Porcelain tiles for bathroom. Finishing of bathroom with ceramic granite

Every year, artificial finishing materials are becoming more and more in demand. The thing is that natural products are much more expensive than artificial products. Moreover, the second option is a little more practical in terms of use in the construction process. There are a lot of positive aspects of this product, and gradually they become more and more significant.

In terms of finishing the bathroom,materials with which you could transform space. In most cases, pottery is used, which has long proven itself from the best side.

Now people want something original and interesting in their own way. In some cases, there is no need for radical changes, it is enough just to slightly change the perception of space.

In this article we will talk about granite - artificial finishing material, which is considered to be one of the most interesting solutions of recent years. Despite this name, the material still resembles classical ceramics, but its characteristics and properties attract far more attention than the usual material for finishing the bathroom.

Also in the material, we will consider the main scenarios associated with the process of finishing the bath, as well as the subtleties that are often encountered during this event.

Features and properties of porcelain stoneware

Ceramic granite has become very common recently. However, after the material went on sale in construction stores, it began to be used almost everywhere. This is a truly universal finishing material, which is used both as an exterior decoration of the building, and for decorating the walls inside the house. Such wide application of the material is dictated by its properties.

Ceramic granite is produced by semi-dry pressing on the basis of a press powder at high pressure, and also high temperature( up to 1300 degrees Celsius).The press powder itself can be obtained from a slurry.

Despite this, on sale you can find more than a dozen types of tiles, each of which can be used in certain conditions. Among the main types of tiles are the following:

• Frosted porcelain tiles. This material is a tile with unpolished surface. Accordingly, this material is best used for exterior decoration of the building. Such products are resistant to precipitation and many other external influences.
• Polished porcelain tiles. Most often this material has a virtually mirror-like surface. Therefore, it can be used as a surface finish inside the room. However, one should bear in mind that polishing ceramic granite is not an expensive pleasure, but after a while the mirror layer will turn into a matte layer.
• Satin-colored granite. Such material refers to decorative finishing resources. This porcelain stoneware has a wax base, which does not slip, but at the same time it differs in brilliance. Unfortunately, this kind of material does not endure high loads, so it's best to lay satin-finish ceramic granite exclusively on the interior wall surfaces.
• Technical ceramic granite. Externally, this material is almost identical to natural granite, but its properties are slightly different. Technical it is called for the reason that it is not subjected to additional treatments. However, this does not interfere with the use of this material as an element for decorating the suburban area or even the foundation of the dwelling. The cost of such products is relatively low.
• Structured granite. This product has an original relief that allows you to successfully imitate the surface of wood. Of course, you can create whole images and compositions without problems, but for this you need to have special equipment. If there is a need to use such material, you can contact one or another manufacturer( fortunately, there are many such today) and order your original solution. Moreover, the relief on such a surface can resemble both fabric and even natural skin. Everything is limited only by the price issue, and such a pleasure is not cheap.
• Glazed porcelain tiles. As can be understood from the title, this material has a rather attractive surface, differing in brilliance. This is true, but after a while the smoothness of such granite begins to rapidly disappear. But at the same time, the strength of this product is much higher than the same ceramic tiles. Thus, it is an excellent choice for those who most of all in such products appreciate reliability and durability.

Dimensions of porcelain tiles

Ceramic granite can be found in almost every construction shop, so you need to keep in mind that this material has a fixed size. More often on sale there are the following dimensions of the product: 30x30 cm, 45x45 cm, and 60x60 cm.

If we talk about the thickness of ceramic granite, then it has almost no importance. The strength of thick and thin products is approximately the same. Therefore, for the walls, you can safely use the material with a thickness of 3 mm. Plates are suitable for the floor, the thickness of which is 8 mm. If it is a question of enterprises, then products with increased thickness should be used, since there is a risk of cracks if a heavy object falls onto the surface. Again, for the decor, you can use the most fragile production options, and with the proper laying technology, the material will not be damaged for anything.

Advantages of porcelain stoneware before other finishing materials

If we talk about finishing the interior walls of the home, then porcelain stoneware is not used very often. An exception is the bathroom, because it is there that the humidity is high. Accordingly, with this trouble ceramic granite is very easy to handle. But this is not the only advantage of the material in comparison with many other finishes. It should be noted several of the most important advantages that classical porcelain tiles possess:

• Strength and absence of cracks. Porcelain is very difficult to damage, and this is true for the bathroom. If we are talking about conventional ceramics, then this material is more fragile than porcelain stoneware. In the bathroom it is easy enough to damage the finishing material, and this must always be borne in mind. Moreover, porcelain stoneware can withstand high pressure on the surface.
• Low absorption of moisture. Again, for the bathroom it is very important that the finishing material does not absorb moisture, as the surface will gradually break down. In turn, granite has an extremely low moisture absorption coefficient. This suggests that the effect of moisture for him is of no importance. In this case, do not think that in such conditions, moisture does not pose any threat. It should be remembered that between the tiles of porcelain stoneware there may be a small gap in which water can penetrate and thereby destroying the finish "from within".
• Attractive appearance of the surface. Unlike many other finishing materials, which gradually lose their initial brilliance and attractiveness, porcelain stoneware( often) for many years looks the same as on the day of purchase. The thing is that the surface of the material successfully counteracts most influences that adversely affect not only the characteristics of the material, but also its appearance. In this case, to care for the material still makes sense. In this way, we will be able to enjoy the novelty of the surface even longer.
• Ease of installation. This advantage will be enjoyed by those who do not have much experience in carrying out the process of facing the walls. Here, we only need to be considerate and responsible, and any mistakes can be corrected in the process. Despite this, the complexity of the work may vary slightly depending on the place where it all happens. Therefore, you should first receive instruction from professionals.

Paving process for porcelain stoneware

Preparatory work for

First of all you need to know that the process of laying ceramic granite is carried out in a precise temperature range. Accordingly, we must not allow the air temperature to drop below 10 degrees Celsius. Moreover, too high a temperature can also bring a lot of problems, so at more than 40 degrees to carry out the repair process is not necessary. If these measures are carried out on the street( facade decoration), then special attention should be given to the air temperature. Most often, such work is carried out in the summer.

Do not allow high humidity. With this issue within the bathroom there should not be any problems, however, during the next few days it is better not to use the bathroom. Especially, it is impossible to tolerate sharp changes in humidity, since the entire repair process can fail because of this. During the whole repair, it is best to close doors and windows tightly to stabilize the situation, even if the weather is changing rapidly outside the window.

Also at this stage we need to think about the location of the material on the surface. You can use a marker or a pencil to make a marking of walls and floor. In this case, you need to take into account not only the dimensions of the material itself, but also the gaps that will be present between the tiles.

Materials and resources required for

repair Most often the list of necessary materials( except porcelain stoneware) is as follows:

• grout for joints;
• silicone sealant;
• primer;
• crosses;
• glue for finishing material;
• water.

Also in the process we will need a container for glutinous mortar, a drill for mixing the mixture, a bulgarian, a building level, as well as the most common devices for measuring geometric dimensions( ruler, roulette, etc.).

Most of the work of

1. The process of laying ceramic granite begins with the application of mortar to the surface of the wall. It should be borne in mind that it is advisable to create a thin layer so that the mixture will quickly set.
2. Application of the mortar is carried out using a comb spatula, where it is necessary to repel the height of the teeth and the dimensions of the tile so that the laying process takes place most simply.
3. As for the mortar itself, it should be ordinary cement, however, care should be taken to ensure that there are no gaps and voids on the surface created for the finish, otherwise the whole finish may suffer.
4. The tiling starts from the bottom up. Accordingly, the process is carried out in rows, and you do not need to hurry, because the tiles should be located on the same level. In order to control this process, you need to use the building level. In addition, the same way you need to check the horizontal position of the tiles.
5. If there is a need to create a gap between the tiles, you need to use special crosses, which during the laying are located around the perimeter. Accordingly, we get a fixed distance, and after the end of the process the crosses can be easily removed. Each new row of tiles is stacked only after the previous one is fully seized.
6. Tiles are cut last. This procedure is carried out in those places where the standard size of the tile is simply not suitable. In this case, either the most ordinary Bulgarian or a tile cutter will help. If the porcelain is too thick, then the last tool is unlikely to be useful.
7. The last step is to use a fugue to fill the space between the tiles. This procedure is carried out only after the cement has solidified. First, you need to extract all the crosses located between the tiles, and fill the seams. It is best to use a rubber spatula in this process. Immediately after carrying out these works, it is necessary to clean the surface, since the grout is guaranteed to reach the tile.