When I was fixing up my bathroom I always found that I would get confused about all the different terminology at the beginning. This caused me multiple times to buy the wrong product so I found myself, annoyingly having to keep going back to the store. So here are the key terms which will allow the whole DIY process much more understandable.
Abrasion resistance- is the amount which the surface withstands the friction. The higher the better
Adhesive- its a bonding material, the different type of tile and surface will alter the one you get
Base tiles- tiles with a curved edge used for an aesthetic design.
Bed- a layer which covers the surface of the tiles which the tiles are set on to.
Border tiles- come in a variety of shapes and designs which are used to give a design to what already exists.
Ceramic tiles- made of clay and is relatively thin. They put it in the fire to harden and can either be glazed or unglazed.
Contraction joints- prevent the cracking which is a result of dimensional change from structural changes. They are placed in the concrete structure.
Curling- is when you let new tiles which have recently been installed set.
Dust- pressed tiles- formed from dust being pressed together and shaped before being fired.
Earthenware tiles- are tiles made from raw materials. It is white but can easily be made into another colour but putting a transparent or painting it.
Epoxy- for this tiles to be instated they have to use resin material which is in mortar and grouts
Expansion joints- allowing a gap for expansion, this help prevents cracks in stress points from the structure moving.
Exterior tiles- they are specific for outdoor due to how they have been designed.
Fire resistance- to be able to withstand high hears. Ceramic tiles are the best as they are not effected at any temp and do not release toxic gasses.
Glass mosaic- They are tiles made out of glass rather than porcelain or ceramic. They are coated with a layer of colour or transparent glass.
Glaze- Glassy coating fired on a ceramic tile.
Grout- material in a form of a paste which is used for installation material to fill in the joints between the tiles.
Grout joints- the space left between the two tiles which has to been filled with grout. The space can vary, it can be as narrow or wide as you like and it depends on the installation and appearance you want.
Impact resistance -Ability of ceramic tile to resist breakage either throughout the body or as surface chipping as the result of a heavy blow. In general, ceramic tile is not a resilient material, and care should be taken to avoid dropping heavy or sharp objects on its surface. Glazed tiles are more susceptible to surface chipping than unglazed tiles.
Mounted tiles -Tiles assembled into units or sheets by the manufacturer for easier installation. Back and edge mounted tiles are bonded to material (mesh, paper, resin or other) that becomes a part of the installation. Face mounted tiles are bonded to a material that is removed prior to grouting.
Spacers- Small plastic or wood pieces used during installation to maintain even joint width between tiles. They should be placed every time you install a new tile to ensure that there is the same amount of space better all the tiles.
Terracotta -Traditional Italian raw material used to produce unglazed, red body tiles generally extruded and 1/2 thick of more. Surface vary between rustic, smooth, polished, or waxed for lustre.
Unglazed tiles -Tiles which may be left untreated after firing. Unglazed tiles derive their colour and texture from their raw materials or may be coloured by means of oxides dispersed throughout the body.
