If you’ve ever thought that durability and tile did not go together. It’s time to think again. What many people don’t realize until they actually begin to research flooring is that tile is durable (depending on the install location) and there’s a durability scale to prove it.
The Porcelain Enamel Institute created the PEI Rating Scale in order to create standards that consumers could rely on to help determine which tiles to buy and for what purposes. The PEI Rating Scale indicates tile hardness, durability and strength. It does so by determining the resistance of an enameled surface in relation to the amount of traffic and wear the surface will endure once installed. Porcelain tile and ceramic tile are both rated on this scale. When you use the PEI rating scale you can make sure that you select the right porcelain or ceramic tile for your project.
The PEI Rating Scale measures tiles on a scale of 0 to 5; 0 representing a tile that is not suitable and 5 representing tile that can handle heavy traffic.
CLASS 0 – Tiles technically unsuitable for floors
CLASS 1 – Residential and commercial wall and bare foot traffic
CLASS 2 – Wall and residential bath floor, and soft soled traffic
CLASS 3 – All residential floors and light commercial floors
CLASS 4 – Medium commercial, light industrial and institutional, moderate soiling
CLASS 5 – Extra heavy traffic, abrasive dirt, chemically more resistant
When shopping for tile, keep in mind how the tile will be used. A higher PEI rating does indicate greater enamel resistance, but if you’re using tile a wall covering then a higher rated tile may not be necessary. Here are a few other factors to think about when selecting tile:
- Consistent shape and dimension. Unless tiles are labeled as rectified, tiles will have some variances in dimensions. However, it is important to look for the extreme cases.
- Stain resistance and breaking strength. Both important if installing in areas where things may get dropped on a regular basis.
- Exterior factors, such as abrasive hardness, chemical resistance, resistance to cracking, and freeze thaw resistance.
- Texture. Smooth tiles are a better choice for walls, while slip-resistant tiles would be better for floors in, let’s say, a bathroom.
Photo Credit: Photo by Julian Burgess
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