When it comes to ceramic tiles for bathroom and sanitary facilities, the first requirement for their selection is resistance to various chemical influences (from hygiene substances to cleaning agents) and an ease of cleaning and maintenance to ensure the required hygienic level in such areas.

Additionally, the ceramic tiles placed in the bathroom should have high anti-slipperiness class. Of course, when selecting ceramic tiles for bathrooms, aesthetic criteria and trends also play a significant role.

Tiles of bigger dimensions are ideal for more spacious bathroom areas. In such cases bathroom can be in darker and more intensive colors and the emphasis of beauty is given by large windows and a plenty of natural light. If you wish to use dark tiles in smaller and darker bathroom, use them only as details, for example combine decor tiles.

In spaces with less light, use pastel shades, various variants of white colour, beige, sand etc. Nothing says more about a stylish home than a classic ceramic tiles in light colour. Besides giving elegancy to the space, they are always in trend. Bathrooms where are used ceramic tiles in pastel colors are often styled in shabby chic, vintage and rustic style, and all subtle tones of green, blue and yellow ceramic tiles are preferred.

Beside kitchen elements and all sorts of electrical appliances, wall and floor ceramic tiles are an integral part of the kitchen where everyone pays great attention to the decoration moments and where the most important thing is to match color, pattern, design…

Kitchen tiles have this aesthetic function and certainly give a design seal to the space, but as well as in the bathroom, their role in this house area is also functional. Kitchen tiles protect walls from dirt and grease, enable easier cleaning and maintaining a high level of hygiene, and their resistance to cleaning agents as well as the longevity and durability of the material from which they are made are certainly irreplaceable.

The imitation of wood and stone surfaces is an inexhaustible inspiration for interior design, and in the kitchen such ceramic tiles, that imitate natural materials, perfectly fit into the overall decor. Slight monotony of a kitchen wall covered with ceramic tiles, usually fewer in square meters, because ceramic tiles are placed only between the lower and upper kitchen elements, can be ‘lifted up’ with a darker decor tile, a romantic floral decor tile or with an interesting kitchen motif digitally printed on a ceramic tile.

When it comes to the colors of ceramic tiles, it is especially popular to use very saturated green, as well as purple color and contrasting black and white combinations of tiles, both in the bathroom and in the kitchen. The combination of a pastel blue and brilliant orange color is something that really stands out. The expressive colors match very well with almost all other materials… from wooden elements to metal details. Pastel, creamy and beige shades, bright tones of grey, green and yellow will add the right dose of delicacy to the design signature and that is a common choice of tiles for classic and rustic kitchens.

As a guide to laying ceramic tiles, the following plan of instructions can be used:

• • Entrust an expert with the laying of ceramic tiles.
  • Calculate carefully the surface that needs to be covered with a recommended additional 10% in the quantity of ceramic tiles.
  • Verify the tone of tiles in order to be sure that one tone is for a determined area.
  • Before placing tiles verify whether all the tile packages have the same tone and caliber marked on the box.
  • If tiles are combined (the same product in different colors), all the tiles have to be of an equal caliber.
  • Tiles with greater water absorption need to be soaked in water before usage/laying.
  • All types of ceramic tiles are to be placed on a base that must be firm, dry, not frozen, stable, clean (free from oil, dust, unconnected particles and any other material remains) with the usage of special adhesives (glue) for tiles according to the instructions of the adhesives manufacturers.
  • Ceramic tiles for interior laying are to be glued with adhesive for interior usage.
  • High elasticity glue (flexi adhesive) is used to glue ceramic tiles on a surface where old/base tiles have already been laid, as well as for outdoor laying.
  • The most frequent base on which ceramic tiles are laid is mortar, estrih, concrete, plaster, carton panels, existing ceramic covering and chipboard.

Laying ceramic tiles on concrete

• • Ceramic tiles can be placed on concrete at least three months after the drying of the concrete. During the drying process concrete loses in volume, or it tightens and the tension exceeds the firmness of the adhesive making it possible for tiles to crack.

Laying ceramic tiles on cement estrih

• • The drying period for cement estrih is at least 28 days, or 8 days if dealing with fast connecting estrih. According to technical regulations, drying takes 10 to 15 days per 1 cm of cement estrih thickness. Of course, depending on the time of the year and the temperature, the drying period increases or decreases.

Laying ceramic tiles on mortar

• • Ceramic tiles can be laid at least seven days after applying cement mortar. Ceramic tiles to be laid on cement mortar containing plaster can be laid 5 weeks after plastering (depending on the time of the year) while the remaining moisture percentage can be at the most 3% (CM method measurement).

Laying ceramic tiles on plaster – carton panels or chipboard panels

• • Flexi adhesive is to be used for tile gluing. Before placing the glue, a substance for bases needs to be applied. A special substance is used for joints while expansion joints can be filled with the corresponding permanently elastic putty.

Laying ceramic tiles on old ceramic covering

• • Ceramic tiles can be glued on existing tiles only if these are well glued onto the base. The old ceramic covering is to be cleaned well of any greasy layers and the surface of the old ceramic tiles damaged (abraded) as much as possible. Before gluing, a base substance is applied, and once it is completely dry the tiles are glued with flexi adhesive following the manufacturer’s instructions.

Grouting of ceramic tiles

• Wall and floor ceramic tiles must be laid with joints filled with grout. The minimum width of joints is marked on the carton packaging of the tiles. Special substance (grout) for filling up joints needs to be used for certain types of ceramic tiles and the manufacturer’s instructions are to be followed. Before grouting, it is necessary to clean the joints from dust and adhesive remains. The joints need to be completely filled with the grout in order to prevent any cracking and tile moistening through joints. In order to achieve standard joints small crosses are used for the purpose.

Attention should be paid to the following three aspects when laying ceramic tiles:

1. After laying ceramic tiles a certain time is need for the adhesive to tighten well, therefore, do not step on the tiles immediately after laying them and also do not place any heavy furniture on them without using protection boards.

2. If electrical or plumbing works have to be performed immediately after laying ceramic tiles, the surface should be well protected in order to prevent the damage (scratches).

3. In order to clean the covered surface, use only recommended gentle detergents. Avoid abrasive cleaning agents.

Keep in mind that the beauty and durability of the wall or floor surface covered with ceramic tiles depends on how much professionalism and attention is given to the laying of tiles and to their later maintenance.

The word ‘ceramics’ comes from the Greek word ‘keramos’ which literally means baked ground.

Ceramic tiles are flat and relatively thin construction products for whose production natural clay and various additional mixtures are used, while the final appearance and characteristics of the product are acquired by baking (heating).

Baking is the final step in the tile production process where raw material is processed at high temperatures (up to 1250 °C) through which strengthening of the ceramic tile body and glazing (if there is one) is achieved.

Therefore, it consists of a body and surface, that can be glazed or is not glazed. Glazed tiles have a non-transparent or transparent glazing, which is applied on the body by the baking process, making the surface flat and impermeable and ready to be decorated.

Non-glazed tiles can be left unprocessed after baking, where color and texture are acquired thanks to the raw material used in their production, and they can be colored by using oxide that is dispersed in the body. Ceramic tiles from natural clay can be pressed or extruded.

Pressed tiles are shaped by the pressing procedure where material is finally ground under high pressure before baking is shaped in moulds. They are also called dry baked tiles.

Extruded tiles are shaped through the extrusion (squeezing) procedure where, before being baked, the raw material in plastic state is extruded into a long plate that is later cut into the necessary dimensions.

Throughout history one has tried to decorate it’s living space and at the same time to make it safe for health and environment.

Guided by this needs, humans manufactured ceramic tiles more than 4000 years ago. Ceramic tiles have been found in the oldest pyramids, in the ruins of Babylon and in ancient Greek cities.

Decoration of living space with ceramic tiles started in The Middle East and was brought to perfection in Persia. Among European countries, a significant role in their historical development was and is held by Spain, Italy, England, Netherlands, Germany and Portugal.

The oldest ceramic tile production technique rests in manufacturing and shaping it by hand.

Tiles were made with moist clay and then dried under the sun or baked. Later, wooden moulds appeared as a technical assistance.

The production experienced a revolution in the 1840s with the introduction of the pressing method, that was based on pressing dry clay between two metal tools. This advancement was the beginning of mechanical production.

During the last twenty years it has been noted a strong technological advance, and the production of ceramic tiles has become massive.

Today, the European industry manufactures around one fourth of the world production, with leaders like Italy and Spain, while an on-growing and significant part has been taken over by China.

Due to it’s good characteristics, ceramic tiles have an advantage over other materials:

• possibility of choosing between many dimensions, colors and design
• high firmness (durability)
• resistance to wearing out
• resistance to chemicals
• resistance to fire
• do not have a harmful impact on the environment and health

The influence of the ceramics industry on the environment has been reduced thanks to the newest technological solutions and the technology of single firing, compared to double firing.

Ceramic tiles are shaped by the pressing and extrusion process, and then dried and baked at a very high temperature.

The most frequent shapes of ceramic tiles are square and rectangular, but they appear in various shapes, as triangles, circles, rhombs etc.

Dimensions can vary from only few centimeters (mosaic tiles) up to ceramic tiles measured in meters. Thickness can go from 5 mm for wall tiles to over 25 mm for some type of extruded tiles. The basic classification of ceramic tiles is glazed and non glazed tiles, pressed and extruded tiles.

The basic types of ceramic tiles are sinter, klinker, Terracotta, Maiolica, tiles with red biscuit, tiles with white biscuit, gres tiles, porcelain tiles and mosaic tiles.

Beside size, shape and design, ceramic tiles differ in technical characteristics that are, at the same time, the basic guidelines making the right choice: for wall lining or floor covering, interior or outdoor use of ceramic tiles, in other words, exposed to low temperatures, chemical substances, wear… The most important difference is between ceramic tiles for interior and for exterior usage.

The physical – mechanical features are determined by norm HRN EN 14411:2006 for single tile groups. Keramika Modus ceramic tiles satisfy all demands of the above mentioned norm by declaration groups.

Keramika Modus possesses attests that prove the following:

•   SAVOY FIRMNESS

A ceramic tile is a product that, according to its characteristics of purpose, has to be resistant to breaking and cracking, in other words a product that has to be firm and solid.

•   WATER ABSORPTION

Water absorption is a characteristic that shows the level of tile porosity. Greater water absorption means greater porosity and the opposite, less absorption means that the structure is more compact. Tiles with less water absorption (E 3%) are resistant to freezing.

•    RESISTANCE TO ACIDS AND BASES

The resistance of glazing is being tested in regards to the impact of acids and bases on ceramic tiles.

•   RESISTANCE TO CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES

Tests establish the resistance of glazing on ceramic tiles to chemical substances that are used during cleaning in households.

•   RESISTANCE TO STAINS

Glazing resistance to substances that cause stains is being tested.

•   RESISTANCE TO CRACKING

Also refers to glazing characteristics, resistance of ceramic tiles to the appearance of fine/thin cracks is established.

•   RESISTANCE TO ABRASION

Tests refer to the establishment of tile resistance to damages caused by friction or scratching.

•   RESISTANCE TO FREEZING

Resistance to freezing is an essential characteristic of ceramic tiles for outdoor usage.