Ceramic Floor Tile – Which Type is Right for You?
Ceramic tile is popular flooring choice and for good reason – it is beautiful, durable and easy to clean. It is also one the most affordable ways to get a new flooring look for a number of rooms in the home, or even out of it come to that matter.
Finding a ceramic tile you like is easy – there are thousands to choose from. Before you bought though make sure that the tile you have fallen in love with is suitable for use in the area where you intend to lay it. All ceramic tiling is hard but some is tougher than others.
To aid consumers in their choice all ceramic tile is graded according to its hardness and where it is most suited for use. Here are the industry standard ceramic floor tile guidelines:
Grade I – light traffic: residential bathroom floors where bare or stocking feet are the normal.
Grade II – medium traffic: home interiors where little abrasion occurs. Don’t use in kitchens or entries.
Grade III – medium heavy traffic: any home interior.
Grade IV – heavy traffic: homes or light to medium commercial areas.
Grade V – extra heavy Traffic: use it anywhere, even outside.
If you are buying ceramic floor tiles for use in the bathroom you should also pay attention to its porosity rating – that is how much water the ceramic tile is likely to absorb.
Generally ceramic tiles are rated for their water absorption properties as follows: impervious (least absorbent), Vitreous, Semi-vitreous, and non-vitreous (most absorbent).
The logical way to go for a room like the bathroom is the impervious grade, as you need a ceramic tile that is as close to waterproof as possible if you want the floor to remain looking its best for years to come.
If you are not sure which of the tiles you are looking at is best suited to your needs do not be afraid to ask before you buy. A good ceramic tile salesperson wants their customers to be as happy as possible with their choices and will be more than willing to take the extra time to help you make the right choice.
