Chapter 6
Tiles
Tiles can be defined as thin slabs or bricks, which are burnt in kilns. The tiles are thinner than bricks. Tiles are classified into two types: common tiles, which are available in different shapes and sizes and used for paving, flooring and roofing, and encaustic tiles, which are used for decorative purposes in floors, walls, ceilings and roofs.
6.1 DIFFERENT TYPES OF TILES
The different types of tiles are
- Drain tiles
- Flooring tiles
- Roofing tiles
6.1.1 Drain tiles
Drain tiles are prepared in such a way that they retain their porous texture after burning. Hence, they are suitable to be laid in waterlogged areas. They allow water to pass. They are also used to convey irrigation water. These drains may be circular, semicircular or segmental.
6.1.2 Flooring tiles
The flooring tiles should be hard enough to resist wear and tear. They are thin tiles of thickness 12–50 mm and can also be adopted for ceilings. Colouring substances can be added to the clay during preparation to impart colour to floor tiles. Low-strength floor tiles can be used for fixing on the surface of walls. They are easier to lay as they are small in size and much lighter than mosaic and marbles. They do not require polishing. They are scratch, stain and damp proof in nature.
6.1.2.1 Wood tiles
Wood flooring requires a protective coating such as varnish or wax. This type is suitable for gymnasium, skating rinks and air-conditioned rooms.
6.1.2.2 Cork tiles
Different colours and designs are available. These are warm, quiet and resilient but not durable.
6.1.2.3 Cement concrete tiles
Plain concrete tiles, plain coloured tiles and terrrazo tiles are the three different types of tiles coming in this category. These are easy to clean and shine well if the quality is good. Their cost is comparatively reasonable.
6.1.2.4 Magnesium flooring tiles
This flooring is used as a substitute for asphalt flooring.
6.1.2.5 Ceramic tiles
These are non-slippery and used in wet areas like bathrooms, kitchens, etc. They are available in a wide range of colours and textures. They are used in living rooms also.
6.1.3 Roofing tiles
They act as a covering to the roof. The important varieties of roofing tiles are as follows.
6.1.3.1 Allahabad tiles
They are tiles made from clay. The moulding is done under pressure in machines. Interlocking facility is attained by the projection provided in the tiles. These tiles can also be adopted for the hip, ridge and valley portions of the roof.
6.1.3.2 Corrugated tiles
Corrugations are provided for the side lap when they are placed in position. These tiles give a pleasing appearance. The placing of tiles gives an appearance of corrugated iron sheets.
6.1.3.3 Mangalore tiles
These tiles are provided with suitable projections so that they interlock with each other. These tiles are of flat pattern but special Mangalore pattern tiles are available for the hip, valley and ridge portions. The life of these tiles is estimated as about 25 years. These are red in colour and it is found that 15 Mangalore tiles are required for covering 1 m2 of roof area.
These are the most commonly used roofing tiles in Kerala. The length of the tiles varies from 32 to 35 cm and width from 21 to 23 cm. Maximum water absorption percentage is 20 and minimum average breaking load is 1.00 kN. More than 40 per cent of the tiles get broken due to wrapping. The number of breakages can be reduced by adding a small amount of aluminium chloride to the clay.
6.1.3.4 Guna tiles
They are hollow, tapered, burnt tiles. They are conical in shape with a base of 100 mm diameter at the broader end and 75 mm at the narrower end. These may be made of suitable shapes, like parabolic, elliptical, etc.
6.1.3.5 Pan tiles
They are short and heavy. They are first moulded as flat sections and later given the required curvature by moulding in suitable forms. These tiles have a length between 30 and 40 cm and width between 20 and 30 cm.
6.1.4 Encaustic tiles
They are manufactured from ordinary clays with colouring materials and finer clays. The encaustic tiles consist of three layers: body which is made of coarser clay, face which comprises of 6 mm coat of finer clay and colouring material and back which is a thin coat of clay to prevent the tile from warping.
6.2 CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD TILE
- It should possess uniform colour.
- It should give an even and compact structure when seen on its broken surface.
- It should be sound, hard and durable.
- It should be regular in shape and size.
- It should fit in properly when placed in the proper position.
- It should be free from cracks, bends and warps.
6.3 PORCELAIN GLAZED TILES
The purpose for which glazing is done are:
- To improve the appearance.
- To produce decorative effects.
- To provide smooth surfacing.
- To protect the surface from the action of atmospheric agencies.
- To make the particles durable.
The term porcelain is used to indicate fine earthenware which is white, thin and transparent. Clay of sufficient purity and possessing high degree of tenacity and plasticity is used for preparing porcelain. It is hard, brittle and non-porous. It is prepared from clay, feldspar, quartz and minerals. Porcelains are of two types – low-voltage porcelain and high-voltage porcelain. Low-voltage porcelain is prepared from dry process and high-voltage porcelain is prepared from wet process.
Porcelain enamelling is a common process for making the surface smoother, chemical proof and resistant to deterioration. The process involves fusing thoroughly the mixture of raw materials in a furnace and then grinding the mixture to a fine powdered stage. The material to be enamelled is then given a coating of this powder either directly by dusting the powder over the surface or by mixing the mixture with water and spraying on the surface. They are adopted for various uses like sanitaryware, electrical insulators, storage vessels, etc.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
- Write short notes on
- Different types of tiles used for building construction
- Flooring tiles
- Mangalore pattern roofing tiles
- What are the different types of tiles used for building construction?
- What are the characteristics of a good tile?
- What are the purposes of glazing of tiles?
- How is glazing done for the tiles?
- What is porcelain enamelling?
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