Wear resistance class of porcelain tile

Porcelain tile is one of the popular flooring. Its main advantage is the combination of a beautiful appearance with excellent performance characteristics, which makes it suitable not only for the decoration of internal surfaces in rooms, but also for facade decoration, and the arrangement of a house territory. Today we’ll talk about how to choose the wear resistance class of porcelain stoneware. Different grades of this material have different uses.

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Benefits

The advantages of porcelain tile include:

• Strength.
• Long service life.
• Resistance to wear.
• Moisture resistance.
• Antistatic effect.
• The ability to withstand significant temperature extremes.

The issue of choosing consumables for flooring or cladding is very serious:

• If for gentle conditions in the room it is quite possible to do with ceramics, then for visits with high traffic or cladding of the building outside, ceramic granite products are more suitable.
• It is also well suited for harsh manufacturing environments.
• When compared with ceramics, porcelain stoneware has the best strength characteristics. Studies have shown that scratching a good porcelain stoneware can only be done with corundum or a diamond blade.
• An equally important advantage of this cladding is its extreme strength. It has proven itself in places with high mechanical and wind loads, as well as with significant temperature fluctuations.
• The tile is resistant to corrosive acids and alkalis. It is also resistant to substances that penetrate the material.
• Due to its low water absorption, porcelain stoneware is moisture resistant.

Important! Depending on the purpose for which you select the material, the following our tips may also come in handy:

• Tile design in the bathroom.
• The best tile for the kitchen floor.
• Tile and laminate flooring design.

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Porcelain stoneware wear indicator

The wear resistance class of floor tiles is determined by its ability to withstand the abrasive effects of materials that mimic the movement of the feet in shoes. Distinguish between these categories of resistance to wear (PEI):

• I (1). This type of tile is optimal for rooms with little activity, in soft shoes. It is used in bathrooms and other rooms that do not wear street shoes (in the bedroom, toilet).
• II (2). Facing for rooms with small areas of movement in soft shoes for the home. It is used in family houses, cottages, apartments for living rooms.

Important! In kitchens, loggias or stairwells, it should not be used.

• III (3) - this class of tile abrasion resistance is suitable for rooms with medium-intensity movement in shoes that are not worn on the street. In addition to all home rooms, this porcelain stoneware cladding is suitable for a small office or staircase.

Important! It can not be used on the staircases of multi-storey buildings, at the place of registration of visitors in the hotel.

• IV (4). Covering for flooring in rooms with high and medium traffic. Compared to all previous classes, the material has a greater resistance to abrasion. It can be used in office premises, hotels, registration rooms.
• V (5). The highest category of wear resistance. This material will withstand movement of any intensity. Even compared to the fourth grade, the endurance is enormous.It can be used in halls with the highest permeability indicators: metro, shopping centers, airports, train stations.

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Stock footage

The wear of the flooring depends not only on the patency of the room, but also on the condition of the shoe soles. Naturally, synthetics and rubber are inferior in hardness to the lining, but soles are always contaminated with sand or silica powder. They scratch the surface, helping to accelerate its wear. Therefore, it is required to competently approach the choice of the wear resistance class of the tile so that it retains its appearance and strength characteristics longer after installation.