Floor tiles are generally hardier and more durable than wall tiles and can be applied on walls. Wall tiles are not recommended for floors as they are not designed to withstand foot traffic or abrasive forces.

Ceramic tile is a general term to define the tile, which is made from clays along with other inorganic raw materials that are fired to hardness.

• Homogeneous tiles are a type of porcelain tiles (full body porcelain).
• The two common types of porcelain tiles are full body porcelain and glazed porcelain.
• The colours in full body porcelain or homogeneous tiles run uniformly through its entire thickness. It will not expose its clay base when chipped.
• Glazed porcelain tiles may or may not have the same colours run through its thickness because of its top layer of glaze.

• Glazed tiles are ceramic tiles covered by a layer of glaze (either glossy or matte glaze). This hard glassy coating fired on top of it generally protect an image or pattern printed onto the tile surface. It also gives the tile its colour, texture and design.
• Unglazed tiles don’t have the glassy finish that glazed tiles have and their colour comes from the natural look of the clay and other minerals it is made from. They are good for high-traffic areas as the colour doesn’t wear off as easily as glazed tiles (Full Body Tile – Unglazed tile, not having a glaze coating the tile body. The full body of the tile is composed of clay material giving the final colour and pattern).
• Polished tiles are usually unglazed heavy-duty tiles (HT) that have gone through the grinding process until the surface shines evenly to achieve a high, uniform lustre.

• Honed – The surface finish of a tile, glazed or unglazed, that has had its surface polished in a satin finish.
• Lappato – The surface finish of tile that has been polished but not deep enough to attain the lustre of a full reflective polish.
• Matt – The surface finish of a tile in matt finish
• Structured – Term describing the character of the surface of the tile. There are many different types of surface structure. This unique character is given to the tile by the tile factory press.

The polishing process exposes microscopic pores that can trap spills, making them difficult to clean. It is important to quickly clean the spills before it dries.

Ensure the tiles chosen are durable and suitable for their intended application.

Tiles with lower water absorption rates are more compact and have higher mechanical strength. Wall tiles, which have higher water absorption rates and lower mechanical strength, should not be used for floors. Conversely, porcelain and floor tiles, with lower water absorption rates and higher mechanical strength, can be used on walls if desired.

Crucial for floor tiles, especially in high-traffic or slippery areas.

No floor tile is completely "slip-proof." To minimize the risk of slipping, consider the usage conditions and environment, such as the volume of foot traffic and the regular maintenance required to clean spills. For high-traffic or slippery areas, choose tiles with a higher slip tolerance

A single tile may not accurately portray the design effect of a product range. It's best to view tiles as a "carpet" from a standing distance of at least one meter to get a realistic visual representation.

• Textured-surface tiles provide more slip-resistance, and are suitable for households with children, babies or elderly, and for outdoors or areas susceptible to wetness, such as driveways, wet kitchens and bathrooms.
• If smooth tiles are preferred, limit the application to indoor areas such as dry bathrooms, bedrooms, living rooms and light cooking kitchens.
• If slip resistance is a priority, note that the slip resistant characteristics on the textured-surface tile will trap dirt and will be difficult to clean.

• resistance rating.

It is best to avoid using polished or semi-polished surfaces on floors in areas prone to water, grease, or oil exposure. These surfaces can become very slippery when wet, increasing the risk of accidents. Opt for tiles with a textured or matte finish for better slip resistance.

No, wall tiles are not designed to withstand foot traffic or abrasive forces and should not be installed on floors. Always use floor tiles for floor applications as they are specifically made to endure the wear and tear of foot traffic.

Not all tiles are suitable for outdoor use. To determine if a tile is appropriate for outdoor applications, check its technical specifications and ensure it can withstand the environmental conditions it will be exposed to, such as temperature changes, moisture, and UV exposure. Consult with the manufacturer or a tile professional if unsure.

Larger tiles can make a room look more elegant and spacious. They may cost slightly more, but have fewer grout lines.

• Measure the areas to be tiled and have your drawing plans, sketches and measurements on-hand.
• To ensure that you have sufficient tiles to complete your project, it is advisable to buy an excess to cater for wastages, breakages and future replacements. A general guide for the percentage of excess would be to add on 5% to 10% for normal installation and 15% to 20% for diagonal installation or for rooms with many curves and corners.

Properly installed and maintained ceramic tiles can last many years, with porcelain being the longest-lasting.

• Different manufacturers have different thicknesses. However, it is important to note that the thickness of tiles does not equal to the strength or durability. In fact, thickness is sometimes used to compensate the body strength. In other words, thicker tiles does not mean better tiles!
• We test our tiles coming out of production daily on various properties based on the MS ISO 13006 requirements and we have compared our tiles with other brands. We are confident of our quality. A ‘good’ quality depends partly also on choosing the right tile for the right place.

We do not differentiate our products into export and local tiles. All our tiles are for both export and local market. They all come out from the same production, are made from the same materials and have undergone the same quality tests.

• As ceramic tiles are made of natural materials that are compressed under high pressure before being kiln-fired at high temperatures, some variations will occur. Tiles will have variations in colour tones within the same batch, and more so from batch to batch.
• For some tiles, these variations are part of the design to give the tiles a natural characteristic and charm.

• Each batch of tiles will have shade variations, as this is an inherent characteristic of ceramic tiles. It is important to dry-lay the tiles first to ensure that you are satisfied with the colour of the tiles.
• It is also ideal to ensure that the lighting condition in the area being tiled is as close as possible to the final lighting condition, so that the final effect is as desired.
• Do take note that in the showroom, lighting and the environment affect the visual appearance, shades and colour tone of tiles.

• V1: UNIFORM APPEARANCE – Tiles have a harmonious shade and texture with low minimal variation.
• V2: SLIGHT VARIATION – Tiles have a slight variation in shade and texture.
• V3: MODERATE VARIATION – Tiles have a moderate variation in shade and texture.
• V4: SUBSTANTIAL VARIATION – Tiles have a random or substantial variation in shade and texture, and each piece of tile may be different in shade to one another.

• Cement mix is very rigid and does not meet the minimum performance criteria in accordance with the standards of BS EN 13888 and ISO 13007-3.
• A proper grout is formulated to have properties of good abrasion resistance, compressive and flexural strength, low shrinkage and low water absorption.

Tiles are fired at high temperatures, making them hard but relatively brittle (i.e., non-resilient). It is best to avoid impact from hard objects to prevent chipping.

Cracking at the corners of tiles is usually due to insufficient coverage of adhesive under the tile corners. Ensure full adhesive coverage during installation to prevent this issue.

Deep cracks are likely due to excessive movement in the substrate during shrinking and curing or underlying structural issues. Addressing these substrate movements can help prevent such cracks.

• Known as ‘crazing,’ these fine hairline cracks on the glazed surface can be caused by:

  • Manufacturing defects, such as low-quality glaze.
  • Excessively thick adhesive application during installation.
  • High cement content in mortar, causing high shrinkage during curing.

The white powdery substance is known as efflorescence, where soluble salts rise to the surface of a cement-based substrate. It can be cleaned with mild diluted acid or vinegar. While it usually clears up over time with repeated cleaning, it may persist if there is an ongoing issue with rising dampness from the substrate.

Hollowness can be due to several factors:

• Insufficient adhesive coverage under the tile.
• Using the wrong adhesive, resulting in poor bonding.
• Incorrect installation, allowing the adhesive to ‘skin’ before the tiles are installed.
• Using the buttering system instead of the trowelling system.

Tile debonding or buckling can be caused by:

• Setting movement: Drying shrinkage or hydraulic shrinkage.
• Tiling onto substrates that have not fully cured.
• Absence of movement joints (control joints): To accommodate setting movement, thermal movement, and moisture movement.
• Butt-jointing.
• Incorrect fixing specification: Fixing systems not compatible with tiles, stone slabs, and/or substrate.
• Poor workmanship (site practices): Abuse of products (adulteration/dilution), poor substrate preparation, contaminated tile back, or wrong fixing system.
• Settlement movement: In-elastic deformation or creep.

Ensure floors and walls are straight, check for necessary treatments, remove dust, and mark out fixture locations. Dry-lay tiles to check shades and patterns.

To confirm the tiles purchased meet your required specifications.

• Lay tiles with the back logo positioned in the same orientation in order to reduce possible planarity issues.
• Ensure good housekeeping to avoid maintenance issues after the work is completed.
• Clean all spills immediately. Always refer to the manufacturer’s recommendations for the care and cleaning of tiles.
• Do periodic checks as work progresses in order to ensure that the blend and effect is maintained and no defective tiles are installed.
• Leave tiles to set. Setting time varies from a few hours to a few days, depending on the type of base surface and adhesive used.
• Apply grout as the final step after allowing sufficient time for tile to cure.

After installation, it is always recommended to:

• Remove excess grout residue with a grout remover.
• Use a wet vacuum to pick up suspended grout residue and construction dirt.
• Avoid working over tiles during curing time and protect the tiled areas with PVC sheets when working on other areas within the space.
• Avoid foot traffic on newly tiled floors for 4 days to 10 days.
• Avoid vibrations and hammering near newly installed areas.

• Regular Maintenance: Sweep or vacuum your tiled floors regularly to remove loose sand and other contaminants before wet mopping.
• Avoid Abrasive Tools: Do not use metal pads or brushes for cleaning as these can wear out the glazed layer of the tiles.
• Choosing Cleaning Agents: Use gentle all-purpose household or commercial cleaning agents that do not contain hydrofluoric acids or their compounds, and select products that do not contain ammonia, as ammonia can cause discoloration to the grout joints.
• For Polished Tiles: Wipe dry with a soft cloth to prevent water spots and to increase shine.
• For Unglazed Tiles: Use neutral pH concentrated tile cleaners to remove oil, grease, and spills.

A gentle all-purpose cleaner, water and a clean cloth, sponge or non-metallic brush can be used to remove soap scum, cooking oil and mildew on your tiled walls. The cleaned area should be rinsed thoroughly with water and dried. It is recommended to choose a product that does not contain ammonia, as ammonia can cause discolouration to the grout joints.