What is vitrified tile compromising for? Vitrified tiles are made from tiles that are fused together during the manufacturing process when they are heated to high temperatures. This causes a chemical reaction to occur, which alters the nature of the pores in tile allowing it to insulate better than ordinary solid tiles.
Even though this technology is new, It has been used since the 1960’s. They made a comeback with many building codes requiring the use of green roofs and retaining walls overhanging our property.
The Advantages of Disadvantages
A vitrified tile has many advantages but also comes with some disadvantages. Despite the disadvantage, a person can save money by opting to have their residence made of vitrified tiles. 10% of construction cost is saved as opposed to building a concrete floor or having your tile lay-in.
Because the material is stronger and more durable, it can be installed in wet areas such as showers and saunas that have very high humidity levels.
What Does it Mean to be Vitrified?
Vitrified tiles are ceramic materials, like porcelain and ceramic, which is coated with a thin layer of metal usually in order to change their crystalline structure and make them more resistant to chemical acids.
They are often used for tile backing for walls, floors and countertops because the metal reflects the colors in their glazes and makes the different colors appear more vibrant. In everyday use, this property makes vitrified tiles inexpensive to produce and easy to clean.
However, they are not equally permanent, as they may deteriorate or crack if they are scratched at all. Labeling a material as “vitrified tile” indicates that this is an artificial stone. These tiles come in a variety of colors and can be very cheep compared to natural gemstones.
A vitrified tile can be formed by cooling at a relatively low temperature and then rapid quenching in water. When the process of vitrification happens, the dust, possibly mixed with glass or mineral fibers, will create an extremely hard exterior, causing wear to be very slow inside. Vitrified tiles are often very costly when installed properly.
The vitrification process is the most common way that wall tiles are processed for safety against water and fire. It toughens the raw glass, absorbing the vibrations from the hammering action and giving it a self-supportive shape. The liquid material is replaced with a partially turned-out ceramic mix that allows moisture penetration and creates an additional layer of protection from impact damage.
Is There a Risk of Abrasion with Vitrified Tiles?
Vitrified tiles are hard, durable and resist scratching. They are stronger than ceramic and porcelain, but they are not as susceptible to bacteria or stains. Annual maintenance of vitrified tiles is less since it only requires occasional grooves removal. Is there a risk of abrasion with these products? YES.
For example, recent studies have shown that lack of proper installation and dust accumulation in the interstice zone directly beneath the tiling can eventually lead to degradation and damages to the tile surface.
Conclusion
The key problems with vitrified tiles are moisture, humidity and condensation build-up. After a period of time, these conditions lead to significant changes in material properties, movement and drainage behavior. Therefore, the need for aggressive cleaning is always present.
