Choosing a material for cladding: tiles, porcelain stoneware, mosaic, marble

Recommendation points

• Ceramic tiles (tile, tile)
• Granite / Marble Tile / Slab
• Porcelain stoneware
• Mosaic tiles made of glass, composites and ceramics
• Granite stone / sandstone (“savage”)

The choice of material for facing a concrete floor is a responsible task, because such a coating must be hardy, durable and at the same time beautiful. This article will help you understand the variety of floor finishing options..

As a rule, stone floors are arranged in rooms with high traffic and high requirements for the durability of the coating. Therefore, in crowded public places, such as train stations, shops, cultural and leisure centers and others, concrete floors (or screed) are used, lined with piece stone material. It can be ceramic tiles or porcelain stoneware, marble slabs or mosaic panels..

Floors in public places are exposed to constant moisture in the autumn-winter period, regular frequent moistening when cleaning the floor. A special case of such premises is bathrooms. Wooden floor coverings, with all due respect, as they say, are not capable of bearing a high continuous load and are subject to relatively rapid wear and tear, that is, they will require replacement.

Modern production and technology are once again ready to offer an impressive range of hard floor options. A common point for all types of similar finishes is the leveling screed device.

Question: Why not install tiles or stone directly on the concrete floor, saving on screed costs?

Answer: Floor concrete (especially factory concrete) is characterized by rigidity and extremely low water absorption. This means that the cement glue on which the piece material is laid simply will not be able to sufficiently penetrate the concrete, and an expensive primer will not help here. In addition, to level the floor horizon, an unreasonably large amount of expensive adhesive mixture will be consumed..

Piece “stone” facing has a set of typical properties, characteristic of all types and subspecies. Of course, we are talking about a material made according to production standards and laid in compliance with technology. The list contains distinctive features in comparison with other types of finishing materials (wood, roll, etc.).

Advantages:

1. Strength. Withstand dynamic and shock loads.
2. Durability. The service life of most materials starts from 30 years.
3. Wear resistance. Keep their appearance for a long time – do not wear out and do not lose color.
4. Partial replacement without changing the appearance.
5. Versatility. Most of these materials can be used for wall decoration, and some even for facades..

Disadvantages:

1. Qualification. High-quality laying of a piece stone or tile requires experience and a reverent (attentive) attitude to his work *.
2. A screed is always required. This is associated with additional costs for materials and labor costs.
3. Great weight. Often this is not decisive for the structure, since such floors are arranged on powerful concrete floors. Inconvenience occurs during the delivery of the screed material and finishing to the workplace (especially to the upper floors without an elevator).
4. The cost of the glue. The more expensive the material, the more expensive the glue mixture will be. Street adhesives are the most expensive.
5. Tool. To cut slabs over 6 mm thick, a cutting machine is required. Sometimes waterjet cutting is required.

*- Interesting fact. Laying masters (tilers), as a rule, do not take another job, honing their qualifications for years.

The listed properties are typical for all types of piece finishes. Next, we will consider the specific properties of the most popular varieties..

Ceramic tiles (tile, tile)

A material known since antiquity. The cooking recipe has come down to us practically unchanged. Formed in the form of slabs, the clay mixture with additives that impart strength is baked under pressure in an oven at a temperature of 1000 ° C. Basically, you get a brick in the form of a thin tile. After cooling, the outer surface is covered with glaze.

Application area

Mainly for interior work. Since the glaze is subject to wear and tear with heavy use, the coating can lose its appearance over time. Therefore, such tiles are more often used in residential and office premises with moderate traffic..

Advantages

Aesthetic appearance. Huge selection of sizes, styles and decor. The ability to make tiles with an individual pattern, pattern, print. Thanks to the well-studied technology, the production of tiles is optimized to the maximum. Therefore, the average tile price is the lowest among the options considered. Wide distribution and, as a result, the availability of qualified finishers. Can be used for wall cladding. In an economical version, you can use cement mortar (3: 1) instead of glue, even for grouting. The small thickness and high thermal conductivity of the tiles make it possible to effectively use the technology of “warm floor”.

disadvantages

Poignancy. Poorly holds shock loads. Glaze abrasion. Relative fragility. Internal work only.

Laying technology

The principle of constructing a floor from tiled elements is the same for all materials, so we will describe it once:

1. A cement screed is arranged along the overlap along the beacons, as close as possible to the floor horizon (minus the thickness of the tile and the adhesive layer). If necessary, the elements of the “warm floor” are laid in the screed.
2. The area is divided according to the dimensions of the tiles (symmetry is achieved) and treated with a primer.
3. The tile is laid on the adhesive mixture corresponding to these conditions. In this case, it is imperative to observe uniform gaps between the edges (using special plastic “crosses” and “wedges”).
4. In 24 hours after laying, the gaps (seams) are filled with a special compound (grout).

Granite / Marble Tile / Slab

Granite and marble finishing slabs are an element of luxury. Unique natural materials with excellent performance properties. Interiors with such finishes, as a rule, are designed and manufactured entirely and for a specific order. Granite or marble is mined in quarries, sawn into plates (slabs *) up to 15 sq. m and delivered to workshops, where they continue sawing according to the specified dimensions, or cut in place before laying.

* – Slab (slab) from the English. slab – slab, plate.

Application area

Cultural heritage sites – palaces, theaters, museums. It is used for the restoration and creation of unique historical objects – monuments and memorial complexes, embankments.

Advantages

The service life of granite is difficult to determine – as a rule, at least 300 years. Marble has less strength, but a more refined appearance (due to its natural structure). Both materials are used for horizontal and vertical finishing. Insensitive to abrasion (the first signs of wear appear after decades). There is a possibility of making decorative elements (statues, balustrades, stairs, porticoes) to match the floor.

disadvantages

The highest cost of material and work. The design of a marble or granite floor, as a rule, is inextricably linked with the interior of the entire room (landscape), therefore, requires the coordinated work of an architect, constructor, designer and performer. High qualification of masters is required. The materials have a high water absorption (about 5%), which means they are not resistant to temperature changes (only applies to slabs with a thickness of less than 25 mm). Special technological equipment is required for processing and laying the material (stone-cutting and stone-cutting machines, cranes).

The large weight of materials is an advantage and a disadvantage at the same time. On the one hand, this makes the entire structure static, on the other hand, it complicates installation and requires a solid, dense base..

Laying technology

Small and medium-sized slabs (up to 600 mm wide and up to 20 mm thick) are laid according to the technology of ceramic tiles (porcelain stoneware) on a special mortar. Plates of a larger area and thickness, as well as solid slabs, are laid on a loose (unconsolidated) grinder – a dry cement-sand mixture 3: 1 (hardening occurs by gradual natural moisture). In this case, it is permissible not to use a screed with a horizon difference of up to 50 mm, since a rigid plate is a base in itself.

Porcelain stoneware

Porcelain stoneware is derived from ceramic tiles and granite. This is a relatively new material, the production technology of which is based on the principle of making tiles. The main difference is that granite chips and (sometimes) polymers are added to the raw materials. This significantly improves the operational properties of the product, while complicating the technology. Initially, it was used for purely technical purposes – in workshops and in production. However, the fact that porcelain stoneware lends itself to all kinds of processing has made it a popular finishing material. Today, porcelain stoneware is glazed, polished, extruded, rusticated, dyed (raw material), structured and satin-finished (waxed). Such a wide range of solutions quickly expanded the scope and the range of potential consumers..

Application area

The widest among the presented samples. The basic version – untreated slabs – is used in industrial and crowded premises. Suitable for workshops with light equipment (does not require a separate foundation). Polished slabs are more often used for office and administrative buildings. Various structured and rusticated options are used for artistic decoration of floors and walls in the restoration of historical buildings and the construction of cultural objects.

Advantages

Porcelain stoneware has gotten the best properties from ceramic tiles and granite. From granite he got a solid appearance, exceptional strength and durability, the ability to use without glaze, resistance to abrasion without loss of appearance and a variety of types of processing (see above). The advantages of ceramics are also evident: low water absorption increases frost resistance; the size of pores and microcracks makes it possible to lay on cement glue; availability of raw materials and manufacturability of production. Porcelain stoneware is suitable for facades (including the “dry” method) and outdoor work. The surface can be made anti-slip by roughening during processing. The material is not afraid of temperature changes. The performance of a porcelain stoneware floor does not depend on the thickness of the tiles. Resistant to chemical attack.

disadvantages

Due to the low water absorption (about 0.5%), a special expensive adhesive is required for facing external surfaces.

The laying technology is completely identical to ceramic tiles..

Mosaic tiles made of glass, composites and ceramics

The principle of surface finishing in the form of mosaics, patterns and designs has been known for hundreds of years. During this time, it has not lost its relevance, only the materials themselves have changed. Today, the following mosaic options are relevant:

1. Ceramic. Finely molded tiles 4–6 mm thick. Has all the properties described above. Allows you to create only a large pattern visible from a certain distance;
2. Composite. Represents small square tiles (“grain”) 6x6x3 mm made of chemically hardened plexiglass, fixed with glue on a piece of fiberglass measuring 250×250 mm.
3. Glass. The principle, as in the composite, the material “grain” – hardened glass. Allows you to create a mirror surface (foil base), simulate lighting. More suitable for walls, mainly used in flooring for partial decoration.

Application area

For ceramic – see above. The sanitary and hygienic properties allow the use of glass and composite mosaic tiles in rooms with the most stringent requirements – swimming pools, saunas, bathrooms, kitchens, operating rooms. Suitable for finishing fountains, porticos and false stained-glass windows.

Advantages

A huge range of colors and textures. Allows you to create a fairly accurate drawing. The composite material has high impact strength and abrasion resistance. Not susceptible to organic damage (mold). Water absorption is less than 0.1%, easy to clean. Service life from 50 years (subject to technology). The plasticity of the canvas makes it possible to clad rounded surfaces and bends. Minimum weight.

disadvantages

Requires careful preparation and cleaning of the base and high qualifications of the master. The adhesive layer is 2–5 mm, therefore the most even surface of the base is required. In this regard, it is necessary to apply an additional layer of self-leveling (“leveling”) mixture. The high cost of the tile itself, glue and grout. Cured glue and grout are hard to remove after hardening.

Laying technology

A layer of “leveling” mixture is applied to the surface of the cement-sand screed that is as flat as possible in plane and horizon. The self-leveling mixture must be matched to the adhesive to ensure good adhesion between layers.

Then the area is broken down and the drawing is applied (if any). On the surface no more than 1 sq. m, two-component glue is applied, and sheets with grains are laid according to the breakdown or drawing. The surface for the glue is dust-free and degreased. The laid mosaic should be insulated from contamination and kept for at least 24 hours.

After the glue has completely dried, the joints are filled. For this, a two-component grout based on epoxy resin or polymers is used. Excess grout should be carefully removed from the surface of the “grain” immediately. After filling the joints, isolate the room and hold for 12 hours

Council. As a rule, the manufacturer of polymer and glass mosaic tiles produces glue and grout specifically for their material. By choosing this option, you will save time and get the maximum effect from the result..

Granite stone / sandstone (“savage”)

The quarried boulders are cut (granite) or sorted (sandstone) by size. At the same time, sandstone retains its natural forms.

Application area

Creation of landscapes, paths, decoration of decorative reservoirs. Finishing of concrete and brick surfaces. Used to recreate historic interiors and exteriors. Paving paths or floors with small-piece granite (50x50x50, 100x100x100 mm) or sandstone plates (thickness from 25 mm) is an effective solution for interior work, unheated rooms, landscape.

Advantages

Both materials are unpretentious and insensitive to temperature changes and have an almost unlimited service life. Rough and angular textured surfaces provide the best anti-slip effect (of known materials). Decorative appearance. Granite cubes are usually ground on one side, which allows for both embossed and polished surfaces using the same stone. Doesn’t require high qualifications.

disadvantages

The remoteness of the object from the quarry increases the cost of the stone. When using sandstone slabs, due to low water absorption, delamination from the base can be observed over time. The color of the natural material significantly affects its cost – yellow sandstone can cost 1.5 times more than usual, and red – 2 times more expensive than yellow.

The significant weight of the stone is both an advantage and a disadvantage. Giving good static and strength, this factor makes the transportation of the material expensive, and the installation is laborious..

Laying technology

The simplest of these materials. After breaking up a room or territory, you need to pull the threads of the horizon. When laying out the street area, remember about drainage – the necessary slopes should be laid in advance.

The granite stone is laid on a hartsovka. The level is regulated by the thickness of the punching layer. After laying, the surface is completely covered with a cement-sand mixture 3: 1, thoroughly swept with a broom and abundantly, but without excessive washing out of the cement, spilled with water.

Attention! Do not place small granite stone on the ready-made mortar, it will peel off over time.

It is permissible to lay sandstone on a mortar, otherwise the technology coincides with granite.

Pivot table with prices. Prices are based on 1 sq. m without the cost of screed and adhesive:

When choosing a tile material, pay attention to the following points:

1. The dimensions of the tiles can have discrepancies both in the length of the edge and in the thickness. The more expensive the tiles are, the less these discrepancies (but they are always there).
2. When choosing an expensive finishing material, do not try to save on consumables. The quality of the adhesives must be adequate.
3. Violation of the technology of laying floor slabs leads to their peeling from the adhesive layer. In this case, the price and appearance of the tiles no longer matter..
4. For outdoor work and specific areas (sauna, “warm floor”) – select special adhesives.

As you can see from the article, various factors affect the final cost of flooring. The coating is affected by many loads – temperature, dynamic, static, abrasive. Moreover, there is always the best option for each project. The abundance of today’s market offerings provides quality solutions for any budget.