What Is A Pei Rating For Ceramic Tile

Pei ratings porcelain enamel institute all glazed floor tiles are classified under a porcelain enamel institute pei rating for the suitability of fixing in a particular location.

What is a pei rating for ceramic tile.

Glazed and unglazed tiles are rated for scratch resistance and hardness via the mohs scratch test. The pei rating only refers to a tile s strength and suitability for a particular application. A rating of 1 means the tile can be used on very light wear areas and should only be installed in rooms where people use soft footwear such as sneakers or slipper. Pei rating 5 tiles represents the highest pei score which means that tiles with such a rating are resistant to visible wear with very high amounts of traffic.

Please note that through body porcelain tiles do not have a pei rating as they are very hard wearing. Ceramic and porcelain tiles are rated though most people seem to be more concerned about the. This rating is for glazed tiles designated for use on walls only. The pei rating class begins with a 0 rating which is best suited for light duty applications in homes.

It does not measure the fracture strength of the entire tile nor does it offer any rating of the slip resistance of the tile. This hardness is determined by the manufacturer using a standardized test. It is not an indicator of the tile s overall quality or value. A pei rating is given to a tile product based the hardness of its glaze.

The pei scale was established by the porcelain enamel institute to help create standards consumers could rely on to help determine which tiles to buy for which purpose. The pei categorization primarily defines the hardness and durability of the various ceramic products that are tested. The pei rating is and indication of tile hardness and pei floor ratings are valuable to guide tile choices for different projects. It should be noted that the pei rating involves testing of only the surface wear layer of a tile s enamel glazing.

Tile with this rating should only be used on walls and is not practical for counters or walls. In many cases some of the most beautiful and costly tiles have a pei 1 or 2 rating. The results of this test will determine the proper usage of a product. These can be used in heavy commercial areas like shopping malls and airports.

The tiles are rated from a soft 1 or talc to 10. Up to 154 revolutions. For this reason the pei value is shown in tile catalogues as the requirement for the individual article rather than for the series as a whole which may have lighter and darker tiles. Tile with this rating is not suitable for installation on floors.

If you step up to a 1 rating product the tile is suitable for use on walls in both residential and commercial buildings.