General Tile Knowledge

Colour Me Blue

The Pantone Color Institute is a globally recognized leader in color trend forecasting.  Each year the Institute announces a color of the year that is derived from a really thoughtful process that considers global trends and events, socio-economical and environmental factors. They draw upon an incredibly broad spectrum of issues to determine a colour that is globally relevant for this  particular point in time.  This colour forecasting then has a huge influence on design-based industries, such as marketing, fashion and interior design. 

Ceramic and porcelain tiles are a fantastic product that, if correctly selected and installed, should last indefinitely.  As a consequence, selecting such a permanent product is a little daunting for a lot of people. Getting it wrong is not easy or cheap to correct. Similarly fear of becoming outdated and unfashionable can also lead to over cautious colour and design selections at the expense of a design you truly loved.

In order to provide a smoother tile selection process and reassurance for your ultimate decision-making, we have put together a simple sequence of tips to consider when selecting tiles.

A fun case study into the history of the 3D cube pattern in tile trends. 

PEI is a testing method for glazed ceramics to determine the 'wearability' of the surface of the tile. The test result determines the suitability for purpose for various areas of installation. 
 

Rectified tile is tile that has been cut to an exact size. With rectified tile there is very little size variation between individual tiles. This means less chance of lippage, more accurate layout and easier installation.

When porcelain is first made, it is not absorbent, but the polishing process for making the unglazed surface shiny cuts into the surface, leaving microscopic pinholes exposed and prone to absorbing stains, in the same way as natural stone tiles. Unless they have a suitable, long-lasting treatment applied by the manufacturer like nano, polished porcelain tiles will need sealing. Porcelain sealants are either solvent-based or water-based. Water based sealants are cheaper, but don't last.