They are available in a variety of styles and colors. They are applied to the surface of a ceramic item to protect and embellish it.
The glaze has colorants as well as a ceramic material called frits or sand. It’s a mixture that is melted in a kiln and then quenched and ground to specific mesh sizes.
Engobe Tile Glazing
The engobe is a thin slip that lies between the body and glaze. It is usually applied prior to the glaze, often in a brush-style decoration to cover it. Engobes are used to mask the color, hide imperfections in the surface, for example the ones caused by impurities, such as iron, tighten and seal an impervious and soft clay and to brighten glaze colors.
The recipes for Engobe should be identical to the body that they will be applied with little frit or the addition of boron. They should also be minimal in flux, to ensure the opacity. In excess flux can increase the temperature of firing and create stresses between the engobe and the body underneath, which could test their fired marriage with cracking or shaking.
This is a problem that occurs frequently which can be caused by applying an engobe to dry ware and then glaze it. It is essential that the engobe is applied at leather hard stage because its body-like composition allows a plastic bond to develop when it is dried and also its fire fit (body-matching shrinkage of the fired and COE) will keep it in place during firing.
Glaze is a mixture powdered materials which, when dry and fired, fuses into a glassy surface. Glazes are applied by spraying on or dip in. They are designed to bond to the surface of the clay a zone of adherence called the interface between clay and glaze. When dried, the slurry particles bind together and shrink, with the more vitreous bodies shrinking more than others.
Digital Inkjet Printing Tiles
Inkjet printing is a common technology used in office and home printers that produce high-quality photos. The same process is being used in ceramic tile manufacturing in order to create distinctive patterns and designs that provide sophistication and visual attraction to the interior of areas.
This process uses a specialized ceramic digital printing ink that is able to withstand the extreme temperatures that ceramics are exposed to during firing. The designs printed on the paper will remain intact and vibrant when the ceramics are being fired and glazed. Utilizing this unique process, manufacturers can create tiles that resemble the look of natural gach lat nen 1m2x1m2 materials, including natural-looking wood tiles, stone-inspired colors, and abstract designs.
Ceramic digital printing is also an ideal choice for companies who want to boost efficiency and reduce costs for production. Digital printing eliminates the requirement for costly and complicated equipment like rollers and screens. This means they’re a cheaper alternative over traditional methods. Digital inkjet printing can also create smaller runs than custom screen printing and rotocolor. This reduces the need for storage and inventory.
LOPO makes use of a leading Italian digital printing machine to produce innovative, modern designs for Terracotta. The LOPO 3D Inkjet Printing Tile Series, which blends the highest-quality ceramic ink for digital printing with advanced printers to produce stunning patterns, recreates natural textures like marble and wood.
Crystalline Glaze Tiles
Crystalline glazes are a form of decoration for the surface of ceramic pieces. It is a combination of frits and pigments with a very low firing temperature and a slow cooling rate to create the unique crystalline structure that is created on the glaze surface. These crystal structures are popular in modern designs due to their distinctive look and durability. The technique is generally applied to high-end floor tiles, however it is also applicable to other types of pottery as well.
Four different glaze formulations for stoneware porcelain tiles were examined for their tribological properties using analytical tests (thermal analysis and Vickers hardness) and also technological tests (surface abrasion test). The investigated glazes were extracted from commercial products manufactured by Colorobbia Italia S.p.A, Fiorano Modenese, Modena, Italy and were developed using the exact recipes listed in Table 1.
For the surface abrasion tests unfired 30 x 30 cm tile bodies were sprayed with an airless application with engobe glazes and slurries that have densities of 1470 kg/m3. Then, decorative patterns were created on the engobe layer by using the digital printer. The slurries are single-fired with a heating rate 30 degC/min at a maximum temperature of 1205 degC. The resulting disks were then dry-cleaned and ground to a particle size of less than 0.063 millimeters and then analysed through X-ray Diffraction (XRD) on an Empyrean Series III, Malvern Panalytical Ltd., Malvern, UK.
Lappato Finish Tiles
The technique of lappato finish is a refined middle way between polished and matte tile finishes, achieving an equilibrium that gives visual depth while preserving surface texture. This technique uses selective abrasion to polish some tiles while leave others with a matte finish. It results in an unique look that reflects the light, while also preserving the texture. The result is a distinctive blend of texture and shine that adds elegance to interiors, yet requires a specific care in order tomaintain.
The quality of diamond lapato abrasives is crucial to the success of this finishing method. Premium diamond abrasives are harder than ceramic tiles (typically 10 on the Mohs Scale) and allow them to eliminate materials with greater efficiency and less wear. Water lubrication is also a great way to reduce temperature and avoid excessive heat.
It is important to take into account the size of the diamond particles when deciding on the abrasives. Larger diamonds create an appearance that is more rough and the diamonds with finer particles produce a more smooth one. The ability to achieve a consistent lappato look is influenced in large part by the type of bonding used to hold diamonds to the abrasive tool. Metal-bonded diamonds are more durable and provide higher performance than resin-bonded diamonds.
After the abrasive process it is essential to thoroughly wash the lappato tiles with a pH neutral cleaner. This will remove any polishing residues, and prepare them for grouting. A simple water-break test can also be used to determine the consistency of the tiles and confirm that the abrasive treatment has produced an appearance that is uniform. Splash a small amount of clean water on the surface; it should sheet evenly without breaking, signalling that the tile was treated in a uniform manner.