A popular and practical way in modern interior decoration is to cover the floor and walls with various types of ceramic tiles. The range of material 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 finishing material.
Types of tiles
Unglazed ceramic tile has one layer called "shard". The color corresponds to the raw material or is subjected to staining with metal oxides. The surface of the material can be natural or polished, structured, ground, etc.
There are several types of unglazed ceramic tiles, the most common are:
Clinker. This type of tile is subject to disposablefired and produced by extrusion. The composition of the clinker is obtained from quartz, fireclay, refractory clays, spar. This type has high 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. Due to firing at high temperature, clinker tiles have low porosity, abrasive and chemical resistance, high strength, frost resistance. Also, the material has anti-slip properties, which allows it to be used when facing stairs
Terracotta. This unglazed ceramic floor tile 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 shape of terracotta tiles can be presented 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 floor tiles are abrasion, load and compressive strength. According to GOST wear resistance to abrasion is 180 g per 1 sq. cm, and the maximum compressive strength corresponds to 400 g per 1 sq. see. In rooms with the least traffic, it is permissible to lay unglazed ceramic tiles for the floor, having a thickness of 8 to 12 mm. And, for example, for a hallway or kitchenthicker should be chosen.
Due to the high frost resistance of the tile, it can be used outside the building, for example, on verandas, house adjoining areas, balconies. In addition, the tiles have a low level of water absorption and can be installed in bathrooms and rooms with high humidity. The finish of smooth, unglazed ceramic tiles is mostly matte and matches the color of the clay from which the material is made. Color options are common. The color is obtained when various minerals are added to the mixture or clay of different shades is mixed. Tiles are stain-free and easy to care for.
Stability test
Unglazed ceramic tiles claim to be resistant to abrasives. These are materials that have a fine-grained surface or powdery substances that are used for polishing, grinding and sharpening. In order to determine the degree of susceptibility of a tile to abrasion, it is tested. A hard 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 decorative effect. The degree of wear and the volume of the abraded layer depend on the method of exposure to its surface.
Facing exterior walls of buildings
Unglazed tilesceramic facade is a universal product for covering not only internal walls and floors, but also the external facade of houses. The advantages of using such tiles are a variety of sizes and textures, durability and resistance to damage, wear resistance. It is easy to look after a tile and wash pollution of various origin. Ceramic cladding has excellent performance properties. In the production of tiles, the clay mixture is fired for a long time and at the end it is completely melted. Thanks to this process, the resulting product practically does not absorb moisture. Facade material does not fade in the sun and does not crack during frosts. The tile is convenient for installation, as it has smooth sides and does not need to be sanded.
Tips for cladding
The base on which the tile is applied must be clean and even. Unglazed ceramic tiles should be laid on a cement mastic, and a cement mixture should be used to cover the gaps between the parts. You need to cut tiles on a special machine, a manual cutter is inappropriate in this matter. In order to lay the tiles around the pipe, it is necessary to cut the material along the intended contour with a hole saw with a special blade. So that the tile does not fall off over time, it is kept in cold water in advance.
Ceramic unglazed tiles as a coating are unpretentious and versatile. It can make your home comfortable, aesthetically pleasing and cozy inside.
