When you are remodeling your home or you just move out to a new one, you may be looking for the best tiles.
As you probably already know, you have plenty of different tiles options to choose from. However, it’s important to keep in mind that you can’t use all tiles the same way. Today, we decided to take a closer look at glazed tiles.
What Are Glazed Tiles?
Simply put, glazed tiles are the ones that have a shiny finish. If you go to a tile store, you will see that there are mainly two types of tiles; the ones with a shiny finish which are glazed tiles, and the ones with a matte finish.
To ensure that you get glazed tiles, the manufacturer needs to apply enamel glaze as well as a polished finish.
How To Choose Glazed Tiles
In case you already decided that you want to buy glazed tiles, then you need to know that these aren’t all the same in terms of abrasion resistance. This is why you want to ensure that you always look at the PEI rating.
The PEI rating or Porcelain Enamel Rating is a rating that is used by manufacturers to evaluate the abrasion resistance of glazed tiles.
The reason why it matters is that most of the time, customers are worried if the tile is easily scratched or if it may be scratching over time. The truth is that if you don’t take the PEI into consideration, you may be using the wrong type of glazed tiles which means that they may end up scratched a lot easier.
Understanding The PEI Rating
As we already mentioned above, the PEI rating evaluates the abrasion risk of glazed tiles.
You need to keep in mind that the PEI rating includes 6 different classes. So, by looking at each one, you should be able to know where you can use the glazed tile and where you shouldn’t use it.
Class 0:
Glazed tiles that belong to this class should only be used for wall applications and for light duty. Besides, it should be in an area that isn’t very exposed to abrasion as well as traffic. You should never use these tiles for floors.
Class 1:
Again, the glazed tiles that belong to this category should only be used on wall applications. You may apply thee in fireplaces, shower walls, bathrooms, and general walls
Class 2:
Just like the two previous classes, you can apply these glazed tiles to walls but also to light-duty floors. For example, your home bathroom is one of the places where you can apply these tiles. On the other hand, you should avoid applying these in mudrooms, foils, or any other room that has a lot of traffic.
Class 3:
When you are looking for glazed tiles that you can use all over your home, then these are the ones. You can apply them to hallways, foyers, and even kitchens.
Class 4:
While you can use these glazed tiles on your home’s floor, these are made more for commercial applications such as a lobby or an office area.
Class 5:
Just like the previous class, these glazed tiles are meant for commercial applications. But these are a bit different since they may include restaurants, malls, and even airports.