Such a finishing material as porcelain stoneware was first used by Italians in the late 70s and has since gained immense popularity around the world. Today, porcelain tiles are rightfully considered one of the most popular coatings for finishing exterior and interior surfaces.
The cladding made from it is distinguished by its beautiful appearance, versatility and durability. This material has gained active use in the decoration of building facades, equipment of footpaths and in decorating rooms.
When choosing such products, it should be borne in mind that the thickness of porcelain stoneware, its size and weight determine the scope of each type of tile. That is why, before purchasing one or another option, you need to pay attention to its technical characteristics.
What porcelain stoneware is made of
Very often you can hear the opinion that this type of ceramic tile is made of natural granite, but this statement is erroneous. In fact, the components for the production of porcelain stoneware are:
• kaolin and illite clay;
• quartz sand;
• feldspar;
• various coloring pigments.
Materials are pressed under pressure and then fired in a kiln at high temperatures.
During the firing process, all components are fused together, forming a solid monolithic structure. The design, size and thickness of porcelain stoneware are set during the tile manufacturing process, so at the end the manufacturer receives a completely finished product that does not need to be cut and painted.
What linear dimensions can porcelain stoneware slabs have
When determining what thickness of porcelain stoneware is optimal for a particular object, attention should be paid to the linear dimensions of the tile (width and height). In the construction markets, you can find products of a wide variety of parameters, which allows you to perform many types of finishes with its use.
For decorating indoor surfaces, the smallest tiles 50x50 mm in size are used. Facing of multi-storey buildings is carried out with materials of the maximum size (1200x3600 mm). In interior decoration, products with dimensions of 300x300, 400x400 and 600x600 are very popular.
Product thickness indicator
When choosing products of a particular brand, it is necessary to take into account not only the size and color of the tile, but also its thickness. This indicator indicates how suitable the product is for various loads and mechanical stress. However, thisdoes not mean at all that the greater the thickness of porcelain stoneware, the better it is suitable for laying on the floor.
Smaller patterns can be used for some coatings. In addition, given that thick products are much more expensive (due to the consumption of raw materials), then the issue of choosing porcelain stoneware should be examined in more detail in order to save yourself from unnecessary expenses.
Porcelain tiles are usually divided into three main types:
• extra thin;
• standard;
• fat.
What properties each option has, and what should be the thickness of porcelain stoneware for the facade, floor and various vertical surfaces, we will consider further.
Features and dimensions of ultra-thin porcelain tiles
The thinnest porcelain stoneware tile is an innovative material that has appeared on the domestic market quite recently, so it is not at all surprising that some craftsmen have not had time to work with it yet. The thickness of ultra-thin porcelain stoneware barely reaches 4 mm, while the width and height of the product are within 500x500 mm.
The advantages of this variety include its low cost. Speaking about the shortcomings, it is worth emphasizing the low strength indicators and the complexity of the work. This causes a small thickness of porcelain stoneware. Such tiles are not laid on the floor with high traffic of people and heavy loads.
But for the arrangement of coatings in residential premises, where there is no heavy load on the base, such a tile will becomea very profitable option. It can be mounted directly on the old (but perfectly flat) flooring. Most often, thin porcelain tiles are laid on ceramic tiles.
In the process of work, the coating elements are taken with vacuum suction cups, with the help of which the product is carefully placed on the prepared surface. The cutting of the slab is carried out using a special water-cooled tool with diamond-coated discs.
Characteristics of medium thickness boards
Porcelain stoneware of medium thickness today is the most common and in demand. It is considered a universal option and can be used in residential and industrial premises, in supermarkets and offices. Such a coating is able to withstand loads from 200 kg per square centimeter.
The thickness of the plates varies from 7 to 14 mm, while the dimensions can be very diverse (from 50x50 mm to 600x600 mm). This thickness of porcelain stoneware is optimal for the facade, sidewalk and other outdoor surfaces.
Products of medium thickness are of several types:
• technical tiles;
• glazed coatings;
• matte products;
• structured tiles;
• polished finishes.
Technical tile is considered the most economical option, which is ideal for arranging floors in industrial premises. Its minimum thickness is 10 mm. It has an untreated rough surface, which is very important for the movement of equipment and the safety of workers.
Structured tiles are distinguished by the presence of various patterned reliefs. It is never thinner than 10 mm. In rooms where a large load affects the floor, exactly this thickness of porcelain stoneware is used (tiles more than 10 mm are laid on the garage floor).
The rest of the species are characterized by excellent decorative qualities and are used mostly in residential areas. The indicator of their thickness starts from the mark of 7 mm.
Thick porcelain tile
This category includes products that are over 20mm thick. They are characterized by maximum strength, durability and are more often used outdoors.
In our country, such porcelain stoneware is quite rare, due to its high cost. In addition, due to the impressive weight of the material, the process of installing tiles is much more complicated, since it takes a lot of effort to move it.
Usually thick porcelain stoneware is laid without the use of adhesives on a prepared sandy base.
Thickness of porcelain tile for ventilated facade
With the question of arranging the flooring, everything is extremely simple - depending on the intensity of the loads, the optimal thickness of the plates is selected. In the case of ventilated facades, the rule "the thicker the better" does not apply, as the walls and foundation of the building may not withstand heavy loads.
As mentioned earlier, for facade cladding, tiles of average thickness from 8 to 12 mm are considered the best option. Such products are characterized by sufficient strength and smallweight.
When choosing porcelain stoneware for the facade, experts recommend giving preference to products with maximum linear dimensions (600x600 or 600x300). Such plates immediately cover most of the frame, due to which the finishing work time is significantly reduced. It is also important that large-sized slabs form a smaller number of seams, creating the effect of a monolithic cladding.
What will be the final thickness of porcelain stoneware with glue? How much will the floor rise?
In the process of repairing any premises, it is very important for craftsmen to understand to what height the floor level will rise after laying the facing material. To find out, it is not enough just to measure the thickness of the tile, because it will fit on a layer of glue, which will also raise the floor a little.
If ultra-thin porcelain stoneware was chosen as the cladding, then the height of the room will change by only a couple of millimeters, since this tile is placed on a minimum layer of adhesive.
Tiles 10 mm thick are laid on a layer of adhesive equal to 4 mm (assuming a perfectly flat surface). For large elements (600x600 mm), the layer of adhesive mixture should be increased to 7 mm.
By adding these figures, you can calculate what will be the final thickness of porcelain stoneware with glue. For a floor that needs to be leveled with a fixing compound, the adhesive layer can be increased up to 1 cm.
Porcelain stoneware manufacturers
I would like to say a few words about porcelain stoneware manufacturers, since theyreliability depends on the quality of the material and the conformity of products to certain sizes.
The following brands have gained particular popularity and consumer confidence:
1. Polish manufacturer whose products are sold under the Cerrol brand. Porcelain stoneware of this brand is characterized by increased resistance to low temperatures and abrasion.
2. Spanish brand Timber. The main focus of the manufacturer is on the external perception of products. On the tiles of this brand, you can often see various patterns and embossing in the form of paintings by famous artists.
3. Domestic manufacturer "Kerama Marazzi". The production of these products is carried out at Russian factories, however, the tiles are not inferior in quality to well-known foreign counterparts.
The dimensions and thickness of "Kerama Marazzi" porcelain stoneware are very diverse and differ depending on the name of the collection. Plates with dimensions of 30x20 cm have a thickness of 9 mm, products with dimensions of 30x30 are 1 mm narrower.
The 20x80 cm cladding is considered the thickest of this manufacturer (11 mm) and is much rarer on the market. The most popular thickness of Kerama Marazzi porcelain stoneware (standard) is 9 mm. This tile measures 42x42 cm.
Tile cost
Depending on the manufacturer, the price tag for this finishing material may differ significantly. Foreign brands are much more expensive, although the quality does not always exceed domestic copies. The cheapestconsidered Chinese tiles.
Products of Russian manufacturers (600x600) will cost about 700 rubles per m². Products of the above Spanish brand will cost the buyer from 1200 rubles per m². Tiles of non-standard shapes and sizes will have a price tag 2-3 times higher, which is associated with the technology of its production.
The thickness of porcelain stoneware also has a direct impact on its cost.
Porcelain tile buying tips
1. When buying porcelain stoneware, you should not give preference to too cheap products. Today in stores you can find lining from 170 rubles per m². As practice shows, the linear dimensions of such a tile often do not match. This material will be very difficult to lay beautifully, and its service life is much shorter than usual.
2. When purchasing thick porcelain stoneware, keep in mind the fact that the procedure for its production is quite complicated, so marriage occurs. Experts recommend taking 2 tiles from one package and laying them right sides to each other. If gaps are visible between the products, the product is clearly of poor quality.
3. Ultra-thin tiles can only be purchased when a professional will do the laying work, as it will be very difficult for beginners to do this work.
Conclusion
Analyzing all the above information, we can conclude that the performance of this material is most affected by the thickness of porcelain stoneware. Photos published in this articledemonstrate all the variety and sophistication of this finish, but how long it can last will depend on the correct choice of tiles and adherence to the technology of its installation.
We hope we were able to answer all your questions about the choice of porcelain tiles. We wish you happy shopping and easy repairs!
