Resistance to Humidity and Temperature Change

A variety of tests are carried out to access a tiles resistance to:

Thermal shock: For example what happens when a hot pan is placed on a tiled kitchen bench top?

Frost: Will the surface of tiles laid externally be adversely affected in frosty conditions?

Crazing: Glaze crazing (small cracks that appear in the glazed tile’s surface) are rarely related to modern tile manufacturing where testing is carried out. Crazing, after installation, is usually caused by conditions which exist in the structure of the building or or the local environment. Crazing generally appears after the tiles have been laid. Crazing can occur if the wrong fixing technique is employed, or if an inappropriate adhesive is specified.

The relevant ISO tests are:

• Resistance to Thermal Shock ISO 10545-9
• Frost Resistance ISO 10545-12
• Resistance to Crazing (Glazed Tiles) ISO 10545-11

​Tile’s inherent thermal mass reduces peak heating and cooling, which helps moderate temperature swings in your home. This means less work for your HVAC system and more energy savings for you.

It is a common misconception that Ceramic Tiles are ‘cold’.  In fact Ceramic Tiles are “thermal” meaning that they adopt the temperature of the room they are in.  If the room is cold the tiles will be cold, if the room is warm the tiles will be warm.
 
In this regard Ceramic Tiles actually add to the environmental benefits of a home as you will not require as much energy or cost to cool (and keep cool) or heat (and keep warm) a room that has Ceramic Tiles on the floor.

​Credit: Australian Tile Council