COMPREHENSIVE FLOORCOVERING GLOSSARY

CARPET

BERBER CARPET:  A loop-pile carpet that offers great durability, a full comfortable texture and a casual, informal look. Often, these carpets incorporate flecks of color that contrast with the primary hue. The term Berber has expanded to include many level and multi-level loop carpet styles.

BINDING: A strip of sturdy fabric sewn to carpet edge for protection against unraveling.

BULKED CONTINOUS FILAMENT (BCF): Strands of synthetic fiber (such as nylon or olefin) that have been formed into bundles of yarn. The fibers have undergone a texturizing procedure that makes the formerly straight filaments either kinked or curled.

CABLE: Carpet with casual cut pile construction featuring chunky tufts and long pile height.

CARPET: Any fabric or textile floor covering.

CARPET BACKING: The textile back of the carpet as opposed to the carpet pile front or face.  Tufted carpets have two backings.  The first is a primary backing into which the yarn is inserted.  The secondary backing is laminated to the back of the carpet for reinforcement and to neutralize stretching.

CARPET PILE: Yarn, either looped or cut, that is pulled through the base fabric to form the face or surface of the carpet.

CARPET SQUARES: “Tiles” of carpet that usually are adhesive-backed for easy installation.

CUSHION: The material placed under a carpet for softness and support. It helps reduce noise, increase insulation benefits, and contributes to a softer feel underfoot. Purchasing an incorrect type of cushion may invalidate your warranty. Also known as padding or underlay.

CUT AND LOOP CARPET: Varied-level pile of both uncut low loops and sheared top loops create a sculptured pattern.

CUT PILE: Type of carpet in which the face is composed of cut yarns.

DENSITY: This describes the amount of fiber or yarn in a carpet and how close the tufts of fiber are to each other. In general, the denser the pile, the better the performance.

FRIEZE: Also known as Twist Pile, Hardtwist, and Hightwist, this style is made of tightly twisted yarn that gives a rough, nubby appearance to carpet pile.  Also carpet made from frieze yarns. Frieze carpets are less prone to show footmarks.

GAUGE: The distance between two needle points in knitted or tufted carpet. It is usually expressed in fractions of an inch.

HAND: How a carpet feels.

HARDTWIST: rough nubbed finish that is achieved by "supertwisting" the individual yarn loops. Also called friese, twistpile or hightwist.

HIGH LOW: Multilevel carpet style comprising high and low loop pile areas or high cut-pile and low loop areas.  The latter is also called a cut and loop style.

HIGH TWIST: rough nubbed finish that is achieved by "supertwisting" the individual yarn loops. Also called friese, hardtwist, or twistpile.

HOOK RUG: Rugs made by pulling yarns or fabric strips through a mesh backing using a hook or latch.  Sometimes, hooked rugs form a picture or other design.

INDOOR/OUTDOOR CARPET: Carpet made of super-resilient fibers (example: olefin or polyester) in order to withstand outdoor use.

LEVEL LOOP CARPET: Woven or tufted carpet having all yarns looped to identical heights creating an even or level surface.  Berbers are level loop carpets in which the loops are relatively long.

MULTI LEVEL LOOP CARPET: Carpet with two or three levels forming a random sculptural surface.

OUTDOOR CARPET: Polypropylene carpet for use outdoors on patios, walks and decks. Outdoor carpet is durable and able to withstand the harsh effects of weather. Also known as indoor/outdoor carpet.

PILE: General term for the surface or face of non-woven carpet. Pile is made of yarn tufts in loop and/or cut configuration.

PILLING: A condition, often caused by heavy use, in which fibers from different tufts of carpet become entangled in one another forming hard fiber masses or "pills." These pills can be cut off with scissors.

PLUSH CARPET: A smooth, even-cut pile carpet in which individual tufts are only minimally visible and the overall visual effect is a single level of fiber ends.

POWER STRETCHER: A tool used to install residential carpet that prevents wrinkles and ripples.

RAG RUG: A colorful rug which is woven from cotton scraps.

RANDOM SHEARED CARPET: Created by lightly cutting high-low loop carpet so that only the higher loops are cut.  Random shearing produces a chance cut and loop pattern.

REMNANT: A small piece of carpet from the end of a roll of carpet.

SAXONY CARPET: Cut-pile carpet, similar to shag, but with individual tufts much more closely packed.  Smoother finished saxonies are called “plushes.”

SCULPTURED CARPET: Any carpet pattern formed from high and low pile areas, such as high-low loop or cut-and-loop.

SEAMS: The line formed by joining two pieces of carpet. The pieces can be sewn together, or fastened with various seaming tapes or other adhesives.  Frieze is an excellent carpet choice for showing the least amount of seams.

SHADING: A change in the appearance of a carpet due to distortions in the orientation of fibers, tufts or loops that make up the carpet pile. This is not an actual change in the color of the carpet, but a difference in light reflection.

SHAG PILE: Today's shag is available in heavyweight yarn tufts that are cut and distinct from each other.

SISAL FLOORING: A type of woven floor covering originally made of vegetable fibers such as grass and jute. Now synthetic alternatives are available that offer a more comfortable feel as well as interesting textures, patterns and prints.

SOIL RETARDANT: A chemical applied to carpet and fabric surfaces which inhibits attachment of soil to fiber.

STRETCH: Amount of elongation of carpet when it is pulled over pad onto tackless strips during installation.

TWIST: Winding the fiber around itself to strengthen a fiber's resistance to crushing.

UNDERLAY: The cushion or padding that lays underneath rugs.

WOVEN CARPET: Carpet that is manufactured on a weaving loom in which the lengthwise yarns and widthwise yarns are interlocked to form a fabric.

YARN PLY: The number of single fibers twisted together to form a plied yarn.

HARDWOOD

CORK FLOORING:  Cork is a natural resilient floor covering. Made from the bark of cork oak trees, cork flooring is available in both tiles and sheets. It is available in many different colors, including natural and can also be found reinforced with resins or vinyl.

PLANK FLOORING: Wood flooring made of long boards more than 3-inches wide.

STRIP FLOORING: The most popular wood flooring, it is made of long, narrow -- about 3 inches wide -- tongue-and-groove boards that are end-matched.  Strip flooring wider than 3 inches is referred to as plank flooring.

LAMINATE

FLOATING: Installation method in which individual boards are glued only at the edges and end joints, without direct attachment to the subfloor.

FLOATING FLOOR: A floor that does not need to be nailed or glued to the subfloor and can be installed over most existing floors, including concrete, ceramic, vinyl, wood and even some indoor/outdoor carpet.

LAMINATE FLOORING: Dense fiberboard core with a paper pattern layer sealed under high pressure with a plastic-like substance.  Sold as planks and panels in which the paper layer depicts a natural flooring such as wood or stone.

VINYL (RESILIENT)

RESILIENT FLOORING: Flooring made by combining a plastic material with filler and pigments, then pressed into tiles or sheets.  If a backing material is used, the plastic sheet is pressed onto the backing.  Types include solid vinyl, backed or cushioned vinyl, rubber, cork, and linoleum.

VINYL COMPOSITION TILE: Smooth surfaced plastic floor made from vinyl resins and filler materials to create resilient flooring in assorted colors and patterns.

CERAMIC

ABSORPTION: The relationship of the weight of water absorbed to the weight of the dry specimen, expressed in percentages.

ABRASION RESISTANCE: The degree to which a floor tile's surface will withstand friction (the wear of foot traffic). Resistance is determined by abrasion tests, and tiles are grouped accordingly.

ABRASION RESISTANCE CLASSIFICATION: ASTM C-1027 describes the standard test method for determining visible abrasion resistance of glazed ceramic tile. The classifications are 0 thru 5 sometimes referred to as the PEI Ratings. See Surface Abrasion Tests.

• Class O - Decorative use only, Not recommended for use on floors
• Class I - Light Traffic, for residential bathroom floors, no direct outside access
• Class II - Medium - Light Traffic, residential interiors with the exception of kitchens, stairs, landings and areas near external entries
• Class III - Medium - Heavy Traffic, All residential applications. Commercial applications which are similar in traffic to residential applications. Specifically excepted are areas of prevalent circulation or turning points
• Class IV - Heavy Traffic, all residential and most commercial applications such as the public areas of exhibition halls, hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, shops and schools
• Class V - Extra Heavy Traffic, all residential and commercial applications similar to class IV where extra durability may be required. Commercial usage, Industrial Applications.

ACRYLIC: A general class of resinous polymers used as additives for thin-set mortar and grout. See Portland Cement Mortar or Grout.

ADHESIVE: See organic Adhesive.

AGGREGATE: Granular material such as sand, gravel, or crushed stone, used with a cementing medium to form a hydraulic-cement or mortar.

ANSI: American National Standard Institute,responsible for establishing standards and testing methods for ceramic tiles in the United States.

APRON: Trim or facing on the side or in front of a counter top, table edge or windowsill.

APPARENT JOINT: Decorative feature that simulates grout lines or joints on a single tile, so that a large tile, for example, may appear to be four smaller tiles.

ASTM: American Society for Testing and Materials.

BACK WALL: The wall facing an observer who is standing at the entrance to a room, shower or tub shower.

BACKING: Any material used as a base over which ceramic tile is to be installed. See Substrate.

BACK-MOUNTED TILE: See mounted tile.

BASE: One or more rows of tile installed above the floor.Junction of Floor and Wall. See Cove.

BICOTTURA: Method for producing tile by firing it twice (first fire is for body, second is to fuse glazes or patterns in glaze onto the body). Usually, there are two glazes on the tile, first a non-transparent glaze on the body, then a transparent glaze on the surface.

BISQUE: The refined mixture of clay, water and additives that has been shaped into the body of a tile.

BODY: The structural portion of a ceramic tile. The term also refers to the material or mixture from which the tile is made.

BOND: The adherence of one material to another.

BULLNOSE: A trim tile with a convex radius on one edge. This tile is used for finishing the top of a wainscot or for turning an outside corner.

BULLNOSE CORNER: A type of bullnose trim with a convex radius on two adjacent edges.

CAP: A trim tile with a convex radius on one edge. This tile is used for finishing the top of a wainscot or for turning an outside corner.

CAULK: See Sealant.

CAULKING COMPOUND: Waterproof caulking material. See Sealant.

CEMENT: Usually refers to portland cement which is mixed with sand, gravel and water to form concrete.

CEMENT BODY TILE: Tiles with a structure made from a mixture of sand, gravel and water to form concrete.

CEMENT GROUT: A cementious mixture of portland cement, sand or other ingredients and water, to produce a water resistant, uniformly colored material used to fill the joints between tile units.

CERAMIC MOSAIC TILE: Tile formed by either the dust-pressed or plastic method, usually 1/4 inch thick, and having a facial area of less that six square inches. Ceramic Mosaic tiles may be either porcelain or natural clay composition and they may be either plain or may have an abrasive mixture throughout.

CERAMIC TILE: See definition for Tile.

COLOR AND SHADE VARIATION PROGRAM: A program developed by the Ceramic Tile Distributors Assoc. whereby the natural shade and color variations within tile are graded.

Ceramic Tile Distributors; Color/ Shade Variation Program™

• V1 = UNIFORM APPEARANCE - Differences among pieces from the same production run are minimal.
• V2 = SLIGHT VARIATION - Clearly distinguishable differences in texture and/or pattern with similar colors.
• V3 = MODERATE VARIATION - While the colors present on a single piece of tile will be indicative of the colors to be expected on the other tiles, the amount of colors on each piece will vary significantly.
• V4 = SUBSTANTIAL VARIATION - Random color differences from tile to tile, so that one tile may have totally different colors from that on other tiles. Thus, the final installation will be unique

COVE: A trim tile unit having one edge with a concave radius. A cove is used to form a junction between the bottom wall course and the floor or to form an inside corner.

COVE BASE (Sanitary): A trim tile having a concave radius on one edge and a convex radius on the opposite edge. This base is used as the only course of tile above the floor tile.

CRAWLING: A parting and contraction of the glaze on the surface of ceramic ware during drying or firing, which results in unglazed areas bordered by coalesced glaze.

CRAZING: The cracking that occurs in fired glazes or other ceramic coatings due to critical tensile stresses (minute surface cracks).

CRYSTALLINE GLAZE: See under Glaze.

CURING: Maintenance of humidity and temperature of the freshly placed mortar or grout during some definite period following the placing or finishing, to assure satisfactory hydration of portland cement and proper hardening of the mortar or grout.

CUSHION-EDGED TILE: Tile on which the facial edges have a distinct curvature that results in a slightly recessed joint.

DECORATIVE TILE: Ceramic tile with a decoration on the surface.

DOPE COAT: See Pure Coat.

DOT-MOUNTED TILE: Tile packaged in sheet format and held together by plastic or rubber dots between the joints.

DOUBLE-FIRED TILES: Glazed tiles produced by an initial firing of the shaped tile body and then a second firing once the glaze or decoration has been applied.

DOUBLE BULLNOSE: A type of trim with the same convex radius on two opposite sides.

DOWN ANGLE: Trim tile with two rounded or curved edges, which serve to finish an outside corner.

DUTCHMAN: A cut tile used as a filler in the run of a wall or floor area.

EMBOSSED: A decoration in relief or excised on the wear surface of the tile.

EPOXY ADHESIVE: An adhesive system employing epoxy hardener portions.

EPOXY GROUT: A mortar system employing epoxy resin and epoxy hardener portions.

EPOXY MORTAR: A system employing epoxy resins and hardener portions, often containing coarse silica filler and which is usually formulated for industrial and commercial installations where chemical resistance is of paramount importance.

EPOXY RESIN: An epoxy composition used as a chemical resistant setting adhesive or chemical resistant grout.

EXTERIOR TILE: Tiles suitable for outdoor applications because of their frost resistance.

FACE-MOUNTED TILE: See Mounted Tile.

FEATURE STRIP (Decorates Lines): A narrow strip of tile that has a contrasting color, texture or trim.

FIELD TILE: An area of tile covering a wall or floor. The field is usually bordered by tile trim.

FINISHES: Textural or visual characteristics of a tile surface. For glazed tile this may be bright or high gloss, satin or matte. For glazed or unglazed tiles, finish can be flashed, textured, polished, raised, embossed, dimpled, etched, scored, ribbed etc.

FIRING: The controlled heat treatment, up to 1250° C of ceramic tile in a kiln during the process of manufacture, to develop the desired properties and harden the body or glaze.

FLASHED APPEARANCE: Decorative effect achieved by flashing the tile with a thin layer of colored or opalescent glaze.

FLOOR TILES: Glazed or unglazed tiles of sufficient strength, impact and abrasion resistance to withstand the weight and wear of foot traffic.

FROST-PROOF TILES: Tile manufactured for use where freezing and thawing conditions occur.

FROST RESISTANCE: Ability of certain ceramic tiles to withstand freeze/thaw conditions with minimal effect. Frost-resistance of ceramic tile is dependent on the tile's porosity and water absorption levels. Frost-resistance testing is defined by ASTM test methods.

FREEZE-THAW STABILITY: The ability of a tile to withstand the cycle of freezing and thawing without cracking.

GLASS MOSAIC TILES: Tiles made of glass, usually in sizes not over 2 inches square and 1/4 inch thick and mounted on sheets of paper. Sheets are usually 12" x 12".

GLAZE: A ceramic coating fired to the glassy state on ceramic tile. The term "glaze" also refers to the material or mixture from which the coating is made. The following, some examples of "Glazes"

• BRIGHT GLAZE: A high gloss coating with or without color.
• CLEAR GLAZE: A transparent glaze with or without color.
• CRYSTALLINE GLAZE: A glaze that contains microscopic crystals.
• FRITTED GLAZE: A glaze in which a part or all of the fluxing constituents are prefused.
• MATT GLAZE: A low-gloss glaze with or without color.
• OPAQUE GLAZE: A non-transparent glaze with or without color.
• RAW GLAZE: A glaze compounded primarily from raw constituents. It contains no prefused materials.
• SEMI-MATT GLAZE: A medium-gloss glaze with or without color.
• SPECKLED GLAZE: A glaze containing granules of oxides or ceramic stains that are contrasting colors.

GLAZED TILE: Tile with a fused impervious facial finish composed of ceramic materials fused to the body of the tile, which may be nonvitreous, vitreous or impervious.

GRADE: A predetermined degree of slope that a finished floor should have.

GRADES: Grades of tile recognized in ANSI standard specifications for ceramic tile.

GRES: Unglazed, red body, heavy duty tile. Usually low water absorption with a textured pattern on its face.

GROUT: A cementitious or other type material used for filling joints between tile.

GROUTING: The process of filling tile joints with grout.

GROUNT JOINT: Space left between tiles to be filled with grout. This space may be extremely narrow or wider depending on the required installation and/or its aesthetics.

GROUT SAW: The grout saw is saw-toothed carbide steel blade mounted on a wooden handle. It is used to remove old grout. It is also used in patching work. Care should be taken as it can easily damage adjacent tiles. The carbide steel blade is brittle and it will shatter if it is dropped or abused.

HEAVY DUTY TILE: Tile suitable for areas where heavy pedestrian traffic is prevalent. Can be specified to meet higher test values as determined by job requirements.

HORIZONTAL BROKEN JOINTS: A style of laying tile with each course offset one-half its length.

IMPERVIOUS TILE: Tile with water absorption of 0.5 percent or less.The surface of these tiles may be glazed or unglazed. Often specified for exterior installations. Also known as Fully Vitrified Stoneware or Porcelain Stoneware.

INSERTS: Small, sometimes decorative tiles used in combination with larger or plain tiles to create patterns. Small square inserts are known as insets.

INSTALLATION: The process of bonding tiles to the intended surface; the finished tiled surface (also known as tile laying or tile fixing).

INSTALLATION BED: The components of a tile installation applied to the subsurface, including reinforcing or protective backing, bonding materials, tile and grout.

INTERIOR TILES: Tiles suitable only for indoor installation.

IRIDESCENT TILES: Tiles decorated with a lustrous glaze that contains many seemingly changing colors.

LATH: Metal mesh which acts as a backing or reinforcing agent for the scratch coat or mortar.

LUSTER: An iridescent decorative surface appearance on glazes, usually produced by the application of a very thin metal film, such as gold, silver, platinum or copper, over the coating surface.

MARBLE TILE: Marble cut into tiles, usually 3/8 inch to 3/4 inch thick. Available in various finishes, including polished, honed and split face.

MASTIC: Tile adhesives.

MOHS'SCALE: Scale used to express the measure of a material's hardness from Mohs' 1 (hardness of talc) to 10 (diamond). Moh's Hardness this test does not have an ASTM designation but is useful as it determines the hardness of the glaze. A scratch is made on the tile being very soft (Talc) and 10 being very hard (Diamond). Tiles rated 6 to 7 or higher are relatively scratch resistant and can be used on floors or countertops.

MOISTURE BARRIER: A component of the installation bed that provides protection from wetness to mortar and tiles.

MOSAICS: Small tiles or bits of tile, stone or glass which are used to form a surface or a intricate pattern.

MOUNTED TILE: Tile assembled into units or sheets using suitable material to facilitate handling and installation. Tile may be face-mounted or edge mounted.

MURALS: Tile installed in a precise area of a wall or floor to provide a decorative design or picture. Glass or marble mosaic tile (tesserae) made to form a picture or design. Ceramic tile painted and fired to form a picture or design.

NATURAL CLAY TILE: A ceramic mosaic tile or a paver tile made by either the dust-pressed or the plastic method from clays which produce a dense body and a distinctive, slightly textured appearance.

NON-SLIP TILES: See Slip-Resistant.

NON-VITREOUS TILE: Tile with water absorption of more than 7.0 percent.

NTCA: National Tile Contractors Association, Inc.

ORGANIC ADHESIVE: A prepared organic material, ready to use with no further addition of liquid or powder, which cures nor sets by evaporation.

PAPER AND WIRE: Tar paper and wire mesh (or metal lath) that are used as a backing for the installation of tile.

PAVER TILE: Glazed or unglazed porcelain or natural clay tile formed by the dust pressed method and having six square inches or more of facial area.

P.E.I. (Porcelain Enamel Institute): See Surface Abraision Tests. P.E.I. Porcelain Enamel Institute, responsible for research, testing and analysis of ceramic materials in the United States.

PINHOLES: Imperfections in the surface of a ceramic body or glaze, or in the surface of a grout.

PLASTER: A cementitious material or combination of cementitious material and aggregate that, when mixed with a suitable amount of water, forms a plastic mass or paste which when applied to a surface, adheres to it and subsequently hardens, preserving in a rigid state the form or texture imposed during the period of plasticity; also the placed and hardened mixture.

PLUMB: Perpendicular to a true level.

PORCELAIN TILE: A ceramic mosaic tile or a paver tile that is generally made by the dust-pressed method from a composition which results in a tile that is dense, impervious, fine grained and smooth, with a sharply formed face.

PRE-GROUTED TILE: A surfacing unit consisting of an assembly of ceramic tiles bonded together at their edges by a material (generally elastomeric) which seals the joint completely. Such material (grout) may fill the joint completely or partially and may cover all, a portion or none of the back surfaces of the tiles in the sheets. The perimeter of these factory pre-grouted sheets may include the entire or part of the joint between the sheets or none at all. The term "Edge-bonded Tile" is sometimes used to designate a particular type of pre-grouted tile sheets having the front and back surfaces completely exposed.

psi: Pounds per square inch.

PURE COAT: Neat cement applies to the mortar bed.

QUARRY TILE: Glazed or unglazed tile made by the extrusion process from natural clay or shale, usually having six square inches or more of facial area.

RECEPTOR: Waterproof base for a shower stall.

RETURN: The ending of a small splash wall or wainscot at right angles to the major wall.

RUNNING BOND: Stretchers overlapping one another by one-half unit, with vertical joint in alternate courses.

SALTILLO TILE: Adobe type tile made of clay and other natural raw materials, molded and allowed to dry. Not a fired clay product.

SANDBLASTING: A method of scarifying the surface of concrete or masonry to provide a bondable surface. Compressed air is used to propel a stream of wet or dry sand onto the surface.

SCARIFY: A mechanical means of roughing a surface to obtain a better bond.

SCRATCH COAT: A mixture of portland cement, sand and water applied as the first coat of mortar on a wall or ceiling. Its surface usually is scratched or roughened so that it will bond properly with subsequent coats of mortar.

SCULPTURED TILE: Tile with a decorative design of high and low areas molded into its face.

SEALANT: An elastomeric material used to fill and seal expansion and control joints. This material prevents the passage of moisture and allows the horizontal and lateral movement at the expansion and control joints.

SELF-SPACING TILE: Tile with lugs, spacers or protuberances on the sides which automatically space the tile for the grout joint.

SEMI-VITREOUS TILE: Tile with water absorption of more than 3.0 percent, but not more than 7.0 percent.

SET-UP TIME: The time adhesive or mortar, spread on a surface takes to cure or harden.

SHOWER PAN: A waterproof shower floor membrane made from metal, layers of built-up roofing or single or multiple elastomeric membranes.

SILICONE GROUT: An engineered elastomeric grout system for interior use.

SLAKE: Allowing the mixtures of mortar, thinset mortar or grout to stand for a brief period of time after the ingredients have been thoroughly combined and before the final mixing has occurs. Slaking enables the moisture in the mix to penetrate lumps in the dry components, making it easier to complete the mixing procedure.

SLATE: A naturally laminated stone pieces or tiles that are set in mortar or cement resulting in a interesting natural pattern.

SPLASH WALLS: The walls of a tile drainboard or bathtub.

STANDARD GRADE CERAMIC TILE: Highest grade of all types of ceramic tile.

STATIC COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION (C.O.F.): Slip resistance. The degree of slip resistance presented in a quantitative number that expresses the degree of slip resistance. Slip resistance is evaluated by the horizontal pull method (ASTM C1028). There is no current ANSI requirement a coefficient of friction of 0.5 and above is the recognized industry standard for a slip resistant floor.

STRAIGHT JOINT: The usual style of laying tile where all the joints are in alignment.

SUBFLOOR: A rough floor - plywood or boards - laid over joists and on which an underlayment or substrate is installed.

SUBSTRATE: The underlying support for ceramic tile installations.

SURFACE ABRASION TEST: This test is for glazed tiles only. It is based on the P.E.I. rating system (Porcelain Enamel Institute)A number of sample tiles are subjected to rotation with an abrasive material on their surface(contained in a cup). After a pre-determined number of revolution cycles the specimen is removed. This is repeated for eight periods of cycle rotations:  100 rotations, 150,600,750,1500, 2100, 6000, and 12,000. The tile that shows no wear at 12,000 rotations is then subjected to a staining test.  If it passes the stain test it is then classed as a grade V tile.  Each piece is then compared in a viewing box to a new piece.  if there are no visible signs of wear, it is considered to have passed to that level. There are six levels that can be achieved by this test method (0 to 5)0 to V.

TERRACOTTA: Hard baked tile of variable color and water absorption. Usually unglazed, this product requires a sealer to prevent staining. Used mainly on interior floors. Sometimes referred to as Cotto.

TERRAZO: A multicolored stone floor made of small pieces of stone embedded  in cement.  The floor is then polished to a high shine.

THIN-SET: The term used to describe the installation of tile with all materials except portland cement mortar, which is the only recognized thick-bed method.

TILE: A ceramic surfacing unit, usually relatively thin in relation to facial area, made from clay or a mixture or a mixture of clay and other ceramic materials called the body of the tile, and having either a glazed or unglazed face. Fired at a temperature sufficiently high enough to produce specific physical properties and characteristics.

TRIM UNITS / TILES: Units of various shapes consisting of items such as bases, caps, corners, mouldings and angles necessary to achieve installations of the desired sanitary and architectural design.

UNGLAZED TILE: A hard, dense tile of uniform composition throughout, deriving color and texture from the materials of which the body is made.

URETHANE: An elastomeric polymer with excellent chemical and water resistance. Single component (moisture cure) and 2-part (chemical cure) systems are available. Both types may be applies in a fluid state and cure (polymerize) after installation. Typical tile industry applications include sealants, caulks, waterproofing membranes and high performance flexible adhesives.

V-CAP TRIM: V-shaped trim tile used on the front edge of a countertop. The tile's top surface is gently curved upward at the front edge to prevent water from running onto the floor.

VITREOUS TILE: Tile with water absorption of more than 0.5 percent, but not more than 3.0 percent.

VITRIFICATION: The condition resulting when kiln temperatures are sufficient to fuse grains and close pores of a clay product.

WALL TILE: A glazed tile with a body that is suitable for interior use and which is usually nonvitreous, and is not required nor expected to withstand excessive impact or be subjected to freezing and thawing conditions.

WATER ABSORPTION: The quantity of water a tile can absorb expressed as a percent of the dry tile weight. High water absorption corresponds to a porous structure, while compact, vitrified structures feature low water absorption. Water absorption is measured in accordance with ISO 10545-3.

WET AREAS: Tile surfaces that are either soaked, saturated or subjected to moisture or liquids (usually water) such as gang showers, tub enclosures, showers, laundries, saunas, steam rooms, swimming pools and exterior areas.