:: Royal Ceramics Lanka Plc - About Tiles/Choosing a Tile

Home | FAQ's | Contact Us | Vacancies | Site Map

Search

Choosing a Tile

Choosing a Floor Tile

The tile you choose for your floor will have a significant impact on the aesthetic appearance of your building. When selecting a tile you should not just look at its design but also consider whether it is for commercial or residential purposes, being used indoors or outdoors and if it is in a high traffic area. To help you with your selection we have provided a few tips on choosing a tile.

	Tiles for Commercial Buildings High traffic areas such as shopping malls, public lobbies, restaurants or other commercial sites generally require tiles with a very high resistance to abrasion. Tiles are tested for abrasion resistance and classified by class for their recommended use. Abrasion resistance is an important consideration when selecting unglazed floor tiles. Although relatively important, this feature is not often considered when selecting glazed floor tiles.

	Tiles for the Home Different areas of the home require different types of tiles. Floors in frequent use, such as kitchens, family rooms and areas where furniture is often pulled across the floor will need good abrasion resistance. Floors with direct access to the outdoors, such as entrances and kitchens leading to outdoor gardens will be subject to tracked in sand, dirt or water. These areas will require good abrasion resistance as well as a moderate degree of slip resistance. For rooms that are used less frequently such as living rooms, dens, bedrooms and sunrooms you can be flexible with the type of tile you apply, as most tiles will suit these rooms.

	Outdoor Flooring Tiles used outdoors should have low water absorption and unglazed tiles are best suited for these areas. Outdoor areas around homes such as patios, walkways, and swimming pool decks must also be slip resistant to ensure safety. Tiles used at plazas, parks and courtyards should be frost resistant (even in warm climates) and be slip resistant to some extent. Many outdoor tiles feature an abrasive "grit" added to the surface to increase slip resistance.

	Damp Rooms Rooms that are wet when used such as shower floors, saunas, and hot tubs should have tiles that are characterized by low water absorption and good slip resistance. Purpose-built tiles should be used for swimming pools.

Choosing a Wall Tile

There are virtually no restrictions when choosing porcelain or ceramic tiles for indoor walls. The range of tiles is extensive, providing you with a wide selection in terms of colour, texture, pattern and size. In addition special tile trims are also available to complete and enhance a tiled wall. Tile trims include:

	Bull-nose trim tiles, which consist of a rounded edge to finish wall installations that don’t extend up to the ceiling.

	Half-rounds, which are usually thin, semi-cylindrical pieces. They are often used as decorative accents to frame or define separate areas.

Tiles used on exterior walls should have low water absorption and frost resistance characteristics. As a cladding material, ceramic tiles provide building exteriors with a fire resistant surface that is virtually maintenance free. Other exterior wall installations may include fountains or garden walls. Tile can also be used decoratively to frame windows, doorways, and other architectural features.

Interchanging Floor and Wall Tiles

While it is not possible to use wall tiles as floor tiles it is possible to use floor tiles on walls. This is because wall tiles absorb more water and therefore factors such as endurance which is necessary for flooring is not present in wall tiles. Floor tiles, however, absorb lower amounts of water and can be used on walls because of their low porosity.

Home l About RCL l About Tiles l Our Facilities l Rocell Collection l Interactive Studio l Services l Our Locations l RCL News