Q:  What is Ceramic Tile?
A:  Ceramic tile is both beautiful (fashionable?) and practical.  With it’s natural look, plentiful designs and durability, ceramic tile makes a great choice in flooring, and wall designs.   Ceramic tile is available in an infinite number of colors, sizes, shapes and finishes, so there is no limit to the beautiful personalized designs that you can create.  Baked at extreme temperatures, ceramic tile is a product that comes from the most traditional and efficient of production methods – kiln firing. Yet, a vast array textures and colors give you a choice to make your project unique.  Ceramic tile may serve as a defining feature of your hallways and foyers as well as a beautiful accent to areas such as dining rooms and living areas.  Ceramic tile can entirely transform walls as well as floors, often making ceramic a designer’s choice. With their easy maintenance and classy air, ceramic tile can add an earthy elegance or make a fresh statement to your flooring or wall projects.

Q:  How To Clean Ceramic Tile?
A: Although ceramic tile comes from just beneath the soil, one of its enemies is the everyday dirt and grit that builds up on its surface. Also, it’s important to keep the tile’s grout free from this sort dirt buildup as well. Here are a few suggestions on how to keep your earthy flooring clear of unwanted dirt. When cleaning ceramic tile floors, a good approach to the cleaning products you choose is “always read the label and follow the instructions.” A good many of these cleaning products may do a fine job on a vinyl or linoleum floor, but may spell disaster when cleaning ceramic tile floors. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions and make sure that you are using the products correctly and in the right measure. This is a good rule to apply to any kind of flooring or countertop you install, whether it’s ceramic tile flooring, hardwood flooring, laminate flooring, granite countertops or any other unique building material. Cleaning ceramic tile flooring is generally a low-maintenance job. The first thing to do when cleaning ceramic tile floors is to clear the floor of any surface dirt or grit which is likely to contribute to wear. This can be done simply with a broom and your vacuum cleaner with a soft tile attachment. Then, use warm water and a mop to clear away any residual dust. With ceramic tile flooring, you’ve made an excellent choice for a tile flooring option that is both attractive and durable. By taking care to maintain your flooring, you will extend the special beauty that ceramic tile flooring lends to your room.

Things To Consider Before You Buy
Ceramic floor tile offers a wide variety of choice and a unique aesthetic effect for your space. Due to its natural make-up and texture, ceramic floor tile can serve many of your practical requirements as well. As such, choosing ceramic floor tile strikes a nice balance between practicality & pleasing design.There are a lot of variations in how ceramic is made which impact moisture resistance and ease of maintenance as well as impact and scratch-resistant properties.  Because ceramic tile looks like a fairly simple flooring solution, you might think that your decision ends there. However, when you examine if ceramic tile is the right flooring material for your project, you may find there are more options open to you than you thought.

Ceramic tile is made from clay which is baked at very high temperatures, resulting in an attractive and very hard surface. Ceramic tile is a varied material, some types glazed with a layer of liquid glass, others left untreated for a more natural, rustic appeal. It is worthwhile learning about the right kind of ceramic tile to ensure that the type you choose is the one that is most appropriate for your installation. Overall, ceramic tile is very low maintenance, particularly in terms of keeping the surface clean. Ceramic tile retains virtually no dirt and can be kept clean with water and a damp cloth or mop. Ceramic tile is also naturally fire resistant and can actually help to maintain a structure in the event of a fire, making it popular choice of flooring material by the safety conscious.

Substrates, Sub-floor, Sub-Countertop
A substrate is a catch-all term which refers to the sub-floor or the sub-countertop on which you will be laying your flooring or countertop, whether it is ceramic tile, granite or any other type of material. Much like other options, it is important that the substrate be suitable for the type of ceramic tile you have chosen to install, and it is often necessary to make sure that the substrate is adequately prepared. This is particularly true if the substrate is a newly laid surface itself. Newly poured concrete needs to be cured for 28 days before your ceramic tile is laid down. Despite the type of substrate, an overall characteristic of sub-floors or sub-counters should be their structural rigidity, not being given to expansion or flexing. Another important factor when you are preparing to lay down your ceramic tile is whether the substrate is level. An uneven substrate could cause the ceramic tile to become easily loosened, and may also cause the grout between the tiles to pop. To prepare your substrate, the first thing to take care of is clearing away any dirt or dust that has built up on the substrate. Also, it is important to remove any other substances “ like peeling paint” from the substrate to be sure that the tile will adhere.

Ceramic Tile Grading
Much the same as other types of flooring, some of the considerations to be taken into account for ceramic tile are hardness, slip resistance, resistance to abrasion, and impact resistance. Generally, these are judged in terms of application. The decision you make as to the proposed location of your installation, and the likelihood that the type of ceramic tile you’ve chosen will stand up to the conditions it will need to endure there should be carefully considered when choosing your ceramic tile. To aid you in making an informed decision, there is a system of ceramic tile grading which standardizes the durability of ceramic tile from the Porcelain Enamel Institute. This is what is called the PEI rating. The PEI rating will be a valuable tool for anyone looking to install ceramic tile.

A Guide to PEI Ratings for Ceramic Tile
The following information is based on the Porcelain Enamel Institute’s guide to rate the overall durability of ceramic tile:

• Group 1 ceramic tile: light residential use, where only softer footwear is worn; for example, a bathroom
• Group 2 ceramic tile: general residential use, with the exception of entrance ways, kitchens and other areas subjected to high traffic
• Group 3 ceramic tile: all residential use, as well as light commercial applications, such as reception areas and boutiques
• Group 4 ceramic tile: medium commercial use (e.g. restaurants, hotels) and light institutional use (e.g. hospital lobbies)
• Group 5 ceramic tile: heavy foot traffic, areas likely to sustain high amounts of moisture, and areas where safety is the prime concern; for example, shopping malls, swimming pools, public building entrances)
• It should be mentioned that the above scale does not measure the market value of ceramic tile, and is only meant to measure durability and appropriate usage.