Difference between Glazed and Unglazed Floor Tiles
The majority of floor tiles on the market today are glazed; however, unglazed tiles are also available. Let’s first define glazed and unglazed before analyzing the distinctions between the two types of tiles.
What Glazed Tiles Mean
Typically, people think of a glossy or shining surface as being “glazed,” but in the tile industry, “glazed” refers to a material that is coated on the tiles rather than a finish. Tiles can be coated with liquid glass or enamel to give them the appearance of being glazed. Glossy or matte finishes are options for glazed tiles to give the room a varied appearance. Despite the fact that there are many tiles available on both surfaces, matt tiles are not necessarily unglazed.
What Unglazed Tiles Mean
Clay tiles are fired in a kiln, but if they need to be coated with a glaze, that coating must be applied before placing the tiles in the kiln. The glaze is infused into the tile’s top layer of clay during the firing process. However, if the tile is not coated before being fired, it is referred to as an unglazed tile. In this approach, the coating on the tiles serves as the primary distinction between glazed and unglazed tiles.
Unglazed tiles, whether made of porcelain or ceramic, receive their color from the clay they are constructed of, either naturally or by the addition of pigments. When these tiles are pressed to create patterned designs, the pattern spreads throughout the entire tile rather than just the top surface. Unglazed tiles appear more organic and earthy in this sense.
In addition, glazed and unglazed tiles differ in several ways.
Unglazed tiles, on the other hand, do not require any further coating and are ready to use after being burned in a kiln. Before being fired at high temperatures, glazed tiles are first covered with a layer of enamel or liquid glass.
Unglazed tiles are typically used outdoors, in commercial spaces, and in damp places due to their slip-resistant and natural finish, whereas glazed tiles are typically utilized in domestic structures because of their fine and slippery finish.
Even if unglazed tiles have a scratch-resistant finish, they can still get stained because their natural finish can soak up liquids quickly. Glazed tiles are less likely to get stained because of their non-porous and scratch-resistant finish, thanks to the layer of liquid glass that is applied to them.
Compared to unglazed tiles, glazed tiles are thinner and less dense.
Unglazed tile designs look far more organic, rustic, and earthy than glazed tile patterns and prints, which come in a wide variety and include digital prints made with inkjet printing technology.
While the entire body of glazed porcelain tiles cannot be built entirely of porcelain since it also contains different other components to make it more durable and dependable, the entire body of unglazed tiles is entirely made of porcelain to give it a uniform appearance.
