Ceramic tiles
Ceramic tiles are made from a natural clay. During the formation process the ceramic tiles are shaped, coloured and then fired/baked in kilns.
Traditional ceramic tile can be naturally coloured and left unglazed (e. g. Terra Cotta), or they can have coloured and/or designed surfaces which can be glazed (glass surface) either in a high gloss or matt finish.
The bodies of most ceramic tiles are either red or white underneath the glazed top layer.
They are available a in wide variety of shapes, size, colour and design.
Ceramic tiles are mainly recommended for interior walls and floors.
Porcelain tiles
Porcelain tiles are also man made using natural materials. Porcelain tiles generally have no glaze baked onto the face, therefore the colour runs right through the tile.
Any wear or chips to the tile will be difficult to see.
They are extremely hard wearing and do not require sealing or maintenance processes associated with natural stone tiles as granite, marble or travertine.
Porcelain tiles are suitable for almost any application.
Natural stones tiles
Natural stones tiles like granite, marble or travertine are formed geologically over million of years and part of their beauty is their colour and shading variations. This should be appreciated before making your choice.
Natural stone tiles require sealing to protect them from staining. The maintenance of natural stone depends greatly on the amount of use the tile has. For instance a highly trafficked floor or the walls in a shower cubicle will obviously require the most maintenance. In addition it is important that the installer blends the natural tiles prior to installation to ensure that the shades are distributed evenly.
Stone tiles can be quite heavy. We recommend that they are fixed with the appropriate adhesive.
As a guideline we would recommend that once the floor has been sealed, regular cleaning be carried out with the appropriate cleaner. It is recommended that once every 4 years (depending on use) the floor be cleaned with a heavy duty Grime Remover and re-sealed.