PORCELAIN TILES

Porcelain tiles are composed of finely-ground sand which is pressurised and heated to an extremely high temperature. The density of the materials makes porcelain very strong and less likely to chip and with a water absorption of less than 0.5% it has become a very popular material to use. Being harder does however make the porcelain tile more difficult to cut and install requiring special tools. As with ceramic tiles porcelain are available in floor, wall, listello and mosaic tiles. All available in a large variety of textures, colours and patterns.
Many porcelain and ceramic tiles are often designed to imitate natural stone such as marble and travertine. It is a great option for those who like the natural look but are on a budget or prefer a product that is lower maintenance.

1 Raw Materials

Clay-based raw materials give the mixture plasticity and mechanical strength, making the product easy to handle before it is baked.Quartz sand has a structural function, limiting changes in size during baking due to the clay content of the mixture.Feldspar-based raw materials are responsible for the vitreous formation, that guarantees the high level of compactness of the ceramic product.

2 Grinding and Atomization

During wet grinding inside large continuous grinding machines, water and the raw materials mix together to create a water-based suspension known as the slip.The slip is injected at a high pressure and atomised inside large steel cylinders called atomisers where, in contact with a flow of hot air at a temperature of 500 to 600°C, the water in the mixture evaporates almost instantaneously.
The granules obtained in this way are uniform and smooth, roundish in shape and feature a fine grain size. This, together with the controlled moisture (between 4 and 7%) of the atomised product are just what is required to give the right compactness during the subsequent pressing phase.

3 Pressing

The unbaked tiles are shaped by pressing the powder between two surfaces. The hydraulic or oil-hydraulic presses exercise a pressure in the region of 200 to 500 kg/cm2, giving rise to a very compact product. The process is carried out in various stages in order to enable effective expulsion of the air from the mass.

4 Drying

On coming out of the press, the unbaked tiles are taken to the drying system, where the residual moisture is removed from the mixture in conditions that are closely controlled in order to keep the product intact. Conveyor belts then carry the dried tiles to the enamelling line.

5 Glazing

The enamels are prepared in the colour workshops, by mixing together vitreous flakes called frits, kaolin, siliceous sand, oxides and pigments for colouring ceramics.Inside the enamelling booths, many different techniques are used for applying the enamel uniformly to the surface of the tiles.

6 Firing

In the continuous kilns the tiles, in a single layer of rows on rollers undergo a cycle consisting of pre-heating, baking at a temperature of around 1300°C and progressive cooling.The baking time is about 40 to 50 minutes, during which an extremely compact and resistant vitreous structure forms.

7 Selection

Along highly automated lines, sophisticated electronic systems check the size of each single tile, but assessing the quality of the enamelled surface is a job that can only be entrusted to the personnel.The tiles of various different chromatic shades (“tone”) and sizes (“calibre”) are then grouped into consistent batches.Technological know-how, backed by substantial investments in research and innovation, has enabled impure clay, with a rich history of its own, to be transformed into a resistant and lavishly decorated material for covering walls and floorings, indoors and outdoors, of homes, public offices, buildings