Facade tiles allow you to make the walls of a new house beautiful and durable, or quickly restore and insulate it an old house. There are 2 installation technologies: wet - with glue, and dry - covering a ventilated facade. In this article we will figure out how to choose the right material for cladding a house.

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Material options

Types of tiles used for facade cladding:

• Porcelain tiles;
• Facade ceramic (frost-resistant) tiles;
• Clinker;
• Agglomerate;
• Terracotta;
• Facade concrete facing tiles.

The edge shape and surface texture of facade tiles, as well as their color, are very diverse: from natural tones that imitate natural materials to bright, saturated colors.

Porcelain tiles

Porcelain tiles are created based on a mixture of dyes, feldspar, various clays, sand and mineral additives. The material can be plain, interspersed (like “salt and pepper”), or can imitate marble or granite. Firing occurs at 1200-1300ºС.

• Do not absorb moisture (water absorption coefficient 0.05%);
• Frost resistance up to 50 cycles;
• Ecologically pure;
• High wear resistance;
• The most popular sizes are from 100x100 mm to 600x600 mm;
• Porcelain tiles for facades are made thinner (from 3 mm) so that they do not create a large load on the walls.

Most often, porcelain stoneware is attached to a frame using ventilated facade technology. This allows you to insulate the house and create an optimal microclimate inside.

Ceramics

Regular tiles are not suitable for outdoor use. It will quickly crack from frost. But some manufacturers produce special facade ceramics.

Clinker

Clinker tiles are made from shale clays, which do not contain impurities in the form of salts or calcium carbonate. Firing at 1300ºС. Production technology – extrusion.

Due to the presence of micropores in the clinker structure, it does not accumulate moisture and does not crack when frozen. In terms of frost resistance, it is even ahead of porcelain stoneware.

In addition, there are clinker thermal panels. These are clinker tiles with insulation. There are several thermal panel systems. In some of them, the insulation is attached together with the tiles. They are assembled like a construction set, inserted into a groove and attached to the wall with an umbrella dowel.

In others, first the insulation is attached to the wall, and then the tiles. A special insulation with grooves for each row of tiles is used, which greatly simplifies the cladding.

Agglomerate

Agglomerate is a pressed facing tile for facades made from crushed marble, quartzite or granite.

Quartz is the hardest component in the agglomerate. It gives the material strength and increased abrasion resistance. These are durable tiles often used for commercial facades. In terms of technical characteristics, it is superior to marble, looks beautiful and is cheaper.

Terracotta tiles

Terracotta coating is obtained from kaolin clay. No dyes are used. Colors – light or red-brown, black. Firing temperature - 1000ºС. Texture: stone, brick, wood cut. It is afraid of moisture and flakes off over time. Installed using the wet method.

Concrete tiles

Cladding technology

Preparing the base

Facade cladding begins with preparing the base.

• Clean the façade from limescale and paint residues;
• Seal all seams and cracks;
• Prime the base;
• Install the reinforcing mesh;
• Plaster the walls;
• Prime again.

Dry installation method

The design of the ventilated facade includes:

• Facade tiles;
• The membrane in which the air space is formed;
• Insulation;
• Load-bearing base made of aluminum profile.

Technology:

• The wall is marked by level. It is necessary to draw a horizontal line and 2 vertical lines. Window and door openings will require an additional number of brackets, which are attached to the holes in the wall with dowels;
• Using mushroom dowels, pull the insulation to the surface. The elements are arranged in a checkerboard pattern;
• Secure the membrane over the insulation;
• Build a frame sheathing from a galvanized aluminum profile. It is installed in the grooves of the brackets and secured with rivets;
• They are also used to attach clamps to the profile;
• Installation of panels starts from the ground. We recommend facade tiles with metal fasteners, screwed to the profile with self-tapping screws.
• The installation step of the fasteners is determined depending on the size of the insulation sheets and tile elements.

Wet method

Facade tiles can also be mounted directly to the wall.

• Use a mixer (drill with attachment) to prepare glue for exterior use. Use one that can support the weight of your tiles.
• There is no need to soak the tiles, but if the installation side is dusty, dip them in water before installing. Highly absorbent bases are additionally moistened with water.
• For better adhesion, glue is applied to both the tile and the wall. One of the layers should be made for a comb, and the second for stripping (minimum layer, peeled off with an even spatula).
• Installation of slabs by pressing them against the surface to be coated begins from the corners. The thickness of the glue after pressing must be at least 3 mm.
• Before the glue hardens, you need to level the tiles flat and horizontal. The uniformity of the seams between the tiles is achieved using plastic crosses.

After a day, the seams are filled with grout. It is selected depending on the type of tile. Wide joints between tiles are filled using a semi-dry mixture or using a construction gun. This must be done carefully so as not to stain the front side of the tile. If it is porous, it will be very difficult to wash it.

Ceramic facade tiles are rightfully called one of the most popular environmentally friendly materials used in the exterior decoration of houses. Over the past 10 years, it has been in demand everywhere and does not go out of fashion. The type of coating on a ceramic facade is aesthetic, presentable, and aristocratic. The exterior decoration of the building can be made in various colors and compositions, emphasizing its style and unique exterior. Ceramic tiles for the facade play a functional and aesthetic role, because they not only decorate the walls of the house, but also provide them with reliable protection from adverse influences external environment, reducing the service life of the object.

When the price is affordable and everyone likes it

Facade tiles for the home have an affordable price for various consumer categories. Ceramic finishing for facades comes in various types. There is a budget ceramic one. The price of premium ceramic tiles is an order of magnitude higher. The most expensive, of course, is considered ceramic tile elite class, which is often produced in exclusive designer versions. In any case, finishing using environmentally friendly material will last long years and will delight property owners if, during the finishing work, all technologies are accurately, thoroughly, and competently followed and recommendations are followed.

This tile has a number of advantages:

• light weight;
• increased level of reliability;
• long service life;
• waterproof;
• fireproof;
• has increased resistance to negative temperatures;
• does not change color over time.

Aesthetically decorates and reliably protects

Facade ceramic finishing is not carried out in all cases. With its help, facade panels are installed, because it is the outer decorative layer of ventilated facades. Cladding a house with a ventilated facade is an excellent opportunity to significantly increase the life and quality of operation of the building, giving it an aesthetic appearance using wear-resistant, reliable materials and new generation structures.

The ventilated facade with ceramic tiles is a multi-layer, multi-element structure. This façade decoration literally saves the house, as it prevents further deformation of the building walls. The facade tiles used in it are characterized by increased wear resistance and reliability. Ceramic panels are attached to the elements of the supporting system of the ventilated facade, giving the house a stylish, respectable look. Nowadays, ceramic coatings for facades, combining bright, deep, contrasting colors and shades, are considered a popular design solution.

Advantages and disadvantages

Any, even the most innovative, materials used to decorate the facade have their advantages and disadvantages. And ceramic panels are no exception. Installing a facade with ceramic tiles will cost much more than using traditional materials. But this finish has a whole list of advantages that similar cladding materials do not have. They will effectively save money on the further operation of the building.

Tiles for facades come in different sizes. Basically, like porcelain stoneware, it is produced in sizes: 10x10, 40x40, 60x60, 600x600 mm. No less popular are facade panels measuring 300x300 mm. However, in the finishing of multi-storey buildings and public buildings, ceramic facade slabs measuring 600x600 mm are most widely used. They are characterized by heavy weight and load on the supporting structure.

And yet, the weight of facade panels, compared to similar materials, is considered small, which also affects the technical and operational characteristics. All facade panels are waterproof and have high thermal insulation properties. Tiles for the facade of the house are not afraid of excessively high or low temperatures, their changes under the influence of atmospheric factors. Particular attention should be paid to the resistance of facade panels to sub-zero temperatures, which allows them to be widely used not only in southern, but also in northern climatic latitudes.

Cladding the facade with a ceramic component is an economical and practical solution to the problem of long-term maintenance of the aesthetic appearance of the house.

Facade ceramic tiles do not fade or lose their color under the influence of humidity, ultraviolet rays and various temperatures. The strength of facade panels reaches 190-220 MPa. All facade ceramic components of the ventilated canopy are fireproof. Such cladding will easily protect the house from external fire. However, against the backdrop of the advantages of finishing the facade with ceramic tiles, this material has 2 significant disadvantages. These include:

• fragility;
• increased fragility.

Finishing facade tiles must be done with extreme caution, as they are very fragile. And facing tiles are brittle, which creates additional problems during transportation.

About fastening systems

Installation of facade panels involves different kinds solutions to the problem. The most practical option for installing facing tiles is to mount them on a supporting profile that can be adjusted. If façade panels of different sizes are used for finishing, an adjustable support profile - best option cladding. A special aluminum substructure is provided on the outside of ventilated facade systems; façade panels are mounted on it. It should be noted: such substructures where the cladding is attached are distinguished by the nature of the seam. It can be closed or open.

Facing tiles can imitate any surface. If the assortment of a special construction store or shopping center does not include the required color and size of façade panels, manufacturers will promptly produce these products to order. When choosing facade panels, it is necessary to take into account the style of the building, how they will look against the background of the overall architectural ensemble. The cladding of residential and non-residential buildings in eco-style is considered trendy these days. Such facade panels have all the colors and shades of greenery, wood, stone, and earth.

Black and white retro cladding is mainly used for classical buildings. Facing tiles in bright colors - for retail and entertainment venues. It is also very convenient because any design can be applied to its surface. Unique ceramic cladding made to order is becoming increasingly common in cities.

And for the production of large images for mosaics, facing tiles turned out to be quite a suitable material. Making mosaic-style ornaments using it is a fashionable element of building exterior decor. The facing ceramic surface can be combined with natural finishing stone and porcelain stoneware. Nowadays, you can often find options when the lower part of multi-story buildings is finished at the level of human height with granite or porcelain tiles in dark tones, and above that there are light-colored ceramic tiles.

OJSC "Golitsyn Ceramic Plant" offers facing facade tiles. We guarantee impeccable product quality and excellent service.

Facade tiles: features and advantages

This finishing material has proven its effectiveness, so its demand is constantly growing. In terms of its performance properties, facing tiles for facades are not inferior to brick and even surpass it in some respects.

After grunge and loft styles came into fashion, facade tiles began to be used for finishing interior spaces, even apartments in panel houses. Such finishing literally transforms panel and block apartments visually, but, most importantly, it significantly increases sound and heat insulation, improves the internal climate, and regulates the level of humidity, which cannot be achieved in a panel house using any other finishing materials. On the contrary, dampness can “eat” wallpaper, paint, and chipboard.

IN country houses the range of applications for tiles is much wider - this includes both primary and secondary finishing - inexpensive, but high-quality camouflage of house cladding with low-quality bricks, decoration of internal living spaces, basements, fences, free-standing structures in areas such as garages, sheds, gazebos.

Advantages of brick facade tiles

• The ability to cladding a house from any material – wooden, plastered, etc.
• Lightness, no additional load on the foundation and no need to carry out manipulations to strengthen it if, during the construction of walls, its insufficient strength is revealed.
• Easy to install, ability to do the installation yourself.
• Low cost.
• Fire resistance.
• Frost resistance.
• High degree of strength.
• High aesthetic appeal. There are different shades and textures of the material, and special corner elements allow you to get the effect of real brickwork.

Cost of facade tiles

But the most important difference between this material and brick is, of course, cost savings. Moreover, it is carried out in all directions: on price, adhesive solution, reducing the labor costs of masons, or even completely refusing their services.

In addition, if any element is damaged, it is easy and cheap to replace. Storing spare tiles for the facade does not require as much space as bricks.

Facing tiles are not intended to perform a load-bearing function - they are mounted on an existing facade, and for interior decoration - on existing walls.

Reasons to purchase façade tiles from us

OJSC Golitsyn Ceramic Plant is constantly improving the competitiveness of its products. Our workshops are equipped with automated lines, and a progressive packaging method allows us to ensure the safety of products even when transported over long distances. This is especially true for her. When it comes to technology, we intelligently combine the latest developments with tried and tested methods.

To order ceramic facade tiles from us, just indicate the quantity you need and send your request in any way convenient for you - through an online form, by phone, Skype or email.

Ceramic facades today are especially in demand among all other types of facade systems. For their cladding, facade ceramic panels are used, the characteristics and properties of which differ significantly from the properties of the ceramic tiles known to us, which are widely used for interior finishing work in premises.

Let's consider the main advantages of using this material for facade finishing and possible disadvantages.

Ceramic panels for cladding: pros and cons

Let's start with the good, namely the main advantages of the material:

1. Ceramic slabs are lightweight and do not require massive frame systems. Facades finished with ceramics are light, beautiful and durable.
2. Facade panels based on ceramics are characterized by high strength indicators.
3. The material will provide additional protection for the insulation layer and waterproofing membrane.
4. The facade based on ceramic panels has waterproof qualities, and the material itself is resistant to moisture.
5. Facade slabs easily cope with negative temperatures.
6. The material is fireproof and helps improve the fire safety of a home.
7. Ceramic panels retain decorative appearance even when exposed to UV radiation for many years.

Naturally, with such an impressive list of advantages, several disadvantages will seem insignificant, however, they exist. The main disadvantage of the panels is their high price. In addition, the material is characterized by increased fragility. However, strict adherence to the instructions for storage, transportation and installation will avoid the risk of splitting the panels, and therefore eliminate the lion's share of shortcomings.

Types and features of ceramic panels

Ceramic-based slabs are made from a mixture of quartz sand and clay using natural additives. The technology for obtaining the material consists of firing the mixture with pressing and subsequent extrusion. Depending on the variety, the material may have different characteristics.

For example, the densest is an extruded panel, which, in addition to this, is also waterproof. The facade, lined with such slabs, can be covered with enamel or glaze, thereby increasing moisture resistance and strength, embodying interesting ideas in terms of color.

The most affordable ones include: monocottura and cotto. The first is obtained by pressing followed by firing white clay in several stages. The material looks very beautiful and elegant, demonstrates excellent frost resistance and moisture resistance. The second is non-enamelled, with a porous surface in brown tones, also quite an interesting material for cladding within a limited budget.

The most popular options for ceramic-based slabs used in private and commercial construction are presented below:

Terracotta facade slabs

Made of clay, do not contain dyes, fired for 10 hours at high temperature, which suggests the high strength of the material and a unique natural design.

The features of such panels are their durability and aesthetic appearance. But, as for technical characteristics, then they are noticeably inferior to composite and clinker panels.

Important! Choose materials from those manufacturers who use special protective coatings for processing slabs, which simplify the care of the cladding and protect the facade from the effects of bacteria.

Clinker facade slabs

Distinctive features are high levels of sound and heat insulation.

The material is characterized by increased strength, tolerates mechanical loads well, and withstands aggressive environments. Clinker panels are sold at an affordable price that matches their quality.

Composite facade panels

The material is a polyurethane foam panel with a ceramic coating as a protective outer layer. Its main advantage is excellent energy saving indicators, especially in combination with ventilated facades, which in this case simply have no equal in terms of heat retention.

Important! The optimal solution for using slabs is cladding the supporting structure.

What should the facade frame be like for a ceramic-based slab?

It is important to understand that the basis of any facade based on ceramic slabs is the frame. It is understood as a system of additional structures mounted on the load-bearing wall of the facade for the subsequent installation of panels on it.

You can make such a frame yourself, or you can purchase a ready-made system. Naturally, the first option is more time-consuming, but will save money, while the second will cost more, but will guarantee a truly high-quality and reliable product. As a rule, each system is manufactured for a specific type of ceramic slab.

Installation of the frame is carried out in stages. At the initial stage, you will need to fix the brackets to the load-bearing wall, on top of which lay any heat-insulating material, for example, the same mineral wool. The next step is the installation of a windproof membrane, on top of which you will need to install frame profiles. To do this, you will need to mount the horizontal elements first, and then install the vertical ones with fastenings under the ceramic slabs.

Installation of ceramic-based panels: technology

The paneling process is fast and exciting. Depending on the type of panel and the characteristics of the frame, installation can be carried out in several options.

1. Installation on system mounts.
   The essence of installation is to fasten the panels to fasteners - parts of the load-bearing parts of the frame.
2. Installation on clamps.
   The idea is to attach a clamp with metal protrusions intended for mounting a façade slab on them. The remaining parts are assembled in the likeness of the designer.
3. Self-tapping installation.
   The principle is to fasten the panels with self-tapping screws, which are screwed into the technological holes.
4. Wall mounting.
   There is also such an option. In this case, the slabs are fixed directly to the wall using an adhesive base.

Regardless of the choice of installation type, it should be noted that ceramic panels are rightly considered one of the most practical and convenient materials for cladding the external walls of a building. A house finished with such panels will look beautiful and respectable, will last for many years, delighting with the practicality and reliability of the facade.

Already long time Ceramic facade tiles are successfully used and are becoming more and more in demand every day. Thanks to high quality facade ceramics, relatively low cost and of course a large selection, you can find an option that suits everyone.

A ventilated facade is a structure consisting of a supporting system of frame sheathing and cladding material. Everything is installed in such a way that there is an air flow for ventilation between the metal structure and the facing material.

In most cases, insulation is installed. It is worth saying that ceramic tiles for outdoor use used in ventilated facades have the property of low water permeability (low level of water absorption), which means that moisture does not enter the ventilated space.

It is also worth saying that a ventilated facade prevents the appearance of wall deformation; this occurs due to the fact that the air temperature between the insulation and the wall is constant or changes more smoothly. In addition, the insulation of a ventilated facade helps the wall cool down several times slower. A high level of reliability and an attractive appearance are the qualities that ceramic tiles for outdoor use have. .

Functions of a ventilated facade

As for the supporting system of a ventilated facade, this is perhaps one of its most important parts, since the level of reliability and service life depend on its installation. If we describe the entire system in a few words, then this is a system of their brackets, which has guides, both vertical and horizontal. This should also include elements on which tiles, outdoor ceramic or granite slabs are directly attached.

Advantages and disadvantages of ventilated facades

It is worth saying that it is precisely because of their high reliability and durability that ventilated facades are in high demand. But they also have a number of advantages:

• Thermal insulation;
• Soundproofing;
• Moisture protection;
• Protection against wall deformation;
• Low level of fire hazard.

In addition to all the above advantages, it is worth saying that ceramic facade tiles, the price of which is quite affordable for many today, has a pleasant appearance, and a large number of colors allows you to choose what your heart desires or what the design requires. Therefore, the good performance properties and noble appearance of ceramic facade tiles are already a big plus.

As for the disadvantages, this is a relatively short service life, which reaches 40-50 years, as well as:

• Lack of air cushion due to inept installation;
• Swelling of the structure due to condensate entering and freezing in winter.

Advantages and disadvantages of ceramic facade tiles

The cost of installing ceramic facade tiles is higher compared to traditional methods of finishing facades, but this is completely justified, since such tiles have a number of advantages over other materials. The following advantages must be mentioned:

• Relatively light weight of the tiles, which increases service life and reliability;
• Waterproof;
• The tiles are resistant to sub-zero temperatures;
• High strength, reaches 190-220MPa;
• Fireproof;
• Retains its color for a long period of time.

It is worth saying that the advantages fully justify the price of such tiles.

Therefore, ceramic tiles for the facade of a house are a good solution both in terms of design and in terms of reliability and service life.

But, despite all the advantages, ceramic tiles also have a number of disadvantages. In principle, most of the shortcomings are not critical, but you still need to know that they exist. Ceramic tiles for ventilated facades have the following disadvantages:

• Fragility;
• Fragility.

With proper transportation, installation and operation, design flaws rarely make themselves felt. According to GOST, ceramic facade tiles can have increased strength, which further eliminates the disadvantages; of course, this is reflected in a higher price. A wide selection of color solutions allows you to choose from existing color shades or order any desired color from the factory.

Fastening systems for ceramic ventilated facades

There are a large variety of fastening systems, so ceramic tiles for exterior finishing can be installed in any way.

The most relevant today is a support profile with the ability to adjust. At the same time, it is possible to install tiles of different lengths on the profile.

It is worth mentioning that external ceramic tiles are mounted on aluminum substructures, which can have a closed or open seam.

Of course, we cannot help but mention CLS, which in translation means the classic fastening system used for ventilated facades. The classic mounting method is ideal in terms of budget and installation speed. Horizontal and vertical guides fit identically to each other, which speeds up installation. Quite often, ceramic tiles for facades are fixed using BAS systems. This allows for high reliability and stability of the entire system.