A popular and practical way in modern decoration of the room is to cover the floors and walls of various types with ceramic tiles. The range of materials offered by manufacturers is distinguished by quality and manufacturing technology. Unglazed ceramic tiles have high strength and special wear resistance. In this article, we will consider in detail this type of building decoration material.
Types of Tiles
Unglazed ceramic tiles have one layer, called "shard". The color corresponds to the raw material or is stained with metal oxides. The surface of the material can be natural or polished, structured, polished, etc.
There are several types of unglazed ceramic tiles, the most common are:
- Clinker. This type of tile is subject to single firing and is extruded. The composition of the clinker is obtained from quartz, chamotte, refractory clays, and spar. This type has high rates of mechanical and physical strength. In the manufacture of clinker, natural material is used, excluding chemical dyes and additives. The color palette is represented by shades of brown, yellow, terracotta and red tones. Thanks to firing at high temperature, clinker tiles have low porosity, abrasive and chemical resistance, high strength, resistance to frost. Also, the material has anti-slip properties, which allows it to be used for facing stairs.
- Terracotta. This unglazed ceramic tile for the floor has a porous red base. The composition includes various types of clay. This material is almost not subject to bending and compression, and is also resistant to changes in the atmosphere. The form of terracotta tiles can be represented in the form of squares, rectangles, hexagons and octagons. The thickness of the product can reach 3 cm.
Tile characteristic
An important criterion when choosing unglazed ceramic tiles for flooring are indicators of abrasion, load and compression. According to GOST, abrasion resistance is 180 g per 1 square. cm, and the maximum compressive strength corresponds to 400 g per 1 square. see. In rooms with the lowest passability it is permissible to lay ceramic unglazed ceramic tiles for the floor, having a thickness of 8 to 12 mm. And, for example, for the hallway or kitchen, you should choose a larger thickness.
Due to the high frost resistance of the tile, it can be used outside the building, for example, on verandas, houses, balconies. In addition, the tile has a low level of water absorption and can be laid in bathrooms and rooms with high humidity. The coating of smooth unglazed ceramic tiles is mostly matte and matches the color of the clay from which this material is made. Color options are common. Color is obtained when various minerals are added to the mixture or clay of different shades is mixed. There are no stains on the tile and it is easy to care for.
Stability test
The characteristics for unglazed ceramic tiles claim that it is resistant to abrasive materials. These are materials having a fine-grained surface or powdery substances, which are used for polishing, grinding and sharpening. In order to identify the degree of susceptibility of the tile to abrasion, it is tested. A solid abrasive material (this can be sandpaper, pumice, flint and other abrasives) is rubbed on the surface of the product, then the thickness is measured, which, in turn, becomes thinner. But it is worth noting that the tile does not lose its decorativeness. The degree of wear and volume of the worn layer depend on the method of exposure to its surface.
Facing the external walls of buildings
Unglazed ceramic facade tiles are a universal product for covering not only internal walls and floors, but also the external facade of houses. The advantages of using such a tile are a variety of sizes and textures, durability and non-deterioration, wear resistance. It is easy to look after and wash away pollution of various origin. Ceramic cladding has excellent performance properties. In the manufacture of tiles, the clay mixture is fired for a long time and is completely melted at the end. Thanks to this process, the resulting product practically does not absorb moisture. Facade material in the sun does not fade and does not crack during frosts. The tile is convenient for installation, as it has smooth sides and does not need grinding.
Facing Tips
The base on which the tile is applied must be clean and even. Unglazed ceramic tiles should be laid on cement mastic, use a cement mixture to cover the gaps between the parts. You need to cut the tiles on a special machine, a manual cutter is inappropriate in this matter. In order to lay the tile around the pipe, it is necessary to cut the material along the intended contour with a circular saw with a special blade. So that the tile does not fall off over time, it is preliminarily kept in cold water.
Ceramic unglazed tiles as a coating are unpretentious and universal. It is able to make your home comfortable, aesthetically pleasing in appearance and cozy inside.