The potentiality of the ceramic tiles over vitrified tiles can be understood by the following table. The technical specifications of vitrified tiles are given, in which some of the specifications are also fulfilled by the ceramic tiles, which is also shown in the following table:
Analysis
Sr.
Characteristics
Vitrified Tile
Bell Floor Tiles
Bell Wall Tiles
EN176 BI, , IS13756, ISO13006 BIa
Bell norms
Bell norms
A
Dimension & Surface Quality
1
Deviation in length
+/- 0.6%
Max. +/- 0.4%
Max. +/- 0.3%
2
Deviation in thickness
+/-5%
Max. +/- 0.5%
Max. +/- 0.3mm
3
Rectangularity
+/- 0.6%
Max. +/- 0.4%
Max. +/- 0.1%
4
Surface flatness (warpage)
+/- 0.5%
Max. +/- 0.4mm
Max + 0.5mm
5
Surface quality
Min.95% free from defects
> 95%
>95%
B
Physical Properties
1
Water absorption (%)
<0.5%
3% to 6%
10% to 20%
2
Bending strength (N/sq.mm)
>=27
Avg. 25.506 N/mm2
AVG. 15.7N/mm2
3
Scratch hardness (Mohs) >= 3
Minimum 6
Minimum 7
Min – 3
4
Resistance to surface abrasion
To be specified by mfr.
Group V
-
5
Crazing resistance
Required
Passes 2 cycles at 7.5kgs/cm2 steam pressure
Passes 2 cycles at 7.5kgs/cm2 steam pressure
C
Chemical Properties
1
Resistance to household chemicals
Required
Minimum class A
Minimum class B
D
Thermal Properties
1
Thermal shock resistance
No damage
Resistance to 10 cycles
Resistance to 10 cycles
2
Thermal expansion
Max 9x10-6 K-1 at 100ºC
Max. 9E-06 at 100º c
Max. 9X10-6 k-1 At 100º c.
As per the above table, the third column shows the technical specification of vitrified tiles as per EN176 BI, IS13756, ISO13006 BIa. 4th and 5th column shows the technical specifications of ceramic tiles for floor and wall respectively, which are followed by Bell. As ceramic tile’s rates are cost effective with compared to vitrified tiles, ceramic tiles mostly achieve many technical specifications of the vitrified tiles that we can easily understand from the table shown above. For example, in case of surface quality, dimension, deviation in thickness, rectangularly, scratch resistance (Group V), crazing resistance, thermal shock resistance, co-efficient of liner expansion, resistance to household chemicals, bending strength the ceramic tiles is mostly same in comparison to vitrified tiles.
