In this article we are going to talk a little bit about an older material that is also a newer material. It has been used for several decades to cover surfaces in many environments. It can be found in virtually store that sells floor covering. It is even being used for kitchen countertops. You guessed it, we are talking about porcelain. In this article though, we will be talking about porcelain tile. Specifically we will mention some thoughts with regard to Fiandre Porcelain large format tiles. Conceptually, the points apply to porcelain tile of smaller sizes too. So let's get into our consideration of Fiandre Porcelain large tile.
Porcelain Tile Differs From Ceramic Tile
It is easy to begin thinking that the two materials ceramic and porcelain are the same material. However, that is not the case and before we get into the specifics about Fiandre Porcelain tile, we want to comment briefly on this fact. Just as squares are rectangles but rectangles are not necessarily squares, the same is true of ceramic and porcelain. Porcelain is ceramic, but not all ceramic tile is porcelain. For a ceramic tile to qualify as porcelain it must meet specific requirements. Regarding the thought that these are two distinct materials, note what the HGTV website published about this:
Ceramic and porcelain share many similarities, but they also have noteworthy differences, including porosity, maintenance and cost.
So, what we talk about in this article does not necessarily apply to all ceramic tile. So as we discuss Fiandre Porcelain large format tiles it is good to keep this in mind.
Porcelain Tile That Looks Like Natural Stone
There are a number of large format tiles in the family of Fiandre Porcelain that look like natural stone. The appearance is becoming more like quarried rock as technology progresses. Every year more and more porcelain is created to mimic the tried and true look of stone slabs.
Fiandre Porcelain Color Selection
When it comes to porcelain tiles in large format the color selection is outstanding. Because materials like Fiandre Porcelain can be created to specs, the color is simply a matter of experimenting until the desired look of the manufacturer is achieved. Once the exact look is created, it is capable of being reproduced repeatedly. Fiandre Porcelain as well as other brands of large format tiles have taken advantage of this technique. In fact, many brands are available in an aray of colors.
In fact, here is a list of colors for the brand of tile we are currently discussing as they are shown on this website:
Roccia Di Lucca
Basalto Nero Active
White Resin
Glam Bronze
Patagonia Maximum
Luce Blu
Blanche
Sharp Core
Magneto Corten
Megabrown
Calacatta Bellissimo
Seminato Nero
Mercury Maximum
Urban Grey Active
Snow Pulsar
Graphite Pulsar
Balance Dark Grey
Clacatta Dorato
Neo White
Megagrey
Balance Steel Blue
Basalto Bianco Active
Beige Fjord
Taxos
Bright Onyx
Solida White
Alaska White Maximum
Luce Black
Venus Maximum
Urban Ivory Active
Basalto Grigio Active
Basalto Bianco Active Wall
Neo Dove
Magneto Gold
Balance Mustard
Megablack
Seminato Miele
Urban Orange Decoro Lines More Active
Balance Marsala Red
Gold Onyx
Balance Azure
Arabescato Orobico
Deep Norway Maximum
Balance Ochre
300F Frost
Calacatta Dorato
Urban Blue Decoro Lines More Active
Celeste Aran Maximum
Basalto Grigio Active Wall
Noisette
Megawhite
Moon Maximum
Grey Resin
Balance Orange
Apuano Purissimo
Calacatta Light
Seminato Argento
Agata Black
450F Heat
Grey Aion
Alpi Chiaro Venato
Luce Gold
Fawn Core
Deep Emperador
Balance Nude
Irish Green
500F Heat
Divine Blue
Dusty Fjord
Dark Marquina
Urban Orange Decoro Lines Less Active
Verde Fantastico
Magneto Rust
Ashy Core
Labradorite Maximum
Cremo Superiore
Basalto Beige Active Wall
Grand Carnico
Seminato Candido
Pure Calacatta
Balance Light Grey
Travertino
250F Frost
Basalto Nero Active Wall
Solida Black
Balance Ivory
Grey Fjord
Quiet Rock
Silt Pulsar
Jatoba Brown Maximum
Black Fjord
Alpi Chiaro Ventato
0F Cool
Urban Amaranth Active
000 Unice
Luce Grey
Neo Black
Premium White
Black Aion
Cloudy Core
Magneto Silver
Quiet Numb
Quartzite Vals
Dark Resin
Neo Anthracite
Neo Grey
Invisible
Urban White Decoro Leaf Active
Marbre De Savoie
Blue Tempest Maximum
White Fjord
Dune Pulsar
Nebula Grigia
Brown Fjord
Majestic Onyx
Urban Black Decoro Lines More Active
Megagreige
350F Frost
Terre
Breccia Mirabile
Imperial White
Ethereal Travertino
Balance Umber
Balance Mud
Seminato Bruno
Urban Pink Active
Taxo
Pulsar Gravel
Urban Jungle Decoro Active
Sand Fjord
Uni Ice Active
Lepanto Rubino
Luce Pearl
Basalto Moro Active Wall
Calacatta Statuario
Urban Green Active
Basalto Beige Active
Urban Blue Decoro Lines Less Active
Agata Atena
Urban Indigo Active
Pietra Grey
Urban Black Decoro Lines Less Active
Luna Limestone
Calacatta
Panda White Maximum
Amazonite
Calacatta Active
Magneto Arctic
White Beauty
Luce Silver
Snug Core
Balance Chester Green
Sahara Noir
Quiet Sand
Calacatta Statuario Active
Bardiglio Sublime
Urban Dove Active
Magneto Carbon
Urban White Active
Nero Damascato
300 Unipepper
Plain Core
Royal Marfil
Solida Nut
Miel
Balance Tan
Basalto Moro Active
400F Heat
Agata Blu
Pietra Grey Active
White Aion
Cinder Resin
Solida Grey
Seminato Beige
Neo Beige
Fiandre Porcelain Porcelain Tile Tools
Porcelain is like stone in some ways and in other ways it is different. For example, like some natural stone, prcelain like Fiandre is a hard material that requires specific blades for cutting it. On the other hand though, it is so hard that using a diamond tile cutting blade is better than opting for a diamond granite and quartz. Blades designed for cutting porcelain have features resulting in a chip-free cut.
Another thing about large format porcelain tile installs is that the surface area covered with this relatively lightweight material is usually spacious. Large spans of floors, walls, and interior or exterior surfaces are treated using Fiandre Porcelain tiles and others like it. And the larger the size of the tiles being used, the greater the need there is for a tile leveling system. Tile leveling makes for the most accurate installation. A tool that is becoming more and more popular because of its efficiency is the vibrating tile leveler. The Tile Quake available form Weha is one such tool. This vibrating suction cup makes the work of leveling tile efficient since the installer can grab, lift, set, and level the tile using this one tool.
Porcelain Tile Care
One of the selling points for materials like Fiandre Porcelain large format tile is that it's relatively easy to maintain. Being non-porous, porcelain does not require sealing to be applied. Additionally, when it is cleaned using an appropriate cleaner according to the guidelines from the material's manufacturer, it yields many years of use. Using a porcelain cleaner designed for materials such as Fiandre will offer the greatest benefits in the long run.
So there you have it, Fiandre Porcelain large format tile is a material choice that offers many applications. Material like this are fashioned to look like other materials (natural stone for example) in some cases. And the tooling, care products, and long life of porcelain can be similar to natural stone. Choosing it as a material for a project offers diversity and functionality. It also offers benefits, but it will take some specific attention to work with it and care for it.
