Porcelain stoneware: features of choice

Ceramic tile flooring has always been in demand when repairing an apartment, but many people want to make a solid floor with the texture of wood, so that it resembles it not only visually, but also to the touch. This can be realized with the help of porcelain stoneware under the tree, the features of choice and varieties of which will be discussed in this article.

Porcelain tiles are made from a mixture of clay, quartz sand, feldspar, kaolin and other components by pressing and firing at high temperature. The finished material has low water absorption, resistance to chemicals and durability.

A very popular kind of porcelain stoneware is “under the tree”, which looks no worse than natural wooden parquet or ordinary flooring. Production technologies allow you to create the most close to the natural texture of various tree species. There are imitations for cutting, aged wood, polished, matte or glossy, under the laminate. Even to the touch you can feel the pleasant roughness of this natural material.

Choosing a ceramic granite tile under the tree, in the room you can get:

• excellent cozy detail of the interior, which will add to the room a warm atmosphere;
• the variety of textures, shades and forms of flooring;
• ecological purity and harmlessness of the finishing material;

• good thermal insulation in the house;
• mechanical strength and durability of the coating.

Ordinary tile is rarely placed on the floor in the living room or bedroom, most often it is used for the kitchen, bathroom and toilet. A tile with wood texture, imitating parquet and laminate, can be safely laid in the living rooms in the apartment.

Tiles of porcelain stoneware may differ in the types of simulating coating texture, shape and size, the type of its surface.

Products made under wooden parquet, able to emphasize the chic decor in the interior. If earlier this method of finishing was traditional and was used everywhere, now the parquet flooring made of natural wood is rather an elite type. It was replaced by cheaper and faster ways of finishing the floor: linoleum, laminate, painted flooring. Laying porcelain tiles imitating parquet, can cost less than the original, and it will last longer.

As well as wooden, tiled parquet can be piece, mosaic or artistic. The first type is the cheapest and most common, it is the same rectangular elements that fit in various ways: “under the Christmas tree”, “braid”, “straight square”, in a checkerboard pattern,in the form of diamonds or "deck" method. There are other more intricate ways and design solutions.

The laminated coating on the ceramic parquet can perfectly imitate various wood cuts:

• wagon - the most natural look with small knots;
• classic - small wood textures;

• Antique - a changing pattern with different shades;
• natures - periodically repeating textures;
• Guest - various types of cutting;
• select - with a monotonous small pattern.

Mosaic varieties of parquet usually have tiles that differ in color and texture. With their proper layout, beautiful contrasting patterns are obtained. Products may be the same or different sizes. For example, often use a combination of square plates, framed rectangular. It is also possible to lay out a mosaic using various methods: staggered, diagonally under the Christmas tree or in a direct way.

The most fancy and elegant floors are made of ceramic granite slabs for artistic parquet. Often they have different non-standard shape and size, the installation requires special professionalism. The cost of such products is high, but it is an elite way of finishing the room.

Tiles of porcelain, imitating the floorboard, can bring the atmosphere of a cozy rural home to the interior of the room. Often they are specially made rough, with imitation of cracks, knots or aged wood. These species can perfectly fit into any style of a city apartment, especially polished, with the textures of noble wood - ash, beech, rosewood.

A ceramic granite coating made “under laminate” is no different in appearance from this universal practical coating. The production uses the same colors and textures. But in terms of physical properties, it will be much stronger, have a longer service life, and will not undergo deformation.

Colors and textures for a similar tile can be selected from the most diverse, there are options for any room design.

Some of them:

• Oak can have different noble colors from light beige to brown;
• birch has a delicate texture, ranging from almost white color;
• light beech tones are combined with a chic interior;

• Cherry texture has a reddish color with a warm color;
• tile "under the nut" is suitable for dark floors and walls.

Dimensions of standard parquet elements: width 3–10 cm, length 15–60 cm. Stacked or mosaic types can have square tiles from 40x40 to 60x60 cm and rectangular: 15x60, 15x90 cm and other types. Porcelain stoneware, made under the artistic parquet, can have a variety of sizes, it all depends on the design decisions of the manufacturer.

Tiles "under the laminate" have a width and length of 200, 300 or 400 mm, respectively, at 1505, 2135 or 2425 mm. For products that mimic the floorboard, dimensions can be 20x120, 20x60 cm and others.

Italian manufacturer Rondine is one of the most successful in Europe. The company has its own research and design base for the development and implementation of the most modern ideas, recently it has been exclusively engaged in the production of ceramic granite coatings.Of the products with a woody structure, it is worth noting the Rondine Tabula collection with original textures for every taste.

Another popular manufacturer from Italy Playwood produces a collection of high-quality tiles from porcelain stoneware using innovative technologies with excellent physical characteristics. The Playwood Fondovalle series of goods is represented by various textures in the form of exotic woods. Such materials are suitable for any room design - from classic to cutting edge.

Spanish manufacturer of ceramic tiles Nuss roca represents products that imitate parquet. In the series there are all sorts of textures, combined with any interior room and hallway. The coating has mechanical strength, resistance to moisture.

Company from Spain Arce engaged in the production of matte and glossy porcelain stoneware on advanced European technologies. There are series specifically for the kitchen, bathroom, hallway or living room. Tiles are resistant to stains, chemicals, temperature extremes. From the collections it is worth noting Porcelanosa Arce for walls and for the floor.

From domestic manufacturers worth noting Grasaro, which supplies many varieties of granite tiles under the piece or mosaic parquet. The Parquet Art collections represent a mosaic of dark slabs with a very elegant look emphasizing the natural texture of an aged tree.

Another company from Russia Kerama marazzi - quite famous, its ceramic products are widely used in interior decoration. The manufacturer offers a collection of wood tiles for any premises with a wide palette and a set of textures.

Belarusian manufacturer "Berezakeramika" produces a wonderful floor tile with wood texture. It is possible to note the light coating "white oak" with a matte surface, transmitting the atmosphere of natural material.

Choose a wood-ceramic tile for the floor in the living room should be depending on the design of the entire room. It should be harmoniously combined with furniture and wall decoration. There are universal types that will suit any interior, for example, many options for laminate. Porcelain stoneware for artistic parquet with decor will look good in the living room or hall.For the hallway, you can choose a coating in the form of a piece parquet with a pattern of the same type.

In the bathroom or in the kitchen, you can install wood-textured tiles not only on the floor. But also on the walls. This coating will be not only beautiful and original, but also practical. It is easy to clean, reliably protected from moisture, steam and fungus.

When buying it is worth trying the surface to the touch, check for the absence of cracks and chips. You should also pay attention to the same size in one batch, the thickness, which should correspond to that indicated on the package. The pattern should also coincide in all elements of the pattern.

Before laying porcelain stoneware on the floor it is necessary to prepare and mark the work surface. The floor must be thoroughly cleaned from dust and debris. For better adhesion of the adhesive to the surface, it must be primed. Typically, an acrylic or polymeric deep penetration primer is used for interior applications.

Layout for laying floor tiles starts from the center of the room.First two lines are drawn from the corners on the diagonal, their intersection will be the center. Then, straight lines parallel to the walls or central diagonals are measured from this point, depending on the method of forming the pattern. They are used for laying ceramic granite tiles: first in one half of the room, then in the second.

As the glue, use those brands that are used for ordinary tile, most often on a cement base for interior work. Immediately you should not knead a large amount of the solution, as it quickly hardens, it is better to prepare it in small quantities. If the tile is not seamless, then it is laid with crosses, with the help of them the width of the seams is adjusted. After laying 2 - 3 elements they are checked at a horizontal level.

Thus, the installation gradually goes from the center of the room to the walls. Corner and wall sections may have a non-standard shape, so trimming tiles will be necessary. It can be done with a tile cutter, but it is better to use a grinder with a diamond wheel, it can cut off small and curvilinear fragments.

Laying such tiles on the walls is almost no different from the floor.Just start from a certain baseline at a height of 10 - 15 cm from the floor, where a flat metal profile is nailed to the full width.

After facing the room with ceramic granite tiles under a tree, you must wait a certain time until the glue dries, then proceed to grout the joints. It occurs with the help of a special jointing solution. On sale there are various colors of the fugue, including under the selected wood color. And you can always buy a colorless version by adding one of the many dyes to it. It is best to rub with a small rubber spatula, then wipe the tiles with a damp cloth.

• Tiles under parquet with a plain texture can have a very comfortable look in the room.
• Floor tiles of two colors with a chaotic arrangement of the plates looks very stylish.

• Matte porcelain stoneware parquet under white oak contrasts well with dark furniture. In addition, it is very practical, easy to clean and protected from moisture.

• The glossy surface under the tree with a small intersperience of square tiles with patterns looks gorgeous. Excellent reflectivity adds lively light to the room.

• Porcelain stoneware under a dark floorboard creates a very warm atmosphere of a cozy house in the village.

• One of the ways of laying a complex mosaic parquet made of ceramics. Expenses for it justify the resulting elegant floor.
• The original combination of parquet and mosaic of small different elements. At first glance, I can’t even believe that it is a porcelain stoneware floor.

In the next video you will find the deck laying of porcelain stoneware with imitation of wood.