Know Your Tiles

Vitrified floor and wall tiles are a great choice for residential and commercial uses alike. They are more durable and easier to install & maintain when compared to traditional materials like wood or marble. Also, they are available in a variety of designs and colours. These are the reasons why they have fast become the popular material of choice for making spaces look beautiful.

While the availability of a range of options in terms of everything from colours, textures, strength, and size, is no doubt a boon for the consumer, it can often leave people confused about which is the perfect choice for their needs.

Here, we have put together all the information you will need to make an informed decision about your tile requirements, in a way that is easy to read and understand.

Types of Tiles

Let’s begin by taking a look at the different types of tiles available:

Full Body Vitrified Tiles

Full body vitrified tiles are meant for commercial / industrial use, and are therefore thicker, and more durable than regular tiles. These floor tiles are built to bear the brunt of heavy foot traffic and years of wear and tear.

Highlight Features

Significantly thicker than regular tiles.
Acid & chemical resistant, which makes them ideal for industrial use.
Highly abrasion resistant, and built to withstand heavy loads.
Water & stain resistant, which makes them ideal for use in commercial spaces.
Anti-skid feature, which minimizes the chance of accidents.
Uniform color throughout, and neutral to the sun’s UV rays.

Glazed Vitrified Tiles

Also known as Digital Glazed Vitrified Tiles, these wall and floor tiles get their stunning designs thanks to digital printing technology. They are single layered tiles pressed in the hydraulic pressing machine under high pressure to give them excellent durability.

Highlight Features

Designs are printed on a glaze coating, which makes it possible to get a wide range of designs.
Stain and water resistant, which makes Digital Glazed Vitrified Tiles suitable for areas like kitchens and bathrooms.
Anti-bacterial, because of which they are safer for domestic use.
Neutral to the sun’s UV light, so they will look great for years even in outdoor spaces.
Anti-skid feature, which minimizes the chance of accidents.
Ideal for any indoor or outdoor space, like living rooms, kitchens, terraces, or balconies.

Polished Glazed Vitrified Tiles

Polished Glazed Vitrified Tiles are a variant of Glazed Vitrified Tiles, with one difference. A layer of polish is added on top to make the tiles shinier, and give them a highly glossy look. This makes them the tile of choice for spaces that need to exude a sense of luxury and elegance. These tiles can be used for both floors and walls.

Double Charged Vitrified Tiles

Double Charged Vitrified Tiles are made by fusing two layers of pigment, and are usually thicker than normal tiles. This process makes Double Charged Vitrified Tiles extremely durable, and easy to maintain. These floor tiles are also resistant to dirt and dust, and are scratch and stain resistant. They are ideal for heavy duty use.

Digital Wall Tiles

Digital Wall Tiles are made from natural sand and are heated in the kiln at a controlled temperature. They come with a glaze coating and are printed using digital printing technology. This allows these wall tiles to be developed in a variety of attractive prints and designs, so they can be used to give the desired look and feel to any space. Wall tiles can be used in a variety of spaces to create interesting design features that make the space stand out.

Types of Finishes

Let’s begin by taking a look at the different types of tiles available:

Polished / Glossy

A glazed finish speaks for itself. A long lasting sheen is added on top of the surface to make it shiny. The gloss helps in upkeep of the surface and highlights the visible grains.

High Glossy

Additional layers of shine are added on top of the surface to give it a mirror-like finish. This finish enhances the colours and grains in the tile design, and makes any space look spectacular.

Matt

A special layer added on top of the tile takes away the shine and makes it anti-slippery. This finish is ideal for spaces with high water usage on the floor, like bathrooms and kitchens.

Sugar

A transparent textured finish is added to the final glaze. Sugar finish tiles are more scratch-resistant than other tiles. Sugar finish adds a touch of sparkle to the gloss.

Wood

Punch Matt - A special coating is added on top of the finish to enhance the colours and grains on the design. This punch finish makes the tile look like natural wood when laid on the floor.

Rustic

Tiles with a rustic finish are the perfect choice to impart a traditional look to any space without compromising on the shine. This finish is widely popular for bathrooms, living rooms, and outdoor spaces as well.

Baby Soft

These soft & baby-safe tiles are a popular choice as kid’s play room flooring, and are also used in home exercise or fitness rooms, as Pilates and yoga mats, and any other area where there are long periods of standing.

We hope that this guide was helpful in familiarizing yourself with the types of floor tiles and wall tiles available, their uses & applications, and their features. So take the time to weigh all your options based on your functional and aesthetic needs, and you are sure to create a space that you will love for years to come!