Materials > Italian porcelain floor tile

Italian porcelain floor tile

Aesthetics Metallic gloss, wallpaper effects, three-dimensional ornaments, fabric textures, special and mosaic formats:
porcelain tile now offers a practically infinite variety of solutions for wall and floor coverings.
Initially identified with an industrial aesthetic, porcelain tile was born as an unenamelled material for use in places with particular technical and performance requirements. The past twenty years have seen a process of aesthetic improvement of the material, thanks to development of production techniques and research carried out by manufacturers, which has lead to the creation of particularly valuable products and innovative floor and wall coverings. The porcelain floor tile varieties now available on the market may be classified into two main groups:
those in which the colour runs right through the material, and those which are covered with a thin surface layer
or "enamel" which determines the tile's appearance and finish. Use of mixes in a variety of colours, moulds permitting three-dimensional effects and presses that create innovative surface finishes, shining and polishing techniques
and the possibility of cutting slabs with a high pressure jet of water to create mosaics or ornaments makes porcelain stoneware one of the most versatile finishing materials available on the market today.

Performances
Porcelain tile boasts an outstanding combination of qualities unmatched by any other floor or wall covering.
Special manufacturing procedures involving use of presses and baking in kilns at very high temperatures make the material extremely compact and therefore particularly hard and resistant to external aggression.
Its structure is in fact vitrified, with an extremely low porosity, resulting in absolute impermeability to acids, dirt
and frost. In addition to its technical and aesthetic properties, porcelain tile can meet a number of important safety requirements for floor and wall coverings for use in public places, eliminating the risk of slipping by creating
a highly effective non-slip surface which is also resistant to scratches and fire. The high quality of porcelain tile
is guaranteed by the manufacturers' compliance with the most widespread international standards and the corresponding certifications.

Applications
From big airport and shopping mall projects to small-scale home renovation projects, from contemporary constructions to restoration of historic buildings, porcelain tile is now used in buildings of all kinds. This is primarily because the vast range of colours, textures and sizes available offers an answer to every need. Resistance to high loads
and scratching make the material particularly suitable for floors in buildings of all kinds with intense traffic
or for industrial uses. And low water absorbency due to the compactness of the material, keeping it frost-free, ensures that porcelain stoneware stays perfect and long-lasting even in exterior applications on both walls
and floors. Porcelain stoneware is popular for use in dry wall construction, ventilated walls and raised floors
in particular, thanks to its low thickness and large slab size.

Porcelain tile for floor and walls are used in a wide variety of different contexts:

Residential Areas: the desire for individuality and customisation are expressed most strongly, in the home, by carefully selecting just the right furniture and fixtures. Flooring and wall coverings also contribute toward creating the distinctive style of a room.

Shopping Centres: In shopping areas such as malls, supermarkets and showrooms the technical functions of the flooring are every bit as important as aesthetics. It must communicate an attractive and distinctive image but at the same time the material has to be durable and able to withstand the stresses that heavily exploited surfaces are subjected. Safety is also essential, particular attention may need to be paid to surfaces that have technical properties such as non-slip.

Community Facilities: greater comfort, safety, appearance and ease of maintenance are fundamental requisites for creating comfortable community areas used by people with differing needs, from children to the elderly, from athletes to the disabled, from students to professionals. These community facilities could include hospitals, retirement homes, schools, universities, libraries, public offices, sports centres, cafeterias and churches.

ASTM TEST

Take a look at the international Standards

Take a look at the marbles, stones and travertine inside the Product Finder or employed in the Projects