Everything you need to know about vitrified tiles

[ecis2016.org] Vitrified tiles are the perfect option for any flooring job like indoors, outdoors or wet zones. 

Tiles, mostly used to form floor or wall coverings, are made of ceramic or the best quality of clay, silica and quartz. Vitrified tiles are ceramic tiles with a low percentage of void space in the rock. It is used as an alternative to granite and marble flooring, especially outdoors, because of its water and frost resistance. Vitrified tiles are a mixture of clay, feldspar, silica and quartz which is made by hydraulic pressing, which creates the vitreous surface.

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Why choose vitrified tiles? 

Vitrified tiles are the perfect option for any flooring job like indoors, outdoors or wet zones. They are designed in such a way that they will serve you for years without cracking or chipping. They are made using the purest of material like clay, feldspar, silica and quartz, and are manufactured using advancing tile, making processes like hydraulic pressing.

Vitrified tiles are cost-effective, are easy to install and take less than 48 hours of setting time. This easy to maintain flooring is the first choice for commercial and residential areas as the homeowner doesn’t have to worry about the stains, water-logging or colour of the tile.

Properties of vitrified tiles

Before using vitrified tiles as your house flooring, they have certain properties that you must know:

– These tiles are durable and non-porous as compared to other types of tiles.

– Vitrified tiles come with less water absorption property which doesn’t allow the floor to get damp.

– They have high water resistance as it is the best option for wet places like the kitchen and bathroom.

– Vitrified tiles are heat resistant, and the colour of these tiles does not fade away easily

– Due to low porosity, vitrified tiles are stain-resistant and are easy to clean.

– Due to low water absorption capacity, vitrified tiles have high frost resistance and prevent fungi or bacteria from growing.

Types of vitrified tiles

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Vitrified tiles have become a popular tiling option as these tiles are hard, dense, high stain-resistant and strong. These tiles are classified under three subheadings–glazed vitrified tiles, double charged vitrified tiles and full body vitrified tiles.

Glazed vitrified tiles

Glazed vitrified tiles are printed using digital technology and are manufactured on glazed surfaces. And that is why they are available in multiple designs, looks, and patterns such as wooden mimic, marble, bamboo and so on. These vitrified tiles are further classified into two types.

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Soluble salt vitrified tiles are low-priced tiles in which they allow soluble salt to penetrate the surface of the tile which gives the tiles their colour, design and pattern during manufacturing. There is one drawback of these tiles, and that is, these vitrified tiles are not long-lasting and might fade away in a few years due to wear and tear.

Nano polish soluble salt is a tile in which a layer of liquid silica is added to soluble salt vitrified tiles. By this process, the nano and micropores of the tile are filled with liquid silica, which gives the tiles a shiner and smoother look. These vitrified tiles have high resistance and are low maintenance.

Double glazed vitrified tiles

Double glazed vitrified tiles are known for their high durability, low maintenance and are the best choice if you want to use vitrified tiles in high-traffic areas. These tiles use two-colour pigments during manufacturing and press prints a 3-to-4-millimetre-thick layer of a double-coloured pattern on the tile.

Full body vitrified tiles

These vitrified tiles are the most expensive because of their longevity and suitability for high-traffic areas. Full body vitrified tiles have a uniform colour that runs throughout the thickness of the tiles, which makes the scratches hardly visible on them. During the manufacturing of full body vitrified tiles, they add the pigment in the initial stage itself so that a homogeneous colour is created, which is consistent throughout the tiles.

How to choose vitrified tile flooring?

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Vitrified tiles have gained popularity because of their durability, ability to withstand heavy traffic, low maintenance, affordability, and resistance to stains and scratches. But choosing the right vitrified tiles flooring can be a task because of the variety of designs, and options available in the market. Here are certain tips that you must consider while choosing vitrified tiles flooring.  

Go for reputed brands 

It is preferable to purchase tiles from reputed manufacturing brands as these brands are verified and their tiles are made in an authentic manner. The tiles of local manufacturers or traders might lack strength and durability.

Verify specifications

You need to check technical specifications before finally your vitrified tiles flooring. These tiles are non-pores and dense and absorb not over 0.1 percent of water by the weight of the tile, which makes these tiles stronger and durable. You also need to check the thickness of the vitrified tiles, which should be 8-millimetre or above.

Decide on the size 

To select the right size, you need to see for which part of the house you are buying the tiles for. For example, you must go to larger size tiles for the living room as they can make the room spacious as there are fewer joint lines visible. You must go for comparatively smaller size tiles for the bedroom as they are compact and small comparatively. Vitrified tiles are available in sizes 600×600, 800×800 and 1000×1000 millimetres in the market.

Patterns and colours

Vitrified tile market is filled with a wide range of plain colour, printed, or two-tone colour vitrified tiles. Along with these, there are a variety of designs and patterns available. You need to make sure that whatever you choose contrasts and syncs with the rest of the room. Go for light coloured tiles if you want to give a spacious look to your room or home and if you love marbles, choose printed vitrified tiles that replicate the natural grain of the marble.  

Quantity of tiles

Quantity requirement is another important factor that needs to be kept in mind while going for the tile selection. There are chances you might not get the vitrified tile you like in the quantity that you need or an expensive tile, if required in vast quantities, can increase your costing as well. Therefore, always know how much to buy and buy at least 5-10 per cent extra to take care of the wastage during installation.

The best vitrified tiles available in the Indian market 

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Flooring is one of the core materials that a person invests in while building and designing a home, office, or shop. The market is filled with a wide range of colours, patterns, designs and manufacturers. Hence, deciding what to buy and where to buy can be an extremely daunting task. Therefore, here is a list of top vitrified tiles sellers in India that will make your task easier.

Kajaria

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Kajaria is one of the largest manufacturers of vitrified tiles. Their 3 major categories of tiles are ceramic wall and floor tiles, polished vitrified tiles, and glazed vitrified tiles. They make Glossy, Matt, Satin Matt, Rustic, Metallic, Sugar Hone, Spanish Design, Super Glossy, Wood finishes, which are available in different sizes.

Somany

Somany, a 45-year-old brand, has a wide range of vitrified tiles. Ceramic wall & floor tiles, polished vitrified tiles, glazed vitrified tiles, digital tiles, sanitary wares, and bath fittings are some products they manufacture. They have a range of finishes as well, as matt, glossy, rustic, semi-glossy, satin, and full polished, which are available in a variety of sizes. 

Nitco

Nitco  has a wide variety of vitrified tiles like glazed vitrified tiles, vitrified DCH, vitrified SST, ceramic wall and floor tiles, and vitrified heavy duty, which are good for both high and low traffic areas. These vitrified tiles are available in a variety of sizes and finishes as glossy, matt, satin matt, lapato, rustic, éclat, barnio, and sugar. 

Simpolo

Simpolo has a wide range of vitrified tiles like floor tiles, wall tiles, glazed vitrified tiles, outdoor tiles and sanitary ware. These tiles come in series like soluble salt, GVT (digital), rock deck full-body, double charge, and digital ceramic wall tiles. They have multiple finishes as well, as glossy, matt, rustic, satin, and metallic, which are available in a variety of sizes.

Pros and cons of installing vitrified tiles flooring 

Pros

– Vitrified tiles are easy to install and need no extra time for setting or polishing

– These tiles are durable, scratch-resistant, water-resistant, and moisture resistant

– They prevent bacteria and fungi from growing, and hence maintain hygiene and health safety.

– Vitrified tiles are easy to clean and maintain, and the effect of sunlight neither alters the colour of the tiles nor causes them to fade.

– These tiles are easy to clean as they have a shiny surface and the sheen is not lost soon.

Cons

– The major disadvantage of vitrified tiles is that they are more expensive as compared to other tile options.

– There are high chances that you might not find the same tiles after a few years, and therefore, you need to buy a few extra pieces for future use.

Things you must keep in mind before laying vitrified flooring

A perfect flooring requires perfect planning, and that is the case with vitrified tiles as well. There are certain things you must consider before choosing vitrified tile flooring. Foremost, sketch a layout and ensure that the space looks well-balanced and symmetrical. Also, consider floor obstructions while getting the layout ready. You need to keep the right floor height as all the tiles add at least an inch to the floor.

You need to be sure that you have a rigid and flat surface if you plan to go with vitrified flooring. These floorings prefer a strong and subtle subfloor, and if it is made of concrete, then that is the best option. For vitrified tiles, get the concrete surface levelled and free from any imperfection of cracks.

You need to get your surface brushed and vacuumed properly to seal the porous on the concrete surface. If you are using vitrified tiles in wet zones like the kitchen and bathroom, make sure that you waterproof the sub-floor and seal its surface.

You also must add a subtle coat of suitable primer to create a strong bond with the vitrified flooring tile. An adhesive comes with the capability to contract, expand and absorb vibration, which provides flexibility to the flooring. In the case of vitrified tiles, one must always go for cement-based adhesive and give it a set time. 

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