Unglazed ceramic tiles - modern finishing material

A popular and practical way in modernThe finishing of the room is the covering of the floor and walls of various types with ceramic tiles. The range of materials offered by manufacturers differs in quality and manufacturing technology. Unglazed ceramic tiles have high strength and special durability. In this article in detail we will consider this kind of building finishing material.

Types of tiles

Unglazed ceramic tiles have onea layer called a "shard". The color corresponds to the raw material or is subjected to staining with metallic oxides. The surface of the material can be natural or polished, structured, polished, and so on.

There are several types of unglazed ceramic tiles, the most common are:

Clinker. This type of tile is subject to one-time firing andis produced by extrusion. The composition of the clinker is obtained from quartz, chamotte, refractory clays, spar. This species has high mechanical and physical strength. In the production of clinker, a 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 the firing at high temperatures, clinker tiles have low porosity, abrasive and chemical resistance, high strength, resistance to frost. Also, the material has anti-slip properties, which makes it possible to use it when facing stairs.

Terracotta. This tile is ceramic unglazed for flooringhas a porous base of red color. The composition includes different 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, six- and octagons. The thickness of the product can reach 3 cm.

Characteristics of tiles

An important criterion for choosing unglazedceramic tiles for flooring are indicators of abrasion resistance, load and compression. According to GOST, abrasion resistance is 180 g per 1 sq. M. cm, and the maximum compressive strength corresponds to 400 g per 1 sq. km. see In rooms with the lowest permeability it is permissible to lay a ceramic unglazed tile for a floor having a thickness of 8 to 12 mm. And, for example, for the hallway or kitchen should choose a thicker.

Due to the high frost resistance of the tile it is possibleuse outside the building, for example, on the verandas, near-by 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 matt and corresponds to the color of the clay from which this material is made. Variants of color solutions are often encountered. The color is obtained in the case when various minerals are added to the mixture or the clay of different shades is mixed. On the tile there are no spots, and it is easy to take care of.

Sustainability test

In the characteristics of unglazed ceramicThe tile is claimed to be resistant to abrasive agents. These are materials that have a fine-grained surface or powdery substances, which are used for polishing, grinding and sharpening. In order to determine the degree of susceptibility of the tile to abrasion, it is tested. A hard abrasive material (this can be sandpaper, pumice stone, flint and other abrasives) rubs on the surface of the product, then the thickness is measured, which in turn is thinned. But it is worth noting that tile does not lose its decorative effect. The degree of wear and the volume of the worn layer depend on the method of action on its surface.

Facing of external walls of buildings

Unglazed ceramic facade tileIt is a universal product for covering not only internal walls and floor, but also the external facade of houses. Advantages of using such a tile are a variety of sizes and textures, durability and non-adherence to damage, durability. Tiles are easy to care for and clean up contaminations of various origins. Ceramic cladding has excellent performance properties. In the production of tiles, the clay mixture is fired for a long time and at the end completely melts. Thanks to this process, the resulting product practically does not absorb moisture. Facade material in the sun does not burn out and does not crack during frosts. The tile is convenient for installation, since it has even sides and does not need grinding.

Councils for cladding works

The base on which the tiles are applied mustbe clean and smooth. Unglazed ceramic tiles should be laid on the mastic of cement, to cover the gaps between the parts to use the cement mixture. Cut the tiles on a special machine, the manual cutter in this case is inappropriate. 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. To the tile does not fall off over time, it is kept in cold water beforehand.