Porcelain tile is the most aesthetically attractive and practical finishing material to date. Initially, it was used for technical purposes, for example, in industrial enterprises and in public places. But modern technology has allowed the creation of new types of products in which the outstanding properties and characteristics of porcelain tiles are combined with different design options and an extensive palette of shades and textures.
The basis for creating porcelain tiles is a slip, which is a porridge-like soft porcelain mass. The composition of the raw materials includes:
- illite clays;
- kaolin;
- quartz;
- feldspar.
If you want to use porcelain stoneware to decorate the premises of your house or apartment, you should deal with the characteristics and properties of this material in more detail, and this will be discussed below.
Material weight
The weight of 1 m2 of porcelain stoneware will depend on the thickness of the tile. This characteristic is one of the important that should be considered when buying and choosing finishes. If you pay attention to European standards, you can understand that the specific gravity of porcelain stoneware is 2,400 kg / m 3 , which is approximately equal to the specific gravity of the glass. Porcelain tile has water absorption in the range from 0.01 to 0.05%. This indicates that the porosity of the material tends to zero, so it is heavier than the usual ceramic tiles.
The weight of 1 m2 of granite can be determined, starting from some parameters. For example, with a product thickness of 9 mm, a square meter will weigh about 19.5 kg. If you take a square tile with a side of 300 mm and a thickness of 12 mm, then the weight will be 28 kg / m 2 . The weight of 1 m2 of granite will be less if the thickness is reduced to 10 mm. For a tile of this format, one square meter will weigh about 24 kg.
From this we can conclude that the weight per square meter depends on the thickness and size of the tiles. The main parameter will affect the choice of glue. If the elements are heavy enough, you should choose a glue composition so that the tile does not slip from the surface during facing work.
Basic properties
When choosing a building material, you should familiarize yourself with its basic properties. Only in this way will you be able to purchase a sample whose characteristics will correspond to the operating conditions. When finishing the floor, for example, wear resistance is one of the important indicators. The resistance of the material to dynamic effects and abrasion depends on this.
Porcelain tile has frost resistance, so it can be used outdoors. In practice, it is able to withstand more than 100 cycles of freezing and thawing. The material does not absorb moisture, therefore, even at sub-zero temperatures it will not become cracked.
It can interact with any chemicals, the reaction will not occur. When you know the weight of 1 m2 of granite, you should also pay attention to such an important indicator as bending strength. This parameter is almost three times higher than the same characteristic of natural stone. If we compare with floor tiles, then the difference in the direction of porcelain stoneware will be 1.5 times greater. This is due to the high density of the material, which is 1,400 kg / m 3 .
Now you know how much porcelain tile weighs (weight 1 m2). You may be interested in other characteristics. This may be the size of the items. The most common is a square with sides of 600 x 600 mm, while the thickness varies from 7 to 14 mm. The resistance of the material to sliding will depend on the surface roughness. If you use porcelain stoneware outside the premises, then you should choose a material with pronounced relief, which will reduce the risk of injuries. Porcelain tile has another important advantage, which is expressed in the ability to retain heat, so it can be used in the arrangement of heating systems and ventilated facades.
Characteristics
Among the main characteristics of porcelain stoneware are the following:
- abrasion;
- moisture absorption;
- color fastness;
- wear resistance;
- roughness.
As for moisture absorption and frost resistance, porcelain tile can be considered the best material with high moisture resistance by these two characteristics. Material complies with EN standard. According to him, the plate has a stability of 3%.
We found out how much porcelain tiles weigh for a floor (weight 1 m2). You can also get acquainted with other characteristics, for example, resistance to frost. This indicator is one of the main ones. It determines the possibility of operation not only indoors, but also on the street. Technical properties are measured in 50 cycles of temperature change, which are equal to the same number of years.
Flexural and abrasion resistance
According to the aforementioned standard, porcelain stoneware meets two parameters: scratch resistance and fracture resistance. The first characteristic is 6 Mohs, while the resistance to fracture is equal to or greater than 27 N / m 2 . As for abrasion, porcelain stoneware can correspond to one of five well-known classes.
Wear and color fastness
The first parameter provides three criteria that determine the durability of the material, among them should be highlighted:
- deep abrasion;
- surface abrasion;
- general durability.
According to the aforementioned standard, technical properties define this value as EN 205. The weight of 1 m2 of porcelain stoneware with 10 mm tile thickness was mentioned above. However, before buying the material, you should also familiarize yourself with the color fastness. The described building sample is characterized in that the surface does not interact with chemical elements and is not exposed to ultraviolet radiation. The more rough and complex the texture is, the more the surface is exposed to contamination.
Weight finish with glue
The weight of 1 m2 of porcelain stoneware with glue will be calculated taking into account the weight of one square meter of the cladding and the mass of the adhesive applied to the same area. The final value will also depend on the size of the trowel teeth. If this value is 6 mm, then about 2.7 kg of glue will take out per square meter.
In order to find out how much the finish will weigh together with glue, it is necessary to add 2.7 kg to the above value of the mass of building material, which will allow to obtain 22.2 kg. This value is minimal and true for tiles 9 mm thick.
Finally
In order to determine the load of finishing on the ceiling, it is necessary to know the weight of 1 m2 of porcelain tile (600 x 600 - these are the dimensions of the tile). For such parameters, the mass of one square meter will be approximately 23 kg. However, this characteristic is not one of the most important. It is necessary to pay attention also to properties that indicate the area of use of the material. For example, some types of porcelain stoneware are intended for external cladding, others for internal. One tile is used to decorate the walls, while the other, rough, is used to finish the floor.