Ceramics

Advanced Ceramics Industry Forecasts report ( http://www.bharatbook.com/Market-Research-Reports/Advanced-Ceramics-Industry-Forecasts-to-2012-and-2017.html )
 presents historical demand data (1997, 2002 and 2007) plus forecasts for 2012 and 2017 in current dollars by product, type and market.
 
 Demand for advanced ceramics in the United States is forecast to increase 4.0 percent per year to over $12 billion in 2012. Gains will benefit as advanced ceramics continue to penetrate several applications -- such as capacitors, cutting tools, joint implants and membranes -- where ceramics are valued for their favorable performance (more...)

Countless time in my career, I have been asked "What ceramic tile can we use on bath walls, backsplash, patio, kitchen and on and on"

My response is in the form of a question. Where are you installing? Floor? Wall? Backsplash? Patio?

When it comes to what tile to use on the wall, floor or patio, people have not a clue as to what to use. Customer enjoy it when a person explains what tile to use for their design projects.

Helping someone make a decision that will put their mind at ease and knowing they have made a good selection of ceramic tile for their design project is a very rewarding experience for me .

The buzz word for the last few years has been porcelain tile. That is all well and good if by looking at a ceramic tile we could tell the difference between a porcelain or non-porcelain tile. If a tile is not made of porcelain it is a ceramic tile. That assumption is correct.

Ceramic tiles are made from red clay and some from white clay. Red body tiles are easy to identify, where as white body tile are almost impossible to tell if it is porcelain or not.

Here is where the word of the tile manufacturer comes into play. Reputable tile manufacturers mark the tile boxes "porcelain" if they are porcelain.

The better ones, such as Dal-tile(R), Marazzi(R), Crossville(R), Porcelanosa(R), Emser(R) to name a few, label their tile porcelain if they are and ceramic if the tile is non-porcelain.

Porcelain tiles have a much lower water absorption rate than a ceramic tile. This is because they very dense. These tile are baked at temperatures from 1800 degrees for a surface colorered tile to 2200 degrees for a color through or thru body tile. Thru body procelains have the same color from front to back, thus a chip will not show as much as a tile that has only a surface coloring.

Procelain tiles can be used outside in climates where the temperatures get below 32 degrees. They are called frost resistent.

The density of a porcelain tile makes it suitable for residental and light commercial use. It is great to use on a patio that is exposed to the elements. Water will not damage it.

Ceramic and porcelain tiles are wear rated by the Porcelain Enamel Institute (PEI). This system of rating tiles is approved by the American Society of Testing and Materials (ATSM).

They are as follows:

PEI 1 Rating (Not hard enough to walk on) Use on walls only.

PEI 2 Rating (Light traffic) Use on wall and bathroom floors only. A word of caution. the larger the tile, 6x6 8x8 on the floor may crack with prolonged foot traffic.

PEI 3 Rating (Light to moderate traffic) Use on kitchen and bath countertops, walls and floors where foot traffic is not heavy. (Residental)

PEI 4 Rating (Moderate to heavy traffic) Use in residental, medium commercial and light institutional.

PEI 5 Rating (Heavy to very heavy traffic) Use in all residential plus heavy commercial (malls, airports) and institutional application. (prisions).

Porcelain tiles, with a PEI 5 rating means they are very resistant to chipping or cracking.

Value is added to the value of a home when Ceramic tile are added. Installinf ceramic or porcelain tile in a home adds value to the home making it easier to sell.

One of the best benefits for a homeowner is the low cost of maintaining tile floors. Ease of care with tile assures a homeowner of a relaxed lifestyle.

Ceramic bread bin

Ceramic bread bins have been common in many kitchens for hundreds of years. They were the popular bread bin choice before more modern materials like stainless steel arrived as they could be easily made by potteries.  Ceramic bread bins offer a great choice of bread bin as they are both durable, easy to clean and store the bread safely.  The ceramic bread bin also offers kitchens a great traditional alternative to the more modern bread bins we see today.

The word ceramic comes from the Greek word "κεραμικός" (keramikos), "of pottery" or "for pottery", from "κέραμος" (keramos), "potter's clay, tile, pottery" which is said to derive from the Indo-European word *cheros , meaning heat. The earliest mention on the word "ceramic" is the Mycenaean Greek ke-ra-me-we, "workers of ceramics", written in Linear b syllabic script. Ceramic may be used as an adjective describing a material, product or process; or as a singular noun, or, more commonly, as a plural noun, ceramics.

The earliest ceramics were pottery objects made from clay, either by itself or mixed with other materials, hardened in fire. Later ceramics were glazed and fired to create a colored, smooth surface which many of the ceramic bread bins we see today are manufactured in this process. Ceramics now include domestic, industrial and building products and art objects. This versatile material means that no kitchen is without a ceramic utensil of some kind, however functional you can still do it in style.  Over the last few years there has been an increase in demand for ceramic bread bins in both modern and traditional kitchens as consumers strive to add kitchen accessories that add character and features to the kitchen.

Some of the more common ceramic materials used for bread bins are:

• Earthenware is a common ceramic bread bin material, which is used extensively for pottery tableware, bread bins and decorative objects. Although body formulations vary between countries and even between individual makers, a generic composition is 25% ball clay, 28% kaolin, 32% quartz, and 15% feldspar. Earthenware is one of the oldest materials used for making ceramic bread bins. While red earthenware made from red clays is very familiar and recognizable, white and buff colored earthenware clays are also commercially available and commonly used.

• Stoneware is another common ceramic bread bin material that is a vitreous or semi-vitreous ceramic ware of fine texture made primarily from non-refractory fire clay.

• Porcelain is also a common bread bin ceramic material made by heating raw materials, generally including clay in the form of kaolin, in a kiln to temperatures between 1,200 °C (2,192 °F) and 1,400 °C (2,552 °F). The toughness, strength, and translucence of porcelain arise mainly from the formation of glass and the mineral mullite within the fired body at these high temperatures.


An example of a popular ceramic bread bin is this Charlotte Watson ceramic earthenware bread bin. This bread bin is made in England from an established pottery who make bread bins that compliment both traditional and contemporary kitchen styles. The bread bin comes in a cream colour and it will make a great kitchen bread bin that will be very collectable and will age with time. The bread bin features a solid earthenware lid and has traditional printed font on the bid. One of our most regular best sellers. It is made from a pottery in England that has being making ceramic and earthenware bread bins since 1800.

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