Porcelain and its use

Gres is today one of the most beautiful and sought-after materials in class.Excellent performance, aesthetic appearance and unique properties make people bow down to the choice of this material worldwide.In this article we will talk about what is granite, and where it is used.

Features

Porcelain was invented more recently, in the 70s of the last century, in one of the Italian towns.Literally, from the Italian word "granite" is translated as ceramics, stone and porcelain, which is more than accurately reflects its essence.

Porcelain is a harmonious combination of the best qualities of natural granite, ceramics and porcelain.This is a beautiful durable material with excellent consumer characteristics.

composition and production

Porcelain is made from a mixture of varieties of white clay, silica sand, feldspar and various dyes.

production process consists of the following stages:

1. first step - the formation of tiles from prepared mass and subsequent pressing using hydraulic presses under a pressure of 5 tons per 1 square centimeter.
2. Step Two - firing at 1300C.At this stage, the raw material is sintered to form a solid durable material.

special production technology makes it possible to produce the material, at times exceeding the strength of the ceramic tiles.Also, the process is almost completely recreates the natural conditions for the formation of natural rock.The main difficulty in making the most accurate proportioning of raw materials and monitor the temperature conditions, especially when the amount of raw materials measured in tens of tonnes.The error only 1-2 degrees can disrupt the geometric parameters of the tile.

Properties

To list all the advantages of porcelain tiles, it will take a lot of time and place, but this stuff is definitely worth it.We select and consider only the most obvious and the main advantages of stoneware tiles.

advantages of porcelain stoneware:

• high strength - gradual heating to high temperatures and strong compact liquidate the smallest cavities and pores, allowing a phenomenally solid material;
• abrasion resistance;
• low water absorption - more precisely, the water absorption of porcelain stoneware is virtually absent (only 0.05%);
• high frost resistance - can withstand temperatures up to -50 ° C;
• long-term operation;
• pleasing appearance.

Features Operating

granite structure in nature resembles glass, not to mention that granite can shatter like glass.This does not mean that it is brittle.On the contrary, we must work hard to find him a rival in strength!The fragility and hardness - different concepts.Porcelain plate can only be broken during transport or careless installation.But as soon as the plate is laid, it is possible to go on at least an armored personnel carrier - nothing will happen.

stoneware slabs produced in thickness from 4 mm to 30 mm.Most popular plate thickness of 10 to 14 mm.They are great for lining floors in industrial premises, even though they are quite expensive.The cost of granite slabs depends on its thickness, texture and color.

most expensive 3-hsantimetrovye plates are made only to order.However, the strength of the board for the most part does not depend on the thickness and quality of stacking.So, well laid plate 7 mm can quite compete with the hastily pasted 30 timillimetrovym heavyweight.

Appearance

By adding different dyes and the use of special processing technology allows for completely different "grades" granite.

Classification by surface texture:

• polished - with the surface of the plate cut the front part of the rough and polished it.These boards are mainly used for decorative finishes because the surface is very beautiful, "capricious" and impractical - easily scratched and heavily slips when wet;
  
• unpolished or "matte" - slabs are not machined after heat treatment in the furnace.This is the cheapest form of granite;
  
• -slip - plates with embossed pattern used for floors.
  

Staining For staining porcelain apply special coloring compositions which are a mixture of the original pigment that occur in the natural environment.So, to give a granite slab bright green juicy shade is necessary to add a mixture of zirconium.For blue porcelain using cobalt compounds.But, as you can immediately see the color granite is much more expensive than the usual "salt-pepper" gray-colored plates because the cost of pigments is quite high.

One way to reduce the cost of porcelain stoneware tiles - partial staining.Material coated pigment that colors only a few millimeters from the entire plate thickness.In this way, make plate, painted to look like marble, granite and basalt.Such a method saves expensive pigments, thus reducing the cost of the final product.

There stoneware slabs interspersed with shells, stones and attractive embossed texture.In their production takes a little more time.After creating a granite base plate covered with a layer it with the necessary "ingredients" or ordered relief pattern, and then sent to the press.Making such an original design ceramics is expensive, so the cost of her relevant.

But despite the best efforts of designers, granite is only an imitation of natural stone.Good or bad everyone decides for himself, but is not out of place to mention another fact.Unlike natural granite rocks completely lacks a radioactive field, while stones have in any case will be present background radiation.

«Wood Ceramics»

This porcelain stoneware slabs processing technology is designed to mitigate the "coolness" of stone and creating a "wooden" analog with all the smallest details, textures and colors.Just imagine how it will look amazing stone flooring, which is externally indistinguishable from wood!And how many generations it will last!For this then easy to maintain unlike wood.The only negative for granite floor - cold.Stone does not heat, and therefore the installation of such a coating is an excellent reason to buy a beautiful carpet or heating installation.

Application

examined the characteristics of porcelain tiles, it becomes clear that this exclusive material useful in many industries.The application range of stoneware tiles incredibly wide.It is suitable for both interior decoration and external works.

Applications porcelain:

• finishing in places with large human stream (subway, railway stations, airports).The coating of porcelain is practically forever, so saves the state budget without the need for frequent repairs;
• floors, sidewalks and steps of granite are not inferior in quality to expensive self-leveling floors;
• facades of granite - for facades use large slabs of 14 mm thickness and dimensions of 60x60 cm Usually granite "flaunts" on state institutions, giving them a strict and formal appearance;.
• interior - if you use granite for the street is beneficial, then applying it inside the house, you can create a noble and unusual interiors.The material does not require virtually no maintenance and does not absorb liquids, so from it are obtained beautiful kitchen countertops, covering and interior elements for bathrooms;
• use in industrial areas - granite brings great exposure to aggressive chemicals, so it is perfect for finishing shops and industrial premises.High heat resistance can be used in boilers.Porcelain plate thickness of only 8.5 mm can withstand a load of 200 kg per 1 square centimeter, so you can safely put these plates on the floor in the garage.

Useful recommendation: to distinguish the real from the fake granite or ceramic tiles, look at the cut material - drawing on the cut granite slabs completely duplicates the front of the drawing.