Ceramic tiles are only the surface layer of a wall or floor, a complex building structure. This design consists of several layers and various materials. Each layer performs special functions. Let's look at the most important of them:
- Coating is the top layer that is directly exposed to operational influences. It is formed by ceramic tiles.
- Interlayer - an intermediate layer that connects the coating with the underlying layer or serves to cover it with an elastic bed. The main function is to ensure adhesion of the ceramic tiles to the supporting structure. The layer can be formed with cement-lime mortar or various types of adhesive solutions based on cement or organic substances.
- Waterproofing layer (Waterproofing) is a layer that prevents sewage and other liquids from penetrating through the coating into the lower layers, as well as groundwater from penetrating into the floor. Polymer cement solutions, polyethylene films, membranes, and aqueous polymer dispersions are used as waterproofing.
- Leveling layer . The main task of this layer is to neutralize deviations of the supporting structure from flatness, to remove irregularities and asymmetries. The layer is formed by cementitious binders.
- Screed (base under the covering) - a floor layer that serves to level the surface of the underlying floor layer or ceiling, give the floor covering on the ceiling a given slope, cover various pipelines, distribute loads across the non-rigid underlying layers of the floor on the ceiling. The layer is formed by cementitious binders.
- Separating layer . The main function is to chemically, physically or mechanically separate one layer from another. As a rule, thin polyethylene film is used.
- Soundproofing . In some cases (floor surfaces), such a layer helps to avoid direct transmission of vibrations (due to impacts) to the supporting layer. This layer can be formed from various materials: polyethylene, cork sheets, granulated rubber, roofing felt, bitumen conglomerates.
- Thermal insulation . The main task is to control the heat flow, limit energy consumption and ensure a comfortable temperature. May consist of: relatively compressible thermal insulation materials (fiber wood or cork boards, polyurethane foam, expanded polystyrene); concrete base, lightweight with various materials (expanded clay, cinnabar, perlite); cellular concrete.
- Bearing layer . Its function is to transfer loads from floors and walls to vertical static support structures. Various materials are used to create the supporting layer. If this is a floor, then in most cases they use: floor slabs, reinforced concrete, reinforced concrete floors, made on site or in a factory. Walls can be made of brick, concrete blocks, prefabricated metal panels, gypsum tongue-and-groove slabs.
Ceramic tiles are the interface between a complex building structure and the environment and perform an extremely important function. However, the load affects the entire cladding system as a whole, that is, ceramic tiles are not a floor or a wall, but only an element, albeit a very important element, of a multilayer structure. Unfortunately, this point is not always given due attention. Often, the role and importance of ceramic tiles is greatly overestimated, ignoring the fact that the successful operation of a structure also depends on other elements of the system, including the quality of the materials used and the dimensional characteristics of the various layers (i.e. design of the structure) as well as the quality of the structure (i.e. There are methods for constructing and processing a surface cladding system).
There are many different defects that occur on ceramic floor and wall surfaces due to design errors and poor installation of the cladding system, even if the tiles meet quality requirements.
Therefore, choosing a tile is only the first step in planning and designing a ceramic tile floor. This stage is often not given due attention, and as a result, the lined surface does not meet the requirements of quality, strength and durability.
Planning and designing ceramic tiles for floors and walls is based on available data and necessary requirements, and also includes the choice of material for each layer, the choice of installation method and the size of the structure. First of all, it is worth considering the main aspects that need to be taken into account when planning and designing surface cladding in order to ensure the quality and durability of the surface. Understanding this phase of construction is of utmost importance. If you do not pay proper attention to it, it will lead to unpleasant consequences. Thus, defects that occur on a lined surface are often a consequence of improper planning and design of the cladding . Just like in any other construction, there are “basic design data” for surface finishing, that is, established indicators. It is these data that determine the initial stage of work and the achievement of the desired results, that is, the conditions for installation and the necessary performance qualities of the surface.
The article was based on the following materials:
“How and Why” by Timellini Giorgio and Palmonari Carlo.