristics
Glazed porcelain stoneware is a regular porcelain stoneware, which is covered with special smalt glaze. That is why it is often called salted. Therefore, if you hear this option, do not get lost. These are just different names for one product.
After applying the coating layer, the material is calcined in a furnace at very high temperatures. This allows you to increase its strength. A wide variety of design makes it universal in application.
One of the most important and determining properties for glazed porcelain stoneware properties is its wear resistance. Unlike other materials, it is less susceptible to mechanical damage. In addition, he retains his appearance several times longer than the rest of the representative of finishing materials.
For greater convenience, the building material is usually produced in a square shape. Rectangular patterns are also popular. In the case when porcelain tile imitates natural stones, it is produced in a non-standard shape. When laying individual segments at different angles, the appearance of such a coating is almost indistinguishable from natural. This is another advantage of glazed porcelain stoneware.
It should also be noted that glazed porcelain tiles are of different thicknesses. Usually this figure is from 7 to 30 mm. Many people think that this is directly related to the resistance of the material, but this is not at all the case. Despite the thickness, all characteristics remain unchanged, only the price changes. Therefore, the preferred thickness is 7-10mm.
Application area
As already mentioned, the usual scope of this material is the decoration of public places that are visited by a large number of people. Resistance to abrasion allows you to keep the visual effect for a long time, while ordinary samples can not boast of this.
Recently, glazed porcelain stoneware has often been used in decorating hallways, kitchens and bathtubs. A variety of shapes and textures allow it to be used as floor and wall coverings. Glazed matt porcelain stoneware looks especially advantageous . It emphasizes the refined and sophisticated style of the room, adds a certain zest to the interior.
Care Features
Porcelain tile is known as a non-whimsical material to care for. But, despite all the resistance to mechanical and chemical damage, it is better to exclude those detergents that contain abrasive elements. They can adversely affect the coating itself, contributing to structural disruption and deterioration of appearance.
Advantages and disadvantages of the material
In order to take into account all the positive and negative sides of glazed porcelain stoneware, we denote them thesis.
Pros are as follows:
- High strength and wear resistance.
- Large selection of design solutions.
- Resistant to mold and mildew.
- It does not require special care.
- Heat and water resistance.
At first glance, it seems that porcelain has no minuses. This is almost true, but a few minor flaws that should be considered when choosing this material are still worth voicing:
- Despite the relative resistance, this material is still 100% not protected from mechanical damage.
- Also, over time, it tends to wear out.
- Using porcelain stoneware for decoration of residential premises, it should be remembered that it is quite cold.
As you can see, glazed porcelain stoneware can be a great design decision. It has its pros and cons, like any other building material. Therefore, when buying, think carefully about all these nuances. Then your purchase will not present unpleasant surprises and will delight you in the future.