Porcelain is a kind of ceramic. Like all ceramics, it is made of inorganic material that has been fired or twice-fired. Porcelain differs from other ceramics in its composition, density, and its translucent appearance. Light passes through a porcelain surface and diffuses, resulting in a luminous appearance. This is because it is composed of clay, like all ceramics, but also of feldspar, a hard mineral that consists of potassium, sodium, aluminum silicates and, either barium or calcium. These are crystalline minerals that combine with the clay to render an even more translucent appearance than what feldspar shows. This translucence gives ceramic porcelain floor tile a sheen that makes the floor look as if it has recently been polished. Its clean appearance makes it an excellent choice for floor coverings in kitchens, bathrooms ceramic christmas decoration , and laundry rooms, where cleanliness is a must.
Ceramic porcelain floor tile is also an excellent choice for these rooms because of its durability. It is stronger than other ceramics because of its density. In high-traffic areas, such as kitchens and bathrooms, it retains its smoothness and can fend off hard knocks where other ceramics would chip. It is also fire resistant and can prevent a fire from burning through to stories and basements below the floor. This characteristic also makes it a good wall covering. Porcelain is acid-based. This makes it inhospitable to bacteria and mold. Rooms where bacteria and molds would concentrate, such as kitchens, laundry rooms, and bathrooms, benefit from this inhospitality. You’ll often find hospital rooms covered in porcelain tile. Ceramic porcelain floor tile also warms or cools quickly, and remains at room temperature, providing a comfortable floor to walk on barefooted. Porcelain is also easy to maintain. Its color is consistent throughout. If your ceramic porcelain floor suffers an injury, you can easily replace the broken piece from your spares without having a color difference between the old and new appear. As a ceramic floor covering, porcelain is certainly the best of its kind for protecting your floors.
Ceramic porcelain floor tile comes in various colors and designs. Most designs are simple so that the look of the porcelain itself dominates. You can find ceramic porcelain at your local home improvement or hardware stores, as well as thousands of outlets on the net. Most people prefer solid colors, which can easily be purchased at local stores.
Installing ceramic porcelain floor tile follows the same method as used for installing ceramic tile. The floor must be prepared, the old covering removed, repairs made, and floor leveling as necessary. Cutting porcelain is best done with a wet ceramic saw, since porcelain is the hardest ceramic you will find. Unless you intend to set ceramic often, you might find it better to hire an installer to do it for you and save yourself the expense of a wet ceramic saw. If you do install ceramic porcelain floor tile yourself, be sure to wear goggles when you cut.
You set porcelain in thin-set mortar. This you spread on the floor with a trowel and you spread it so that the trowel makes notches in the mortar. This enhances the grip between mortar and tile. Do just a few tiles at a time so that the mortar doesn’t dry before you can set the tile in. Using plastic spacers between the tiles will keep them all correctly aligned. You finish by removing the spacers and replacing these with grout. Finally, wipe off the grout, buffing the tiles clean, and grouting corners and sides to water-proof the whole floor surface.
