Not Kenny Rogers!

A nice thing about the ceramic tile industry is that there is a widely-accepted rating system for durability. Our system rates the surface of a tile from Class 1 to Class 5 (”1″ being the least resistant to abrasion and “5″ the most resistant). This allows you to choose the right tile for the application.

Wear Rating System:

While the composition of tiles may differ, the most important attribute to a tile is its wear rating. The wear rating is a tile’s ability to resist scratching from surface abrasion. The chart below shows how tiles are rated. Keep in mind all 3 types of tiles described above come with various ratings, but through-bodied porcelains usually carry the highest rating of 5 - all residential and commercial use.

Wear Rating System:

Class 1: Wall Application Only.

Class 2: Light Residential Use. Class 2 tiles must not be used in residential areas that are subject to constant or heavy traffic. (i.e., kitchen)

Class 3: Residential Applications. Class 3 tiles are suitable for all residential applications.

Class 4: All Residential and Light Commercial Applications. Class 4 tiles may be used in all residential areas and light commercial applications. (i.e., restaurants, offices)

Class 5: Suitable for all Residential and Commercial Application. Class 5 tiles are suitable for all applications including those with heavy traffic and constant use. (i.e., Shopping Malls, Hospitals)

Choosing A Size:

Tiles are available in many sizes. The recent trend has been toward larger tiles for floor and wall applications. 13″ x 13″ has been our most popular size for floors and 8″ x 10″ the most popular for walls. The up and coming sizes are 16″ x 16″ for floors and 8″ x 12″ for walls. The reason? Larger tiles make a space appear…larger. Some floor tiles come in multiple sizes, which allow the creation of interesting patterns. Talk to us about the look you’re trying to achieve and we can steer you in the right direction.

The Rules of Color:

Of course, only you can decide what color is right for you, but here are a few basic rules to remember: Lighter colors make a space appear larger. Darker colors add warmth and hide dirt well. Neutral colors allow you to change your accessories but if you love a trendy color, go for it! Just keep in mind it will be with you a long time. The color shade or shades of all tile varies some degree from piece to piece, from each production run to run. At least several pieces from the same production run should be reviewed whenever possible to determine acceptable color shade variations. Any questions or concerns about your tile selection should be clarified prior to installation.

Texture Tips:

Generally speaking, textured or matte finish tiles are less slippery than smooth or shiny tiles - something to keep in mind when choosing floor tiles. A tile’s “slip resistance” is measured by its “coefficient of friction,” which is provided by some manufacturers.

Selecting A Style:

Rustic or stone-looking tiles are extremely popular because they fit in with any decor and are excellent at hiding dirt. Marbleized tiles lend a more formal look. Tumbled marble is a popular look for all types of decor. Glass tiles and metallic looks are now frequently used in conjunction with ceramic tile and natural stone to create a unique and striking installation. Visit one of our showrooms to see how different materials can be combined to make your project special.

Choosing A Grout:

Grout is available in a wide variety of colors. Using a grout which matches the tile tends to make the grout lines disappear. Using a contrasting color makes the individual tiles stand out. Our sales consultants will explain the different types of grout and how you can achieve the look you want.

Technology plays a significant role in our daily lives; technology has without a doubt, made our lives very easy for us. Technology, along with its unlimited advantages also has a lot of disadvantages. Technology is a gift to ourselves so that we can live our lives more comfortably but many people tend to abuse this gift for their own pleasure or personal gain. Cell Phone is one such device that has made our life so easy that we cannot even think of a world without it. Cordless Phones can be used to stay in contact with your friends and family no matter where you are the added camera saves you the trouble of taking your digital camera everywhere with you and services such as GPRS keeps us connected to the internet no matter where we are. But these services can also be abused by people.

Scams:

A rather new problem with cell phones is scam messaging. Low lives and criminals try to trick people into sending money into their account. This is becoming a real problem now as people posing as the network inform people via sms that they have won a lot of money and in order to get their hands on that money they should send a small amount usually 20 or 30 to this account or number. Sadly a survey shows that an alarming amount of people actually fall for this and do actually send the money, and then wait for their prize. Messaging which should have been a fun way of staying in contact with your friends is also used for this purpose and in this way the service is abused.

Pranks and Misleading Information:

Cell phones are also used to carry out pranks and other jokes which in actuality are not funny and they do more damage that good. Pranks such as bomb threats and death threats are not funny at all, yet people send them to random numbers just to have a good laugh. They do this because they know that their identity is secure and there is no way the receiver of that message can find out who the sender is. Similarly, forwarding messages that are unverified and half true can be destructive. It can worsen an already bad situation. For example bomb scares spread like wild fire by forwarding that sms to a large number of people, then those people forward it to other people and so on. This can create paranoia and anxiety.

No More Privacy:

Due to cell phones are lives are no longer private. Cell phone cameras have made sure of this. You can never be sure when someone is taking your picture or recording your video. Due to the powerful cameras and zoom features of modern cell phones anybodys picture or video can be taken in high quality, no matter where they are. Further more tracking services by network providers can be accessed by anyone and we can be located anytime via our cell phones.