Water Absorption
In simple terms, water absorption can be accurately described as the ‘percentage of water impregnating the body of a tile, measured in accordance with ISO 10545-3 ‘Determination of Water Absorption, Apparent Porosity, Apparent Relative Density and Bulk Density.’
The principle manufacturing methods used to produce tiles are ‘extrusion’ and ‘dry pressing’. For the purposes of international, European and related Australian Standards the methods are categorised as:
Determining the water absorption rate of a specific type of tile is critical. For that reason extruded and dry pressed products are categorised as being part of one of the following groups.
Low water absorption enhances durability, especially in circumstances where tiles may be subjected to heavy loads, and/or high levels of foot traffic. Dense, practically impervious tiles, are highly unlikely to bend, they are also highly resistant to liquid impregnation and subsequent staining, consequently they are relatively easy to clean and maintain.
They also have a higher impact resistance and are therefore less likely to chip, however, if an object hard enough is dropped on tiles there is a chance they will chip.
Tiles which have relatively high porosity values are usually used on walls or in dry interior locations.
However some relatively porous materials like terracotta can be laid around pools and in outdoor environments. The increased thickness of these materials reduces the possibility of bending or curvature. The surface can be protected against staining by applying an appropriate sealer and carrying out regular maintenance.
Credit: Australian Tile Council
The principle manufacturing methods used to produce tiles are ‘extrusion’ and ‘dry pressing’. For the purposes of international, European and related Australian Standards the methods are categorised as:
- Method ‘A’ – Extruded tiles
- Method ‘B’ – Dry pressed tiles
Determining the water absorption rate of a specific type of tile is critical. For that reason extruded and dry pressed products are categorised as being part of one of the following groups.
- Group I: Low water absorption
- Group II: Medium water absorption
- Group III: High water absorption
Low water absorption enhances durability, especially in circumstances where tiles may be subjected to heavy loads, and/or high levels of foot traffic. Dense, practically impervious tiles, are highly unlikely to bend, they are also highly resistant to liquid impregnation and subsequent staining, consequently they are relatively easy to clean and maintain.
They also have a higher impact resistance and are therefore less likely to chip, however, if an object hard enough is dropped on tiles there is a chance they will chip.
Tiles which have relatively high porosity values are usually used on walls or in dry interior locations.
However some relatively porous materials like terracotta can be laid around pools and in outdoor environments. The increased thickness of these materials reduces the possibility of bending or curvature. The surface can be protected against staining by applying an appropriate sealer and carrying out regular maintenance.
Credit: Australian Tile Council