Extruded tiles
Tiles formed by the extrusion process wherein the still malleable or plastic raw clay is forced through a mould and then cut into shape before firing.

Finishes
Textural or visual characteristics of a tile surface. For glazed tile this may be high gloss, satin or matt. Generally for porcelain tiles, finish can be natural, polished, semi-polished, honed, lapped. Other finishes mimicking stone such as bush hammered are also available. Other effects include raised, embossed, dimpled, etched, scored, ribbed, etc.

Firing
Final step of tile manufacturing process when raw material is ‘baked’ at high temperature (up to 1250 degrees C for porcelain tiles) to harden the tile body and glaze (if present).

Format
The size of tiles or mosaics may vary from 10mmx10mm to 500x1000mmm. Format is a modern term that simply refers to size.

Frost resistance
Ability of certain ceramic tiles to withstand freeze/thaw conditions with minimal effect. Frost resistance of ceramic tile is dependent on the tile’s porosity and water absorption levels.

Glaze
Glassy opaque or transparent coating fired or fused on to the ceramic tile body, creating a smooth, impermeable surface.

Glazed porcelain
This tile has a porcelain ‘biscuit’, or foundation, over which a ceramic is applied (Glaze), to give the look of, for example, terracotta, but with more durability. Now the most popular type of indoor floor tile. They are dense, strong and best cut with a wet saw.

Glazed through-body porcelain
A glazed through-body tile mixes a pigment into the porcelain so the biscuit looks the same as the glaze. This is to counter one the drawbacks of normal glazed porcelain, is being that the surface glaze has the same weaknesses as a normal ceramic tile – it’s prone to chipping, and when it does, you’ll see the differently coloured porcelain biscuit underneath. With the through-body porcelain, if the glaze chips, it won’t look so unsightly.

Unglazed through-body porcelain
An unglazed through-body tile mixes a pigment into the porcelain so the biscuit looks the same as the glaze. This is to counter one the drawbacks of normal glazed porcelain, is being that the surface glaze has the same weaknesses as a normal ceramic tile – it’s prone to chipping, and when it does, you’ll see the differently colored porcelain biscuit underneath. With the through-body porcelain, if the glaze chips, it won’t look so unsightly.

Granite
A visibly granular, igneous rock ranging in colour from pink to light or dark grey and consisting mostly of quartz or feldspars, accompanied by one or more dark ferromagnesian minerals. Granite, which is denser in appearance than marble, is frequently used as a benchtop material, wall and floor tiles and cladding.

Grout
A rich or strong cementitious or chemically setting mix used for filling tile joints, which can come is a variety of colours.

Grout joint
Space left between tiles to be filled with grout. This space may be extremely narrow or wider depending on the required installation and/or its aesthetics.

Impact resistance
Ability of ceramic tile to resist breakage – either throughout the body or as surface chipping – as the result of a heavy blow. In general, ceramic tile is not a resilient material, and care should be taken to avoid dropping heavy or sharp objects on its surface. Glazed tiles are more susceptible to surface chipping than unglazed tiles.

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