Vitrified tiles are often used outdoors due to their water and frost resistance.
It is Polished Glazed Vitrified Tiles.
Vitrified tiles are a type of unglazed floor tiles. Marbonite tiles are a subset of vitrified tiles. Marbonite tiles have a coating which reduces the porosity of the tiles. This coating reduces staining, allowing the tile to appear cleaner for a longer time.
IS 4457
There are two seperate layers in these tiles
Vitrified tiles, as the name may suggest, are made through the process of vitrification. This means that the tiles are baked at extremely high temperatures that cause the particles to melt and fuse into a vitreous surface.
First of all why Glazed? Glazing, increase the tiles resistance towards water and stains because of the glaze, it has an attractive look, as a wide variety of colors and designs can be created with glaze, with matt finish. Now normal vitrified tile is one type of soluble salt. Vitrified tiles are not stain resistance and scratch resistance, to make the vitrified tiles strong, glazing is done on the surface.
Silica is the main chemical used in vitrified tiles, which gives them their durable and stain-resistant properties. Other chemicals like feldspar, clay, and quartz are also used in the manufacturing process to create a strong and glossy finish on vitrified tiles.
Vitrified tiles are made by combining 40% clay and 60% silica in a process called vitrification. The process of manufacture makes them extremely hard and non-porous - a great advantage over natural stones like marble which are porous and hence need a good deal of care. Vitrified tiles are virtually maintenance free and have very good abrasion resistance - which makes them very suitable for use in high traffic areas. And there is another huge advantage vitrified tiles have over most other floors. The designs on vitrified tiles are printed with soluble salts which are essentially penetrating pigments that penetrate to a depth of 2 to 3 mm below the surface of the tile ... and that means the design is present at depths of up to 25% of the tile's thickness! And the high hardness and abrasion resistance of vitrified tiles essentially means that the design is permanent for all practical purposes. In contrast, some floor polishes exist over the surface of the floor and have little abrasion resistance. But on the other hand, vitrified tiles are not currently available in a great variety of shades - at least not in as many shades as natural stone tiles are.
Vitrified tile looks much like a natural stone tile and is often used as an alternative to marble and granite flooring. Ceramic tile look more like a tile that most people are used to. Vitrified is resistant against water, acids, and staining when compared to granite or marble.
If you are planning to install vitrified tiles for your home, it is helpful to know the fundamental attributes of the tiles. Advantage It is resistant to heavy traffic due to its incredible strength. The tiles are easy to clean. All you need are brushes and ordinary soap water. The brightness of the tiles remains intact even after several years. It doesnβt soak the dirt due to its non-porous texture. The thickness will be lesser. Disadvantage They are more expensive than ceramic and porcelain tiles. Vitrified tiles are slippery when wet. It is hard, cold and unyielding It needs an expert for installation
Seldom any need to seal any tile, certainly not Vitrified, what you will still want to seal is the grout..