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Commonly used Tile in Florida Definition….

At Ceramictec we install the finest selection of name brand tile with the widest selection of patterns, textures, sizes and colors. No matter what your decor or color scheme we can help you find the perfect tile for your home decorating.

* Stain Resistant
* Scratch Resistant
* Fire Resistant
* Doesn’t Fade from Sun Light
* Easy to Clean

Porcelain Tile — Is a tile that is generally made by the dust pressed method from porcelain clays which result in a tile that is dense, impervious, fine grained and smooth, with a sharply formed face. Porcelain tiles usually have a much lower water absorption rate (less than 0.5%) than non-porcelain tiles making them frost resistant or frost-proof. Glazed porcelain tiles are much harder and more wear and damage resistant than non-porcelain ceramic tiles, making them suitable for any application from light traffic to the heaviest residential and light commercial traffic. Full body/though body porcelain tiles carry the color and pattern through the entire thickness of the tile making them virtually impervious to wear and are suitable for any application from residential to the highest traffic commercial or industrial applications. Porcelain tiles are available in matte, unglazed or a high polished finish.

Glazed Tile — Most of the common ceramic floor tiles have either a glazed, or unglazed surface. The glazed tiles have a special ceramic coating that is applied to the body of the tile and then fired under high heat. The glazing becomes hard.

Unglazed Floor Tile
— There is no glazing or any other coating applied to these tiles. Because these tiles are porous it is recommended that a special penetrating sealant be used to maintain this type of floors and to help prevent stains from seeping into the pores of the tiles. Their color is the same on the face of the tile as it is on the back resulting in very durable tiles that do not show the effects of heavy traffic.

Marble — Marble is a natural product and is not made in a factory. For this reason no two pieces of marble look the same and the veining is a natural characteristic in all marble. One of the more popular marble tile in Florida is Travertine. There are special marble sealants to help protect from staining of the face. Extra care should be used when cleaning and all abrasives and acidic cleaners should never be used when cleaning. Even colas, some juices, and possibly ammonia may destroy the marble finish.

Granite — This is another natural stone and is not manufactured in a factory. Granite can be used indoors or outdoors and is less porous than marble. It is still recommended that you use a sealant to protect the finish from staining.

Grout — Grout is a mixture of cement and a color additive. For tile floors with wider spaces between each tile sand is added to the grout. Also, a liquid latex additive can be added to the grout to give better resiliency to the grouted areas. For ease of maintenance a penetrating sealant should be used on the grout. It should be noted you may see a change in color of your grout over time. To stop this we highly recommend an upgrade to an epoxy grout.

Some of the other important things we can help with when selecting a tile floor is the slip-resistance, the size and color of the grout joints, the thickness of the tile, height variations from room to room, size of the tile, suitability of the subfloor, and cleaning of the tile.

If your interested in getting a Free Estimate Please Contact Us.

{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }

Henry Rothberg January 8, 2010 at 4:41 pm

Very well stated. And my compliments to you and your strong commitment to doing the best possible tile or stone installation with the best quality skilled labor available and the best quality & performance installation materials.

A bonus for your clients is that when you install tile or stone on your client’s project with Laticrete premium mortars & grouts their tile & stone work is covered by a lifetime warranty

It is good to see that you recommend Laticrete HydroBan waterproof membranes for tile & stone wet area installations to prevent leaks as well as mold & mildew problems.

And that you recommend & feature SpectraLOCK, the “Stainless Grout” that never needs sealing.

Something that all of your clients should know and appreciate – Laticrete products include MicroBan to reduce mold & mildew problems.

Joe Baldwin February 2, 2010 at 2:31 pm

The writer of ceramictec.com has written a superior article. I got your point and there is nothing to argue about. It is like the following universal truth that you can not disagree with.

Anonymous June 14, 2010 at 6:21 am

hi! thanks for this blog it made me understand types of tile I needed in different places.

P. Tile Florida May 11, 2011 at 8:51 pm

Tiles are often used to form wall and floor coverings, and can range from simple square tiles to complex mosaics. Tile provides superior strength, and are commonly used in kitchens, foyers as well as other places.

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