How-To

-Ideas for Great Floors, Sunset

There are two major types of ceramic floor tiles (also known as pavers): quarry tile, which is extruded from natural clay or shale, and tile made by the "pressed-dust method, which includes ceramic and porcelain pavers.
Is it possible to tell which is which just by looking at a tile? Actually, yes. Since quarry tiles are made by an extrusion process, you can identify them by the grooves on their backs. Pressed tiles, on the other hand, have raised points or grids on the back.

Both types of ceramic tile are very strong, and both can be glazed or unglazed. In fact, glazed tiles can present a great number of design options. Some factories apply 15 or more layers of glaze material to a tile simply to make the tile look more natural. Keep in mind that although you can use glazed tile on your floor, you need to check its glaze-wear rating. You don't want to place glazed tile in a high-traffic area where the glaze will wear down too quickly. On a scale from 0 to 5, a floor tile's glaze-wear rating can range from 2 for light traffic to a high-traffic 5.

Quarry tile
Most quarry tile comes unglazed in the clay colors of yellow, brown, rust, or red. It can be made very thick and therefore very strong. When it is extruded, a dense surface forms that reduces the staining and porosity of the unglazed surface. The resulting tile has a water absorption rate of less than 5 percent, which makes quarry tile a good candidate for high-traffic areas and hardworking kitchens. Unglazed quarry tile will last much longer than a glazed tile whose thin glazed surface will wear off eventually.

Ceramic pavers
Ceramic pavers made by the pressed-dust method can have a water absorption rate from 0 to 5 percent, but generally manufacturers make them with 2 to 3 percent absorption to improve bonding and to make cutting somewhat easier.

Glazed ceramic pavers can have textured, matte, painted, or photographic finishes. Unglazed pavers, such as earthy terra-cotta or saltillo tiles, will be more absorbent than their glazed cousins and should be sealed for protection against surface water and stains.

Porcelain pavers
One of the most misunderstood tiles, porcelain tiles have a water absorption rate of less than 0.5 percent. They are so dense they can be left unglazed and will last a very long time. Until recently, the color ranges and finishes of unglazed porcelain pavers were limited and considered more institutional, but that's no longer true.

Porcelain pavers come in a wide range of styles and colors, emulating natural materials from terra-cotta to slate. The oversized formats of recently introduced porcelain pavers are also gaining favor.

So what's the catch? There are consequences to making a tile with a near-zero water absorption rate. Because of its density, porcelain tile needs to be physically supported while the adhesive sets. Also, porcelain tile is much harder to cut. You'll need a diamond wet-saw.

There is also a slight chance of staining with unglazed porcelains. Manufacturers are solving this by adding a clear glaze to the surface of the "unglazed" tile.