The choice of floor and wall tiles is a decision for years. Although the terms "ceramics" and "gres" are often used interchangeably, there are significant technological differences behind them. This article explains what each material, including technical regression, is characterized by to help you make a conscious decision tailored to specific needs and conditions of use.
What is ceramics and where is it used?
Ceramic tiles are a wide category of products, including popular glaze and terracotta. They are formed from clay, which after forming is burned at lower temperatures (approximately 900-110°C) and under lower pressure than gres. This results in a more porous structure, and hence a greater water saturation. Because of this, ceramics is less resistant to frost and mechanical damage. Its main advantage is the richness of patterns and colors, obtained thanks to the glaze layer, and the lower price. Ideal as a wall cladding in rooms with low traffic and low humidity, such as kitchens and bathrooms.
Gres: characteristics, types and popular applications
Gres, often referred to as porcelain ggres, is a kind of ceramic tile produced from a mixture of noble raw materials: clay, kaolin, quartz sand and rock. The key in its production is ironing at very high pressure and firing at temperatures exceeding 1200°C. This process leads to the glazing of the mass, creating an extremely compact and homogeneous structure. Main differences between ceramics and ggres This is the result of this technology – the ggres has a very low saturation (below 0.5%), making it frostproof and ideal for external applications. It is also much tougher and more resistant to abrasion and bending. We distinguish glazed (with decorative layer) and unglazed (technical).
Technical Gres: characteristics and applications under demanding conditions
The technical Gres is the strongest and most durable variety of Gres. Its characteristic feature is the uniform construction throughout the cross section – the plate is dyed in weight, meaning that its colour and structure are the same on the surface and inside. This makes possible scratches or chippings virtually invisible. Key technical characteristics is extreme resistance to abrasion, impact, chemical activity and staining. It is a material designed to work in the most difficult conditions. Application of the technical Grecus mainly includes very high traffic areas: garages, workshops, warehouses, industrial facilities, shopping malls, terraces, external stairs and communication lines.
Comparison of technical parameters: saturation, abrasion, frost resistance
To fully understand which material will work in a given place, it is necessary to ceramics ggres comparison for key technical parameters. They, not just the appearance, determine the durability and functionality of the cladding. The following summary highlights fundamental differences in the most important properties of these materials.
Key parameters in the pill
The analysis of the following features allows for a conscious selection of material tailored to the specifics of the room – from the bathroom at home to the floor in the production hall.
- Water absorption: It's the most important parameter. For ceramics (glazes, terracotta) it is above 3%. For grits, this is less than 0.5%. The low soaking of the greek directly translates into its frostiness.
- Frostproof: It is a direct consequence of saturation. Gres, without absorbing water, is fully frostproof. Most traditional ceramic tiles are not suitable for outdoor use in our climate.
- Resistance to abrasion (PEI class): Specify how resistant the surface of the plate is to abrasion. Wall ceramics (glazura) usually has PEI class 1-2. PEI floor terracotta 3-4. The glazed Gres reaches the PEI 3-5 class, and the technical ggres is practically inaccurable.
- Mechanical strength: Gres is much more resistant to bending and impact than ceramics, resulting from its dense, compact structure obtained in the ironing and firing process.
How to choose the right material: ceramics, ggres or technical ggres?
The final decision should be dictated primarily by the place of installation and the expected intensity of use. There is no one universal solution, and each of the materials has its own dedicated applications in which it works best. Only price or aesthetics without regard to technical parameters can lead to rapid destruction of cladding and costly repairs.
Select ceramics (glazed), if you are looking for wall cladding for interiors where the richness of designs is crucial and mechanical loads and water exposure are minimal. On floors in places with low traffic intensity (e.g. bathroom, bedroom) you can consider terracotta. In turn glazed ggres is a universal choice for floors throughout the house – from the hall to the living room, as well as terraces and balconies. It combines high durability with almost unlimited arrangement possibilities. On the other hand technical regression is uncompetitive where priority is absolute strength: in garage, boiler room, in the driveway or in intensely exploited public spaces.
