Which material is preferred for the finish of the bathroom? In most cases, choose a tile. It has the required performance, has a long service life. An important factor is the long preservation of the original appearance. To select the optimal variant, you need to know the main criteria, which include not only the drawing and size, but also technical characteristics.
Wear resistance and porosity
There are several accepted standards for the quality of tiles. The most famous of them are DIN( Germany), BS( UK) UPEG( France).But the norms of the European Commission for Standardization UNI EN, developed in Italy, are most common. They give the most complete description of the finishing material in terms of parameters that are important for the consumer.
Classification of wear resistance
The most important of these is wear resistance. It characterizes the ability to preserve the appearance with constant mechanical action. The abrasion of the surface( the appearance of defects, scratches and abrasions) can only occur after exceeding the maximum load.
- PEI I - not designed for permanent effects. It is used for wall cladding.
- PEI II - has better mechanical strength. Tiles of this class can be installed both on the walls and on the floor in the bathroom. But while walking on it is recommended only in home shoes.
- PEI III is a versatile version suitable for mounting on all types of premises in a residential building or apartment( read the article on laying tiles).
- PEI IV - is designed for installation in public and industrial buildings. Has maximum resistance to abrasion of the surface. But because of the large thickness to lay this tile in the bathroom is not advisable.
Another important parameter is the porosity - the degree of water absorption by the structure of the finishing material. For a bathroom that is characterized by high humidity, it is necessary to choose a single firing tile with the following water absorption indicators in accordance with EN 176 BI standard.
- For the floor - up to 3%.
- For walls - up to 10%.
This is best suited for monocoature tiles. Glazed models are recommended for wall cladding, since their surface is subject to a greater degree of abrasion.
Size and shape
Standard dimensions for tiles of various shapes
Knowledge of the overall dimensions of tiles is necessary for choosing the optimal model. This parameter will determine not only the final appearance of the coating, but also will directly affect the optimization of the installation.
From the point of view of labor intensity, experts recommend installing large tiles. However, this is only possible if the following conditions are met.
- Prepared surface. Even small irregularities in the plane of the walls or the floor can lead to a significant deviation in the level.
- Minimizing waste when cutting. To do this, it is necessary to make a plan of laying in advance and choose the optimum size of tile.
For the floor, products with a thickness of 9 to 11 mm are best suited. A greater value affects the increase in the labor intensity of cutting. Wall models should have a minimum mass, so their thickness rarely exceeds 9 mm. Detailed information on this and other important characteristics can be found on the example of the assortment of the Internet hypermarket Gipostroy. This is facilitated by a convenient search form and detailed specifications for each model and collection of tiled bathroom tiles.
Legend and Decoding
In practice, it is important for a consumer to know the conventions or markings adopted. Thus, manufacturers clearly inform customers about the properties of tiles.
With these pictograms, you can, without opening the package, determine the suitability of the product for styling in the bathroom. Graphic designations may vary slightly, but this does not affect the objectivity of the information.
Aesthetic properties of
What is the appearance of the bathroom after installing the tiled decorative material? In many respects this is determined by the color of the surface and the coating. Currently, you can choose products with the following external distinctive features.
- Without enamel coating. The best option for arranging the floor in the bathroom. It is best for him to choose models with a corrugated surface to reduce slip.
- With enamel coating. It is intended to improve the appearance. Depending on the technology of production, it can be of two types - matte or glossy.
Example of design of a bathroom in cream color
As for the color scheme - you can choose the most diverse collections and models. Traditionally, the bathroom uses green, white or blue shades. But recently, cream colors have become popular. Everything depends on personal preferences and planned bathroom design.
