Tiling: a modern way to cover walls and floors

Unglazed tiles have an irregular surface, with the same hardness and strength as the base material. Sealing makes unglazed tiles resistant to dirt and stains. Impregnation is particularly important for polished porcelain stoneware tiles, as their pores are opened by the removal of the fired skin. Ideally, the tiles are coloured throughout so that even deep scratches or chips remain inconspicuous. We usually apply the sealer before grouting, unless the tiles are already impregnated at the factory.

Our tiler recommends sealed, unglazed tiles for rooms that are heavily used with sturdy footwear, but where there is little risk of oil or coloured liquids penetrating the material.

Floor tiles are significantly thicker and more load-bearing than wall tiles. There are glazed floor tiles in different abrasion classes that are easy to clean, and unglazed tiles that are extremely hard-wearing. A tiled floor was traditionally found in kitchens, bathrooms and hallways, as it seemed too uncomfortable for living areas. This changed with modern design (for example wood look tiles) and the fact that more and more houses are heated via the floor. Floor tiles are now also popular in living and sleeping areas. They are also preferable to other floor coverings near wood-burning stoves, as they are hardly prone to scorch damage from embers and ash and soot are easy to remove.

Our tiler will be happy to show you the wide range of floor tile options available.

Stoneware differs from earthenware mainly by the higher firing temperatures of 1150 to 1300 °C. These make the material harder and allow it to absorb a maximum of 3 percent water. The addition of fluorspar and other fluxes further reduces porosity. Stoneware tiles are available both glazed and unglazed. Without glaze, the tiles have a slip-resistant surface structure. Porcelain stoneware refers to ceramic bodies with larger proportions of quartz, feldspar and other fluxes, which absorb even less water.

HSL-Technik recommends stoneware and porcelain stoneware tiles for areas subject to very high wear and for outdoor use. They are, for example, better suited than glazed earthenware tiles for floors on which wood-burning stoves stand.

Under the generic term mosaic tile, the professional includes all tiles with very small formats, which are usually glued onto 30 x 30 cm mesh mats. They can be made of glass, natural stone or ceramic. In addition to the many options for designing surfaces as mosaics, this method has the advantage that you can tile even small, angled areas very well. Mosaic tiles are a disadvantage on walls and floors that are exposed to water, for example in showers. The reason is the large proportion of porous joints in relation to dense tiles that a mosaic has. In general, a mosaic makes a room look busier and smaller. This can be both a disadvantage and an advantage.

Stone look tiles should not be confused with natural stone tiles. The latter have a smooth surface like ceramic tiles but are made of natural stone. A stone look tile, on the other hand, can be made of a ceramic body or natural stone. It always has an irregular surface reminiscent of natural stone. Depending on the finish, the tiles look like fired bricks or material broken from a rock. The finished tiled walls look like unplastered brick or rubble masonry or like a clinker wall. Stone look is suitable for bathrooms and living rooms as well as for outdoor areas, for example terraces. Stone look wall tiles are often combined with wood look floor tiles.