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TILE TODAY
                                                                      94
                    FULLY ENDORSED BY THE AUSTRALIAN TILE COUNCIL

COVERINGS
USA SHOW                                 THE CASE FOR
2017                                     STONE-EFFECT
                                                TILES

                                                  BEAUMONT TILES
                                               LAUNCHES EXCLUSIVE
                                                      ITALIAN TILE
                                                      COLLECTION

TRENDS   |   PROJECT SPOTLIGHT       |   I N S TA L L AT I O N   |   INDUSTRY NEWS
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TILE TODAY - Elite Publishing
94
TILE TODAY

 contents   TRENDS
            10      The popularity of stone-effect porcelain tiles
                    shows no signs of slowing down, especially for the
                    local market. Digital ink jet technologies also have
                    a role to play.

            14      The Coverings trade show that was held in
                    Orlando, Florida earlier this year should be seen
                    as a more serious priority for Australian buyers,
                    according to international correspondent Joe
                    Simpson.

            M AR K ETS
            26      The latest data from the Australian Bureau of
                    Statistics shows that ceramic tile imports peaked
                    in the March quarter of 2017.

            PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
            29      Restaurant Augusta located in Göttingen, Germany
                    underwent a major tile renovation of its 200sqm
                    cellar vault.

            TECHNICAL
            32      Ceramic tile could be a useful solution when
                    it comes to finding a suitably safe cladding for
                    commercial building façades.
            36      The appropriate tiling technique should be applied
                    when tile fixers need to tile over difficult surfaces.

            INSTALLATION
            38      Installing tiles on steel, stainless steel or polyester
                    surfaces requires epoxy adhesives.

            R EGUL AR DE PAR TM E NTS
            41      Featured Products
            44      Industry News

            READ ON THE GO: Scan code
            to view the latest FREE digital
            versions of the magazine on
            our website. Simply click on
            the front cover once you have
            scanned the code.
TILE TODAY - Elite Publishing
n i s h Gl a s s
  t o uc h o f Spa
a                                                                                                GLAS S MOS AIC TILES
                                                                                                                         setting the
                                                                                                                         industry
                                                                                                 australia               standards

                                                                                                 Europe Imports Pty Ltd WINNER of:
                                                                                                 Tile Today Industry Achievement Award 2014
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                              P.O. Box 8060, Baulkham Hills NSW 2153 • 28 Prince William Drive, Seven Hills NSW 2147
                         Phone: 1300 EUROPE (387-673) • Facsimile: (02) 9624 4296 • Email: sales@europeimports.com.au
TILE TODAY - Elite Publishing
FO REWOR D                                                               MEET THE TEAM

     Since the last issue of Tile Today, there has been a number of positive signs that
     the Australian tile industry remains confident and self-assured about its future.

     I was invited to the launch of Beaumont Tiles’ exclusive distribution deal with
     the Decoratori Bassanesi collection. The range seemed to be a good fit with its
     Beaumont Studio locations which were launched a year ago to provide a high end
     retail experience for professional end-users.
                                                                                                 Vicky Cammiade
     The Italian-themed event was elevated by the presence of the representatives from               Publisher
     Decoratori Bassanesi who all exuded natural, sophisticated charm.

     In WA, Labyrinth Tiles is moving into wholesale for the first time in 25 years and
     is reaching out to tile retailers who may be interested in stocking its product.

     Clear Software celebrated its 10th anniversary recently and floor equipment
     supplier Floorex just added to its number of branches.

     At Tile Today, there has also been a few changes. Trudi Woodward is taking on
     the role of advertising sales manager for the magazine following Ashley Cooper’s             Betty Tanddo
     retirement. She has extensive media experience and looks forward to working with                Editor
     you to help implement your communication and promotional strategies.

     As a result of ransomware that corrupted its data, the infotile.com website is being
     re-developed so that the information and articles can be easily accessed.

     We take our role as the only publication for the tile industry seriously and would
     welcome any feedback.

     Until next time,
                                                                                                 Anthony Stock
                                                                                                Contributing Editor

     Betty Tanddo
     Editor
                                                                                                    Joe Simpson
                                                                                            International Correspondent

        FRONT COVER IMAGE
        Ege Seramik’s Urbandwood tile is
        a one-of-a-kind, slightly textured
        glazed porcelain tile that has the                                                        Philip Ashley
        look of rugged, weathered natural                                                        Machinery Editor
        wood. Available in one multi-
        color earth-tone, it is produced
        using the company’s advanced
        inkjet techniques.

6 | TILE TODAY #94 | www.tiletodaymagazine.com.au
TILE TODAY - Elite Publishing
MADE IN ITALY

Luxor
                         ™
                         By Valsecchia                                 NEW ARRIVAL

                 Ivory                             Grey                      Black

Available in 3 colours, 2 sizes: 600x600mm & 600x300mm, R9 & R11 for internal and external use

SYDNEY 02 9795 2000 | MELBOURNE 03 8792 3500 | BRISBANE 0418 886 833
TILE TODAY - Elite Publishing
Blustyle’s Blue Origin
                         T RENDS                                                                                  tiles from its Living
                                                                                                                  Stones collection.

     New markets for tiles
     that replicate stone
     With textured tiles at the forefront of interior design trends, the case for stocking a broad range of
     stone-effect tiles has never been stronger. International correspondent, Joe Simpson reports.

    T
                he past few years has                   Porcelain tiles are also produced to      With so many different shapes,
                witnessed a surge in the            specific standards, ensuring quality,      sizes, colours and finishes now
                demand for stone-effect tiles       consistency and uniform sizing,            available, driven by the advances
                largely due to advances in          while virtually eliminating defects        in     manufacturing         techniques,
     printing technology that have allowed          that would occur with natural stone,       particularly digital inkjet printing, it is
     the creation of much more realistic and        making them easier for the installer to    clear to see why so many homeowners
     sophisticated looking products. This,          lay and much harder to chip or crack.      favour stone-effect ceramic tiles over
     coupled with increasing consumer                   As a result, ceramic stone-effect      the natural alternative.
     appetite for low maintenance products,         tiles are both practical and versatile        However, while offer the customer
     has seen consumer turn in increasing           making them an established best            a choice of designs that might not
     numbers to stone-effect porcelain tiles;       seller for retailers.                      be within their budget if they were
     a trend that shows no signs of abating.            When it comes to fitting, ceramic      to use real stone, research shows
         There can be no doubt that much            tiles are also easy to cut and install,    that consumers find the process
     of this popularity is also down to             and require no special treatment           of choosing tiles difficult, so, for
     consumer lifestyle choices. Australia          or maintenance; selling points that        retailers, education and informative
     is a nation of busy people who are             really appeal to consumers.                in store marketing is key.
     constantly on the go and porcelain
     tiles are durable, suitable for high-
     traffic areas of the home and much
     easier to look after and clean than
     its natural stone counterparts, which
     usually require sealing or ongoing
     specialist treatment.
         Manufactured using ultra-fine
     porcelain clays fired at extremely
     high temperatures, porcelain stone-
     effect tiles are much harder, denser
     and less porous than natural stone
     and, therefore, less susceptible to
     damage from the elements. This
     means they need less maintenance
     and are harder wearing, and they
     don’t require sealing or treatments
     to keep their look or finish in top
     condition.
                                                       Keraben’s Metropol has
                                                       a stone-effect design
                                                       conspicuous for its bold
8 | TILE TODAY #94 | www.tiletodaymagazine.com.au      personality, inspired by
                                                       grainy textures and subtle
                                                       relief patterns.
TILE TODAY - Elite Publishing
the natural look
                                           without the maintenance

                                                                           THE REVERSO2 RANGE
                                                                           • Vein-cut travertine-look
                                                                           • Glazed porcelain tiles
                                                                           • Suitable for indoor and
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                                                                           • 3 sizes: 300 x 300mm,
                                                                             300 x 600mm and
                                                                             450 x 900mm

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  No sealing                                 Easy to clean           Hard wearing
  Very low maintenance                       No staining             Low installation costs
  Identical to the natural product           No fading               Superior performance

                                  Visit a ColorTile Showroom near you
                               1300 218 424      www.colortile.com.au
            ALEXANDRIA | BROOKVALE | MIRANDA | WENTWORTHVILLE | COFFS HARBOUR | PORT MACQUARIE
TILE TODAY - Elite Publishing
T RENDS

     Cercom’s Stone Box
     includes the chromatic
     variety of slate in its
     Multicolor and Multicolor                       have a tactile, three-dimensional             Previously the exclusive preserve
     Selected tiles.                                 quality, bringing visual intrigue to      of the well to do, these new porcelain
                                                     design schemes within an organic,         slabs can be used to create plush
                                                     natural colour palette.                   feature walls behind beds or an
                                                        Wave designs are becoming              opulent feel for kitchens, bathrooms
                                                     increasingly popular, as homeowners       or hallways.
                                                     value the tranquil, spa-like feel, that       Many of these faux marble panels
                                                     they can bring to bathrooms.              come in a stunning high gloss finish
                                                        For a glamorous, more opulent          that is able to bounce light around
                                                     take on natural stone, marble-effect      a room, and also complement on-
                                                     ceramic tiles ooze elegance with          trend background colours of beige,
                                                     their intricate veining and detail.       grey, greige and white.
                                                     Digital inkjet printing also brings           With modern ink jet technologies,
                                                     high-end options, such as book            it doesn’t matter if the homeowner is
                                                     matched marble slabs, within reach        after marble, slate or limestone, there’s
                                                     of average home owners for the first      a porcelain alternative that will give
                                                     time.                                     them the same desired look. ■

        The benefits of ceramic stone-
     effects should be clearly explained to
     consumers to guide them through the
     decision making process. The quality
     and accuracy of high definition
     printing these days, ensures that
     ceramic tiles are hard to distinguish
     from natural stone, yet they generally
     come at a lower price point.
        Retailers should focus on
     promoting the practical benefits of
     stone-effect ceramic tiles, explaining
     them in terms of aesthetics and
     authenticity of today’s high definition
     digital inkjet printing technology, and
     emphasising the wide range of styles
     and finishes that are now available.
        One hot area in terms of design is
     the use of stone-effect tiles combined
                                                                                                                        Ceramiche Coem’s Brit Stone is a
     with raised prints to create added                                                                                 range of unpolished and polished
     texture and feature areas. Surfaces                                                                                rectified stone-effect tiles in 750
                                                                                                                        by 1,500mm, 600 by 1,200mm,
                                                                                                                        450 by 900mm, 150 by 900mm
                                                                                                                        and 300 by 600mm formats.
10 | TILE TODAY #94 | www.tiletodaymagazine.com.au                                                                      Colour options are Ivory, Sand,
                                                                                                                        Grey, Dark, Graphite and Ocean.
Get in touch with us today!
T RENDS

     Technology turns tile into stone

     Natural stone products can be convincingly emulated with the use of digital ink-jet technologies.

   N
                  atural stone will always           countries, particularly in China.        commercial environments where
                  have its adherents because         But it is anticipated that ink-jet       natural stone is still embraced by
                  of its unique nature and           printing will eventually dominate        developers and specifiers. ■
                  its authenticity. But if           the market.
     imitation is a sincere form of flattery,            One of the advantages of ink-
     the stone sector should be concerned            jet printing relates to the ability to   From Tony Stock
     about the developments in decoration            print right to the very edge of the
     and production processes that tile              tile. This cannot be achieved with       Top: Elements Lux by Keope is available in six sizes
     makers have mastered.                           silk screen or rotocolor processes.      and five versions with a honed finish. The featured
                                                                                              Calcatta marble authentically resembles the intense
         Ink-jet printing is the catalyst for            Tile manufacturers enjoy a host      variation found in natural stone. These products
     the huge advances in replication of             of benefits associated with ink-         are less porous, more durable and low maintenance
     natural stone, timber, brick, concrete,         jet technologies, from reduction         compared to the marble they emulate.

     fabrics and other surface finishes              of time spent cleaning rotocolor         Below: Tracks by Fiordo (Italy) accurately replicates
     which are printed on the surface of             equipment and the elimination of         the smooth surface of natural limestone in four
                                                                                              colours and several sizes.
     a tile.                                         seragraphics which were essential
         These advances are frequently               to the silk screen printing process.     Bottom: Genus is produced by Italian company
                                                                                              Imola in warm beige colour tones in 1200 x
     applied to tile formats, which grow                 Digital ink-jet printing is both     1200mm, 600 x 600mm, 300 x 600mm and
     ever larger and as a consequence, the           accurate and flexible. Vivid designs     750 x 750mm formats, complemented by a 250 x
     achievements in aesthetics are even             can be rendered from digital images      750mm wall tile.

     more noticeable and pronounced.                 and reproduced with the same
         Ink-jet decoration of tile relies on        quality. Almost any image can be
     the terminals of the printer heads,             added to the surface of a tile. This
     which contain millions of pixels and            provides designers and specifiers
     are capable of precisely distributing           with opportunities to create unique
     ink over the body of the tile, prior to         designs for use on practically any
     commencement of the firing process.             surface.
     Some digital printers have as many                  In simple terms, all of the
     as six heads. Additional heads can              classic natural stones are now
     be used to render more vivid colours            effectively imitated by leading tile
     which have revolutionised the art of            manufacturers in a stunning variety
     tile decoration.                                of sizes, colours and textures. For
         These heads do not touch the body           obvious reasons, stone was one of
     of the tile.                                    the first natural products that tile
         Some colours are more difficult to          manufacturers strived to imitate.
     render than others, particularly dark               If the looks match the practical
     shades and black.                               benefits of durability and low
         Silk screen printing and rotocolor          maintenance associated with ceramic
     processes are still evident in some             tile, a market can be created in

12 | TILE TODAY #94 | www.tiletodaymagazine.com.au
T RENDS

                                                                                            Decorative cement
                                                                                            tiles from Aguayo
                                                                                            Tiles, one of the
                                                                                            largest makers of
                                                                                            cement products
                                                                                            in the Dominican
                                                                                            Republic.

     Coverings 2017:an overview
                                                                    I
                                                                        t was somewhat of a surprise that
      The Coverings event claims it is the biggest tile and stone
                                                                        so many European manufacturers
      show in North America. This year it exceeded expectations,        chose to launch new products at
      writes international correspondent Joe Simpson.                   Coverings. In the past ten years or
                                                                    so, the global tile industry seemed to
                                                                    decide that an annual product launch
                                                                    at Cersaie was the most cost-effective
                                                                    way to introduce its latest products to
                                                                    tile buyers.
                                                                        Even     the     major     Spanish
                                                                    producers have tended, post-
                                                                    recession, to hold back very little
                                                                    for Cevisama.
                                                                        However, with Coverings spaced
                                                                    six months ahead (or behind)
                                                                    Cersaie, some of the major players
                                                                    have gone back to spring and
                                                                    autumn launches instead of the
                                                                    single annual collection model.
                                                                    They are using the trade show to
                                                                    not only spearhead sales into the
                                                                    North American market, but also as
                                                                    the international debut of selected
                                                                    products.
Colorker’s Brooklyn range is
                                                                        This makes Coverings even more
a multi-purpose tile ideal for                                      important as an event, but judging
both indoor and outdoor use.
                                                                    by the attendance at Orlando, Florida
                                                                                          > continues p. 16

14 | TILE TODAY #94 | www.tiletodaymagazine.com.au
Diamond Marquina Waves                                                                   Diamond Marquina Bevel

                        iTOP Ker

                                                                                         Find your
                                                                                      Metro Style

Diamond Statuario

                    2,000+ products and 100’s of concept inspiration images: metrotiles.com.au
 Timber Look | Stone Look | Terracotta Look | Marble Look | Natural Stone | Mosaics | Slimline Slabs & More!
T RENDS

     this year, this message has yet to hit
     home with most Australian tile buyers.
     Given the sheer ease of attendance at
     this well organised exhibition, I believe
     these buyers are missing a trick.
        When a large-scale company such
     as Florim presents an entire stand of
     brand-new designs – many of which
     are a significant step forward from the
     collections shown at Cersaie 2016 – it
     is probably fair to say that Coverings
     now deserves to be considered as a
     key date for the buying team from
     every serious Australian distributor
     and retailer.
                                                      Aparici’s encaustic tile
                                                      style Bondi series.
     Recent tile trends
     Digital ink jet decoration and, latterly,
     digital glazing, have been real game-               The move towards fabric-effect         of hand-made ceramic tiles.
     changers in the ceramic tile sector.            tiles at Cersaie was much more             Pearlescent glazes, rich pastel hues
     Coverings provided ample evidence               widely seen at Coverings than              and brick shapes all helped to
     that digital decoration allows precise,         either Revestir or Cevisama. The           breathe life into small format wall
     detailed and accurate printing of               overall standard was very strong,          tiles.
     virtually any design. It also allows            with soft, tactile surfaces, retrained         Terracotta effects are growing
     continuous printing on textured or 3D           colourways and excellent tonal             in popularity, many with an
     surfaces.                                       balances. Mainly the province of           aged facade that was previously
        Digital decoration provides full             the top Italian factories, the most        unattainable.
     edge-to-edge printing on tiles even             up-to-date fabric effects span twill,          Informed use of texture is now
     at high speeds for pattern matching,            suede, leather, seagrass, hessian,         the key to the appeal of many floor
     such as book-matched stone panels,              jute, velvet, tweed, canvas, linen and     and wall tiles today. Utilising the
     continuous fabric-effects, etc.                 denim.                                     latest generation of through-bodied
        At Coverings, most of the dominant               Modern luxury remains popular          porcelain and digital decoration,
     trends of recent years, such as faux            with elegant white marble-effect           manufacturers are using texture to
     wood, concrete, light marbles, brick            tiles. Black and white is a timeless       add detail and visual interest into
     patterns, chevrons, hexagons, 3D forms          favourite and, so Carrara and              classic tiling solutions that replicate
     and dramatic distressed decors, could           Statuario were frequently paired           both stone and, in particular, wood.
     be seen. These trends are continuing            with black marbles for an up-market        Here, the texture is often linked to
     to develop in interesting directions;           twist on this classic combination.         rich, dark hues such as burnt oak,
     with more dramatic colourways and                   At the same time, the tile sector      coffee and tobacco.
     patterns coming to the fore, and mixed          is seeing a growing trend towards              In fact, when it came to wood-
     material combinations adding impact             tiles that recall traditional artisanal    effect tiles, darker woods, paint
     to base tiles.                                  tiles, celebrating the craftsmanship       effects and distressed finishes were
                                                                                                prominent at all three shows. Added
                                                                                 Tiles with     interest was sparked by fashionable
                                                                                 naturalistic   chevron and parquet patterns; the
                                                                                 motifs from
                                                                                 Cerdisa.       use of end-grain textures; antique
                                                                                                and reclaimed patinas, and tactile
                                                                                                relief finishes.
                                                                                                      Another theme at Coverings
                                                                                                was plaster, concrete and other
                                                                                                mainstream construction materials,
                                                                                                either recreated in a very realistic
                                                                                                form or tweaked with subtle
                                                                                                changes in texture, tone or grain.
                                                                                                Other ranges offered hints of post-
                                                                                                industrial plaster, resin, plaster and
                                                                                                stucco – particularly spatulated
                                                                                                effects with a softer, more feminine,
                                                                                                surface. > continues p. 18

16 | TILE TODAY #94 | www.tiletodaymagazine.com.au
The Waterfall
                         T RENDS                       range from
                                                       Lea Ceramiche
                                                       represents the
                                                       best elements of
                                                       slate.

         Two technical developments are
     mica or gloss inclusions, and the
     newest version of semi-polished
     surfaces. The first are made by
     applying gloss glaze, via ink jet,
     in small dots to mimic mica
     inclusions. These introduce a sense
     of movement to both wall and floor
     tiles, because the dots catch and
     reflect light based on the position
     of the viewer relative to the light
     source.
         The trend in polishing, so far
     confined to just a few manufacturers,
     is sprinkling glass grains onto the
     glazed surface, and then running
     the polishing heads so that they only
     contact these grains and not the
     surface of the tile. The result is gloss-
     on-gloss polish, but with good slip
     resistance.
         Coverings saw another wave of
                                                       The Sofia range
     decorative tiles emerge, delivered in             from Bardelli
     a limited palette of restrained earth             is a “precious
                                                       ceramic rug”
     tones. Some of the best cement-                   designed
     effect tiles also featured cementine              by Marcel
                                                       Wanders.
     and hydraulic tile decors that recall
     Moroccan cement encaustic tiles but
     with a contemporary twist. These
     geometric configurations repeat in a
     subtle way that work well with this
     dusty colour palette.
         Others went for a scratched
     plaster-effect surface of plaster in
     neutral and powdery shades like
     sand, taupe, grey and anthracite.
         So it is clear that the Heritage
     decorated cement-effect floor tile
     is here to stay, at least for the next
     couple of years. The appearance
     of these tiles is based on the
     juxtaposition of colours but can be
     used to create more sophisticated
     patterns, in keeping with the
     Art Deco and Liberty styles.
     Reinterpreted in current colours,                   One of the most unexpected             Touring the displays
     this trend has moved beyond the art             trends of 2016/17 has been the             The wide assortment of tiles on
     studio into the mainstream.                     widespread revival of cotto- and           display, from factories across the
                                                     terracotta-effect tiles. By re-working     globe, was extremely impressive;
                                                     this iconic material using digital ink     with      USA-based        producers
                              3D tiles from Atlas
                                                     jet, they give terracotta a present-day    providing ample evidence of just
                              Concorde were part     appeal. Tones include kiln-scorched        how far American tile production
                              of the Coverings       tones, distressed surfaces, simulate       has advanced in the past decade.
                              Installation Design
                              Showcase.              ageing, as well as the patina and lustre   This means that all the established
                                                     of genuine fired brick.                    virtues of Coverings, such as its
                                                         Other interesting motifs include       excellent venue, choice of flights,
                                                     another take on corten steel wall          plentiful supply of hotel rooms and,
                                                     and floor tiles, this time utilising the   above all, its superb conference
                                                     monolithic potential of mega slabs.        program, are now supplemented
                                                                                                                    > continues p. 20

18 | TILE TODAY #94 | www.tiletodaymagazine.com.au
20mm
T RENDS

     by a truly international selection of              This display was co-ordinated         Turkish coffee among other
     leading tile manufacturers.                     by tiny home expert Kim Lewis,           essentials. Participating exhibitors
        Along with the growing coterie               who put together a modern retro          also featured a wealth of new
     of US-based manufacturers, there                bungalow concept titled Palm             products.
     were sizable delegations from Italy,            Springs. It highlighted colourful,           Ege Seramik’s Urbanwood is a
     Spain, Turkey, Brazil, China and a              3D and marble-look tiles from            slightly textured glazed porcelain
     smattering of leading producers                 Atlas Concorde and tiles with            tile that has the appearance of
     from other tile producing nations.              naturalistic motifs from Cisa and        weathered natural wood, ideal for
        Ceramics of Italy was, once                  Cerdisa. The company also hosted         inside-out areas. With random,
     again, centre stage. This pavilion              an informative VIP lunch and tour,       neutral colours, the product is made
     featured 76 stands and 116 brands.              giving specifiers an insider’s view at   using advanced, high definition,
     Returning for a second year, the                the Italian ceramic tile industry.       inkjet techniques in a 200 by
     central stand, Strada Dinamica,                    The Italian contribution to           1,200mm plank format.
     served as an industry information               the conference program included              Usak Seramik introduced Tufo
     hub and authentic Italian café:                 Cristina Faedi from Confindustria        Anthracite to the USA: a 600 by
     a good place to meet colleagues,                Ceramica, along with other tile          1,200mm technical porcelain floor
     enjoy an espresso and relax.                    industry experts, leading a debate       tile inspired by this natural stone.
        Conceived       by    New        York        called “Trends in Tile: Moving”.             Kale Seramik’s Kalebodur brand
     architecture firm e+i studio, the               Sustainability experts, including        focussed on Kaleinterflex, a fibre-
     space was modelled after a lively               Confindustria Ceramica’s Andrea          reinforced laminated porcelain
     streetscape with landscaped benches,            Contri, also participated in a           sheet measuring 1,000 by 3,000 by
     standing communal tables and two                presentation called “Health, Safety,     3mm. One of the biggest, thinnest
     kiosks housing a cafe, coffee bar and           Environment, Design: Selling Tile        and most flexible porcelain
     information desk. Nearly all of the             Sustainability”.                         ceramics in the world, its offers
     surfaces were clad in Italian tile, such           Not to be outdone, Turkish            wide application possibilities due to
     as the thin, jumbo-sized porcelain              Ceramics had a central relaxation        its size and fine structure.
     slabs from Florim’s Magnum                      hub called the                               Bien Seramik presented Alaturca,
     Oversize collection covering the                   Turkish Charging Station, a           a series of tiles reflecting the
     benches, tables and countertops.                lounge-like area providing real          spirit of old Ottoman and Turkish
     Thick, large-format floor tiles from                                                                         > continues p. 22
     Lea Ceramiche were set on a raised
     flooring system by Newfloor.                      Ege Seramik’s
        The       surrounding         Italian          Urbanwood is a
                                                       slightly textured
     manufacturers demonstrated the                    glazed porcelain
     latest in artisanal ceramics, high-               tile that has the
                                                       appearance of
     end mosaics and ceramic-porcelain                 weathered natural
     hybrids through to oversized                      wood.
     porcelain slabs, anti-bacterial grouts
     and easy laying floor systems.
        This year, textile and wood-effect
     designs, matte blacks, deep blue
     hues, 3D and large-format tiles,
     along with rustic styles invigorated
     with a modern touch dominated the
     exhibition floor.
        For the eighth consecutive year,
     Ceramics of Italy participated in
     the Coverings Installation Design
     Showcase, an initiative that allows
     the association to promote the
     extensive uses of Italian ceramics
     together with creative design and
     expert installation. For the first time,
     Coverings partnered with Orlando
     Lakefront – a tiny home and RV
     community in College Park, Florida
     — to create small spaces that were
     moved to the tiny home community
     at the event’s conclusion.

20 | TILE TODAY #94 | www.tiletodaymagazine.com.au
NEW ARRIVAL

                              METALLIC GLAZED TILE

                              Starlight Tile & Mosaic
                                    GLORY - 600x600MM / 600x300MM / 300x75MM                SPECTRA - 600x600MM / 600x300MM / 300x75MM
TILES IN 2 DESIGN & 3 SIZES
MOSAIC BLENDS IN 6 PATTERNS

                                         HEXAGON                       HEXAGON PLUS MINI                          SCALLOP
                                83x96mm piece / 300x260mm sheet    150x50mm piece / 300x300mm sheet     78x66mm piece / 238x246mm sheet

                                     SQUARE 30x30mm                   RECTANGLE 15x50mm                            JETSTAR
                                30x30mm piece / 300x300mm sheet    15x50mm piece / 300x300mm sheet      8x300mm piece / 300x300mm sheet

SYDNEY 02 9795 2000 | MELBOURNE 03 8792 3500 | BRISBANE 0418 886 833
T RENDS

     Cementine Retro IS Inspired by traditional
     hexagonal or square concrete floor tiles

     motifs. They have been given a boost               ANSI A137.3 standardises the           maintenance tips; and a Test Your
     with state-of-the-art decorating                minimum required properties for           Tile IQ feature where users can take a
     technology.                                     the products and ANSI A108.19             simple 10-question quiz for a chance
                                                     standardises the methodologies for        to win a prize.
     Made in the USA                                 installing these products in interior
     Alongside a strong representation               installations by the thin-bed method      Spanish innovation
     from indigenous producers such as               with specific mortars.                    That other international giant, Tile
     Crossville, Florida Tile, Lunada Bay,              In another important project,          of Spain, displayed some of the most
     Red Rock Tilewoks, Seneca Tiles,                the US tile industry has united in a      advanced technology and design
     SomerTile, StonePeak Ceramics,                  marketing and education initiative        choices from 97 Spanish ceramic and
     Trikeenan Tileworks, Wholesale                  to inspire consumers and provide          stone manufacturers.
     Tile by Aquayo and others, the Tile             information on the benefits of tiles.        Highlights of the Spanish Pavilion
     Council of North America (TCNA)                 The campaign, called “Why Tile”, was      at Coverings included Aparici’s
     provided useful insights regarding              introduced at Coverings.                  encaustic tile style Bondi series. This
     the official tile installation handbook.           Why Tile is an industry effort         porcelain selection has a smooth
     The new classification for enormous-            with input sought from various            finish with an anti-slip rating due to
     size tiles which, in America at                 organisations including the Ceramic       a technique the company has recently
     least, are now referred to as gauged            Tile Distributors Association (CTDA),     developed. Sensations from texture
     porcelain tile panels/slabs.                    the National Tile Contractors             are the basis of the Markham Wall, a
         Currently known in industry                 Association (NTCA), the Ceramic           pure white, 450 by 1,200mm wall tile
     parlance as the “thin tile” standards,          Tile Education Foundation (CTEF),         in satin and gloss finishes, also seen at
     the latest standards use the term               the Tile Contractors Association          the Cevisama event.
     “gauged” to cover a number of                   of America, and the Tile Heritage            Colorker’s Brooklyn range is a
     precise thicknesses that can carry              Foundation (THF), in addition to          multi-purpose tile ideal for both
     different loads and be used in various          manufacturers worldwide.                  indoor and outdoor use, that taps
     ways, taking a similar approach to                 The      website,      WhyTile.com     into the industrial trend. The three
     standardised wire gauges and gauged             provides extensive messaging on the       colours – Pearl, Corten and Steel
     sheet metal. Two classes of gauged              benefits of tile, focusing on four main   – come together to form urban
     tile products are defined — those for           tenets: Design, Easy Care, Healthy        elegance in a space.
     wall applications from 3.5 to 4.9mm             Spaces, and Heritage. The site has an        The Cambridge line by Grespania
     and for floor and wall applications             Inspiration Gallery; downloadable         provides a wood-look effect with the
     from 5.0 to 6.5mm.                              Project        Guide,       schematics,   technical benefits of porcelain tile. The
                                                                                                                      > continues p. 24

22 | TILE TODAY #94 | www.tiletodaymagazine.com.au
The Ceramics
                         T RENDS                       of Italy pavilion
                                                       featured 76
                                                       stands and 116
                                                       brands.

     smoked wood finish distinguishes it
     from similar products. It is available
     in four colours: Caramel, Coffee,
     Midnight and Moon.
         Ibero     Porcelanico     unveiled
     Habita, a 280 by 940mm wood-
     effect porcelain tile with the natural
     beauty of recovered wood. It has
     four tonalities within two different
     colour palettes to recreate the warm
     and cool hues of nature.
         Inalco’s Iseo is a large format             Artistic ventures                     Origami Mosaic takes inspiration
     wall and floor tile inspired by                 One of the unique attractions of      from the ancient Japanese art of
     natural materials that resembles                Coverings to Australian visitors is   paper folding. The result are delicate
     quarried stone with an elegant,                 the opportunity to see committed      angles and subtle geometries that
     bush-hammered texture. This tile                tile makers active in the USA.        take the typical forms of origami
     is available in four slimline formats               For 2017, as in previous years,   and remakes them in 3D glass
     or in standard thickness with an                they were generally grouped in a      mosaic. There were four patterns,
     optional non-slip finish.                       compact village of small stands so    with shapes including hexagons,
         Inspired by vintage ceramic                 the impact value per square metre     squares and elongated hexagonal
     tiles, Remake by Keraben brings                 is significantly enhanced.            cuboids.
     warmth and a distinct personality                   One exhibitor to catch the            Tommy Bahama has partnered
     to walls and floors. Available in five          eye was Metropolitan Tile, who        with Lunada Bay Tile to generate
     shades including White, Cream,                  included some neat explorations of    tiles featuring hand-crafted glass
     Grey, Mink and Multicoloured, the               the recent brick trend.               blends influenced by exotic, virgin
     range has an option for an artistic                 Royal Thin Brick can be used      habitats from around the world:
     patterned finish.                               on walls or floors, providing many    the Maldives, Cocos Keeling and
         Saloni’s Eternal porcelain tile set         options for adding the look of        Kangaroo Island to name a few.
     takes a fresh approach of two types             real brick while keeping costs            They come in 1 by 1-inch
     of marble to create a contemporary,             down. This tile is tumbled after      square, 1 by 2-inch and 1 by 4-inch
     chromatic interpretation. Eternal               firing to capture the essence of      brick, 1/2 by 4-inch brick, zigzag
     is completed with multiple relief               worn reclaimed bricks. During         chevrons, and an effective mix of
     options and various technical                   the tumbling process, crisp edges     1/2 by 1/2-inch squares and 1 by
     finishes for durability.                        are worn down, and sharp corners      2-inch brick named Vineyard. The
         Following the wood-look trend,              are rounded or knocked off. The       blended colours have subtle notes
     Merbau from STN Ceramica                        appearance of distressed brick is     of stronger hues artfully combined
     is a floor and wall tile that                   made complete with a traditional      with neutrals. This is striking
     adds personality with its worn                  wire cut face that gives it added     addition to the mosaic pantheon.
     appearance.                                     texture and variation.                    Finally, Bloom, Curves, Dunes
         From the Dolce Vita collection,                 Another standout manufacturer     and Wave plus Circle, Link, Pinwheel
     Vives introduced US buyers to                   was Lunada Bay Tile. The              and Trio by Nicole Rodriguez
     Borgo Multicolor from the Corso                 company produces hand-crafted         formed part of an impressive
     series. The exotic design alternates            glass, ceramic, pewter, stone and     portfolio of decorative cement tiles
     through a variety of colours with a             wood tiles with the emphasis on       displayed by Aguayo Tiles. This is
     white base to enrich the contrast of            simplicity, texture and colour.       a funky twist on the encaustic and
     the space. It is available in a 100 by              There were two particularly       geometric trend realised with total
     200mm size format.                              striking ranges on offer this year.   creative assurance. ■

    STARSTILE AT COVERINGS
    Starstile and its sister brand Urban Feelings
    exhibited for the fifth year in a row at Coverings. The
    stand was successful for both the brands, registering
    orders for the latest product ranges. It also attracted
    new customers to the company. Both Starstile and
    Urban Feelings will exhibit in Atlanta, Georgia, in
    the 2018 edition of the trade fair.

24 | TILE TODAY #94 | www.tiletodaymagazine.com.au
MARKETS

     Tile demand determined by building trends
     Ceramic tile imports have peaked recently based on the latest ABS data, writes Peter Halliday.

    T
                  here are two interesting           approvals which peaked in May 2016.         imported tiles reduced from A$10.88
                  features contained in the          the director of construction statistics     to A$10.30 over the financial year.
                  import data released by            at the ABS, Daniel Rossi said, “The             The new HTISCs give a fresh
                  the Australian Bureau of           June 2017 building approval data            insight into the type of tiles that make
     Statistics (ABS) in early August.               showed that the number of dwellings         up the ceramic tile import figures.
         The first is that data covers the           approved is now 15 per cent below           While the old categories divided tiles
     March and June quarters of 2017                 the peak in May 2016”. He also              into two broad categories —unglazed
     with a breakdown of imports by the              noted that dwelling approvals have          and glazed — the latest categories
     new HTISC (Harmonised Tariff Item               been relatively stable in trend terms       are more aligned to the ISO tile
     Statistical Code) categories based on           over the first six months of 2017 so        classes which classifies tiles firstly by
     water absorption and tile size. The             it can be assumed that ceramic tile         moisture absorption.
     second shows that ceramic tile imports          imports will fall from the record high          The HTISC classes further breaks
     peaked in the March quarter of 2017.            levels following a decline in building      down the category by the traditional
         The final import volume for                 commencements.                              customs sizes, distinguishing between
     the 2016-2017 financial year was                   Over 90 per cent of tile imports         large tiles and mosaic sized tiles
     45,509,514 square metres. This                  were sourced from five countries in         (capable of being enclosed in a square
     represents a 0.2 per cent fall on               2016-2017. China is still the biggest       the side of which is greater than, or
     the previous financial year. The                source for all tiles imported into          less than 7cm). Fig.3 highlights
     total customs value of imports was              Australia. China increased its market       these categories and the import data
     AUD468,764,777. This compares with              share of imports from 66.6 to 67.8          is broken down over the first two
     AUD495,852,088 last financial year, a           per cent. Australia is one of the few       quarters of 2017.
     decrease of 5.5 per cent.                       global regions where China is still             It can be clearly seen that over
         Fig.1 shows the remarkable growth           increasing exports of ceramic tiles.        52 per cent of tiles are larger
     of imports over last seven years. After         Imports from China rose 2 per cent.         porcelain tiles, 20 percent are tiles
     continuously recorded increases since              Italy was the second biggest source      with low moisture absorption and
     the June Quarter, 2013, we have seen            for tiles, exporting 4,166,146 square       only 12.3 percent of tiles imported
     two quarters of negative growth in              metres to Australia, a fall of 3 per cent   are traditional wall tile type with a
     December 2016 and June 2017. Imports            on the previous financial year.             moisture absorption of over 10 per
     reached their highest ever level in the            Malaysia fell by 5 per cent while        cent.
     March Quarter, 2017 at an annualised            Spain fell by 20 per cent, although             State imports shown in Fig.4 show
     rate of 46,860,750 square metres.               this followed a large increase in the       that in 2016-2017, New South Wales
         The question that arises from this          previous year. Thailand increased           lifted its share of the national tile
     type of situation is, “Has the ceramic          exports to Australia by 15 per cent.        import total for the third successive
     tile market peaked”?                               The total ceramic tile import data       year. In 2013-2014, total imports to
         It is noted that the record level of tile   by country of origin is shown in Fig.2.     New South Wales was 35.6 per cent
     imports follows record high building            The average price per square metre of       of the national total. In 2016-2017

     FIG.1 CERAMIC TILE IMPORTS – MOVING 12 MONTH TOTAL

26 | TILE TODAY #94 | www.tiletodaymagazine.com.au
FIG.2 TOTAL CERAMIC TILE IMPORTS 2016-2017

                                                                   DECLARED DESTINATION STATE

 COUNTRY OF ORIGIN            New South          Northern      Queensland       South        Tasmania    Victoria           Western           Total Square           Total Customs Value
                              Wales*             Territory                      Australia                                   Australia         Metres                 AUD
 Argentina                                                                                                          4,277                                    4,277                 140,145
 Australia (Re-imports)                1,960                         4,254           3,341                          1,599           2,674                13,828                    174,406
 Belgium                               2,923                                                                                             52                  2,974                  60,004
 Bosnia and Herzegovina                                                                                              898                                      898                    1,039
 Brazil                             177,795                         28,472           1,861        952           61,874              9,965              280,920                   4,382,354
 Bulgaria                                                              270                                                          5,908                    6,177                  54,708
 China (excluding SARs and
                                 12,807,312          274,674      6,818,080     1,495,542     144,054        6,903,479          2,421,728           30,864,870                 258,495,963
 Taiwan)
 Czech Republic                        7,515                                         1,256                          1,080           2,231                12,082                     90,619
 Egypt                                                                      4                                        159                                      163                    7,617
 France                               23,836                           178          25,472                          1,921           6,547                57,954                    975,463
 Germany                              59,692                         4,593                                      66,809             16,548              147,642                   3,144,903
 Hong Kong (SAR of China)            33,288            1,090         1,897           1,017                          4,802          10,214                52,308                    515,227
 Hungary                                  239                                                                                                                 239                    7,238
 India                              169,246                         30,580           7,719                      43,101             42,238              292,885                   3,261,063
 Indonesia                          105,364            9,245       153,988          26,658      21,715         108,990             50,498              476,458                   5,201,329
 Iran                                                                  400                                           810                                     1,210                  12,918
 Israel                                                                                                              950                                      950                   19,650
 Italy                             1,772,862          15,555       621,417         153,727      23,428         903,680            675,477             4,166,146                 97,115,575
 Japan                                48,800                         5,014                                      50,468              2,301              106,582                   2,314,066
 Jordan                                    10                                                                                                                  10                    3,212
 Korea, Republic of                 164,356            2,091        17,021           2,974                           312                               186,754                   1,792,932
 Malaysia                           921,847           41,301      1,252,890        250,508       2,230       1,419,538            215,541             4,103,855                 30,126,650
 Mexico                                2,201                         1,908              17                           816                480                  5,423                  80,238
 Morocco                               4,090                           238                                          2,793                                    7,122                 326,704
 Netherlands                           6,165                                                                        9,492                                15,657                    609,302
 New Zealand                           6,227                           525                                           999                                     7,751                  68,528
 Philippines                           6,975                                                                                                                 6,975                  68,536
 Portugal                             28,488             930        22,193           3,382       5,048          50,231              9,634              119,906                   2,339,714
 Romania                                                                                                                                 80                    80                    3,290
 Saudi Arabia                                                                                                       3,110                                    3,110                  30,249
 Serbia                                                                                                                                 140                   140                    1,137
 Seychelles                                                                                                         3,487                                    3,487                  61,033
 Singapore                            1,658                          9,174                                            54           19,120                30,006                    292,825
 South Africa                         3,855                                                        15                400            3,079                    7,350                 104,529
 Spain                              679,575              925       220,559          25,257      15,809         372,932            199,684             1,514,741                 31,075,148
 Sri Lanka                          132,990                        133,564          10,972                      30,188            205,897              513,611                   4,709,714
 Sweden                                    20                                                                                                                  20                    2,978
 Switzerland                               30                                                                                                                  30                    4,491
 Taiwan                                2,414                         2,367                                          4,620                20                  9,421                 266,483
 Thailand                           717,398              648       169,836          13,028         17          180,797           101,156              1,182,881                  6,808,665
 Tunisia                                   26                                                                                                                  26                    7,570
 Turkey                               90,205                       192,588          13,035                      34,720             45,071              375,620                   4,787,959
 Ukraine                                    9                                        1,140                                                                   1,149                  15,649
 United Arab Emirates               495,678            5,418        80,785           4,460                     107,964              2,181              696,484                   6,740,739
 United Kingdom                        5,546                         1,699                                      13,197                  267              20,710                    340,028
 United States of America             10,663                         1,442                                           184                180              12,470                    314,651
 Viet Nam                           127,171                         35,628          14,047                      16,498              2,717              196,061                   1,796,116
 Zimbabwe                                                              100                                                                                    100                   11,420
 Total                          18,618,431          351,876      9,811,664      2,055,415     213,268      10,407,232          4,051,627            45,509,514                 468,764,777
 State Share                           41%               1%           22%              5%         0%                23%                 9%               100%
Data source: ABS * NSW figures inc 217 for ACT

                                                                                                                                    www.tiletodaymagazine.com.au | TILE TODAY #94 | 27
MARKETS

     FIG.3 CERAMIC TILE IMPORTS BY STATE                                                                                          DECLARED DESTINATION STATE
                                            Financial Year                   New South           Northern        Queensland          South            Tasmania          Victoria           Western          Total SQM
                                                                             Wales*              Territory                           Australia                                             Australia
      State Total                           2012 – 2013                      11,769,901          447,759         6,582,414           1,877,920        156,089           7,871,037          3,724,185        32,429,304
      % of Annual Total                                                      36.3%               1.4%            20.3%               5.8%             0.5%              24.3%              11.5%            100.0%
      State Total                           2013 – 2014                      13,125,816          607,672         7,428,412           2,067,966        183,187           8,824,870          4,659,182        36,897,106
      % of Annual Total                                                      35.6%               1.6%            20.1%               5.6%             0.5%              23.9%              12.6%            100.0%
      State Total                           2014 – 2015                      15,138,141          682,979         8,563,024           2,142,032        210,162           9,920,488          5,092,978        41,749,973
      % of Annual Total                                                      36.3%               1.6%            20.5%               5.1%             0.5%              23.8%              12.2%            100.0%
      State Total                           2015 – 2016                      17,876,255          572,244         9,697,908           2,150,700        204,007           10,163,057         4,914,468        45,578,639
      % of Annual Total                                                      39.2%               1.3%            21.3%               4.7%             0.4%              22.3%              10.8%            100.0%
      State Total                           2016 – 2017                      18,618,431          351,876         9,811,664           2,055,415        213,268           10,407,232         4,051,627        45,509,514
      % of Annual Total                                                      40.9%               0.8%            21.6%               4.5%             0.5%              22.9%              8.9%             100.0%
     Data source: ABS * Incudes ACT: 3004 SQM

     FIG.4 SIX MONTH CERAMIC TILE IMPORTS
     - JANUARY - JUNE 2017
                                                                                                        SQUARE METRES                     CUSTOMS VALUE AUD                          6 MONTH TOTALS                  PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL
      HTISC Code     Description                                                               March Qtr, 2017   June Qtr, 2017     March Qtr, 2017    June Qtr, 2017      March Qtr, 2017     June Qtr, 2017        March Qtr, June Qtr,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     2017       2017

      6907211001     Tiles, cubes and similar articles, water absorption coefficient by
                     weight not exc 0.5% (excl. 690730 and 690740), whether or not
                     rectangular, largest surface area of which is capable of being enclosed   77,989.82         35,122.88          98,079.97          25,743.83            13,112.70           1,523,823.80         0.5%        0.7%
                     in a square the side of which is =7 cm

      6907221003     Tiles, cubes & similar articles, water absorption coefficient by weight
                     exc 0.5% but not exc 10% (excl. 690730 & 690740) whether or not
                     rectangular, largest surface area of which is capable of being enclosed   17,657.45         3,883.14           73,945.60          38,042.83            21,540.59           11,988.43            0.1%        0.1%
                     in a square the side of which is =7cm

      6907231005     Tiles, cubes and similar articles, water absorption coefficient by
                     weight exceeding 10% (excl. 690730 and 690740), whether or not
                     rectangular, largest surface area of which is capable of being enclosed   1,141.72          5,966.08           14,090.40          93,065.05            7,107.80            07,155.45            0.0%        0.0%
                     in a square the side of which is =7 cm

      6907301007     Mosaic ceramic tiles, cubes and similar articles (excluding those of
                     690740), whether or not rectangular, the largest surface area of which    43,452.67         35,044.28          71,293.00          15,318.91            78,496.95           1,686,611.91         0.4%        0.7%
                     is capable of being enclosed in a square the side of which is < 7 cm

      6907309008     Mosaic ceramic tiles, cubes and similar articles (excluding those
                     of 690740), whether or not rectangular, the largest surface area of
                     which is capable of being enclosed in a square the side of which is       47,763.57         49,215.92          28,331.20          658,998.88           96,979.49           1,287,330.08         0.4%        0.6%
                     >=7 cm

      6907401009     Finishing ceramic tiles, cubes and similar articles, whether or not
                     rectangular, the largest surface area of which is capable of being        73,843.00         22,583.37          40,345.93          60,437.33            96,426.37           1,300,783.26         0.4%        0.6%
                     enclosed in a square the side of which is < 7 cm

      6907409010     Finishing ceramic tiles, cubes and similar articles, whether or not
                     rectangular, the largest surface area of which is capable of being        2,105,839.46      30,333.87          23,828,925.12      9,164,171.26         2,936,173.33        32,993,096.38        13.4%       14.7%
                     enclosed in a square the side of which is >=7 cm

      Grand Total                                                                                11,059,427.24     10,775,325.50     113,781,458.02     111,229,446.46       21,834,752.74        225,010,904.48        100.0%       100.0%

     Data source: ABS * Incudes ACT: 3004 SQM

     the percentage share of the national                                         second largest import destination                                   financial year and over 1 million
     total had risen to 40.9 per cent or                                          with 22.9 per cent of the national                                  square metres less than at the peak of
     18,618,214 square metres, almost                                             total with imports continuing to rise.                              the market in 2014-2015. ■
     twice the size of Queensland imports.                                            Imports to Northern Territory
     The growth in New South Wales                                                fell for the second consecutive year
     imports was 4.2 per cent.                                                    as did South Australia to a smaller                                 Peter Halliday is the managing director at
        Queensland imported 9,811,664                                             degree. Western Australia recorded a                                Decor8 Tiles
     square metres. Victoria was the                                              17.6 percent decrease on the previous

28 | TILE TODAY #94 | www.tiletodaymagazine.com.au
P ROJ E C T SP OTLIGH T

                                                                          The Restaurant           All technical installations are arranged below
                                                                          Augusta dining room.     ground, but accessible via inspection covers.

    Going gourmet in Göttingen, Germany
     International correspondent Joe Simpson writes about the tile renovation at Restaurant Augusta.

   F
              irst used for potato storage for       meals on two floors every day. Since        arranged below ground, so that the
              Germany’s oldest refectory,            February 2016, conferences as well as       room height could be increased by a
              then as a jazz club and, more          festive and cultural events, take place     total of 400 millimetres. During the
              recently, as a disco bar, the          in the building.                            seven-month construction period, a
     cellar of Göttingen’s Alte Mensa is now            The       Georg-August-University,       second entrance was also created for
     the third location operated by the star-        which has had the site renovated            the cellar.
     rated gourmet chef Daniel Raub.                 for EUR3.5 million, sees this project          The key decisions concerning the
        The renovation of this 200sqm                as one way to respond to increasing         interior were made by Raub himself.
     cellar vault required great sensitivity;        demand for bigger and more flexible            “As regards to the floor covering,
     with architectural and engineering              facilities for events in the Göttingen      for example, it was important to me
     ingenuity needing to go hand in hand            town centre.                                that all individual areas convey the
     with sympathetic interior design.                  The Augusta restaurant is                impression of a unified whole”, he
        The materials used not only had              intended to complete the Alte Mensa         says.
     to be suitable for this historically            conference building with a high-               That is why it became apparent,
     important location, but also had to             quality gastronomic offering, while         during the talks with the architect
     withstand the stresses imposed by a             helping to enliven Wilhelmsplatz            Tanja Gockel, that ceramic tiles
     hectic gastronomic establishment.               with an outdoor catering area. The          were the best solution. With this
     As far as the ceramic floor tiles for           university selected Raub as their           ecologically      and      economically
     the restaurant were concerned, the              partner for this venture.                   advantageous material it is possible
     designers turned to a company with                                                          to design the diverse zones as a visual
     significant relevant experience, Agrob          Renovation challenges                       ensemble despite their different task-
     Buchtal.                                        A stairway leads down to a vaulted          specific requirements. An example for
        Behind its beguiling decorative              cellar, which is typical of the massive     this is the counter area, which directly
     facade, Alte Mensa has been                     buildings in the centre of Göttingen.       adjoins the dining area but requires a
     completely renovated over the past              During the renovation, it was found         quite different slip resistance, because,
     three years, in close collaboration with        that the cellar’s ceilings, erected in      in this area, liquids and other slippery
     the historic monuments protection               1825, were too low for their planned        media can get on the floor, Gockel
     authority and the municipal                     use.                                        explains.
     archaeology office. The main objective             To overcome this difficulty, the            A solution had to be found which,
     was to restore the original shape and           pillars and exterior walls were             on the one hand, harmonizes with
     room layout, and to preserve any                underpinned in accordance with              the look and texture of the historic
     historically-significant structure that         plans drawn up by the engineers             masonry while, also being robust and
     was uncovered during the works.                 Gockel, Baunatal. The insulation,           hard-wearing. This led to a decision
        From 1922 to 2009, the refectory             as well as building services such as        in favour of porcelain stoneware tiles
     provided up to 2,000 students with              ventilation, electricity and water, were    from Agrob Buchtal’s Valley range.

30 | TILE TODAY #94 | www.tiletodaymagazine.com.au
advantages are further improved by           Grip ceramic tiles; also from Agrob
                                                the factory-applied Protecta coating.        Buchtal. “The creative scope that this
                                                During the firing process, this coating      range offers me is amazing, especially
                                                is bonded to the biscuit and closes          when designing functional rooms.
                                                the micropores that are typical of           The kitchen is a workplace in which
                                                unglazed ceramics. In this way, the          many aspects must be taken into
                                                penetration of potentially stain-            account. “With colours and surfaces
                                                forming substances is effectively            matched to each other, different slip-
                                                prevented. It also obviates the need         resistance categories up to R12V4,
                                                for labour-intensive impregnation.           and a wide range of formats including
                                                    This benefit was confirmed by            a mosaic in R10/B, Emotion Grip is an
                                                Raub, who subjected different floor          ideal collection for this application,”
                                                coverings to a practical test. “I spilled    she explains.
                                                wine or other liquids on them, and the           This project shows that ceramic
                                                tile was the only material with which        tiles are far more than just an attractive
The kitchen area features tiles from the        I had no problem afterwards,” he             and practical finish. Used creatively,
Emotion Grip range. The available slip-
resistance categories range from R9 to R12V4.   states. “That convinced me, because          they can become an integral part of
                                                this quality offers me aesthetics and        a project, offering visual continuity
   Visual harmony was created                   functionality at the same time”.             and meeting statutory health and
not only by the authentic surface                   Because of its aesthetic versatility     safety requirements while freeing up
look and earth-brown colour, but                and practical flexibility, Agrob             the designer to experiment with a
also by natural raw materials, such             Buchtal’s Valley collection has been         broad range of furniture and surface
as coloured clay minerals, that are             used throughout the restaurant:              finishes. ■
used in Valley’s manufacture. In                from the dining and the counter
addition, the range offers a wide               areas through to the sanitary rooms.
range of formats and slip-resistance            This brings visual calm to the overall       All photos by Jochen Stüber, Hamburg.
categories, so that the requirement             concept and yet creates an attractive
for a 750 by 750mm tile in the rarely           contrast to the plastered walls and
offered R11/B slip-resistance category          other elements of the interior design.
for the counter area could be satisfied             In the sanitary rooms, Valley tiles
without sacrificing visual consistency.         were combined with wall tiles from
   But in the dining area, the chosen           the Pasado range, alongside the Cuna
large format tile with R10/A slip               decorative tile from the same series.
resistance, complements the cross               With its irregular lines and unique
and barrel vaults, as well as the rubble        individuality, Cuna, represents the
wall.                                           naturalness that is the core aesthetic
   Unglazed porcelain floor tiles, like         of this building.
those used here, are inherently hard-               In the kitchen and storage rooms,
wearing and stress-resistant. These             Gockel decided in favour of Emotion

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                                                                                            BATHROOMS n BALCONIES n TILE BEDS n GROUT
                                                                                                 TILE ADHESIVE n RENDER n MORTAR
T EC H N ICAL

     Avoiding disasters using tile
     Tile has role to play when it comes to building safety in large commercial projects.

  I
          n the United Kingdom, efforts              cooling a building. There are specific      1. Heating power: Defined as the
          are made to contain fires in tower         reasons why ceramic tile should be             quantity of heat developed in the
          blocks within the concrete unit            more extensively specified for use in          burn-up of a substance. According
          in which they start. Allegedly, the        commercial environments.                       to this parameter, ceramic floor
     tragic fire in Grenfell Tower in London             In Australia where homes have              and wall tilings display complete
     recently was started by a freezer that          been destroyed by bushfire, use of             inertia to combustion, in the range
     malfunctioned. Apparently the flames            ceramic tile as a cladding material            of temperatures that usually occur
     leapt through an open window and set            remains relatively rare, but interest is       in a fire.
     the façade cladding alight.                     growing.                                    2. Oxygen index: This is the
         Some witnesses claim that the gap               Ceramic tile is not the only solution      minimum         required    oxygen
     behind the cladding created a passage           when it comes to finding a suitably            concentration to keep a material
     of air which fanned the flames of the           safe cladding for a building façade but        burning. Ceramic materials are fire
     fire, other witnesses state that fire           it may be the best. Why? Consider the          proof at any oxygen concentration.
     quickly spread upwards along the line           following.                                  3. Ignition       or      spontaneous
     of a fire escape which was apparently               According to EN 13501-1, a                 combustion temperature: These
     adjacent to exposed gas pipes.                  standard that was published in                 are temperatures at which a
         In practice, ventilated facades             February 2002, ceramic tile is the             material starts to burn in the
     installed with suitable inert fireproof         prime material in relation to the fire         presence or absence of a flame,
     materials like ceramic tile can play a          reaction tests defined in the standard.        respectively. Once again, ceramic
     significant role in the climate control             The fire performance of flooring           materials are fireproof.
     of a building.                                  and wall cladding materials (including      4. Development of the flame: This
         The reason for the rapid spread of the      tile) are evaluated on the basis of the        corresponds to the rate of advance
     fire are yet to be determined. However,         following parameters:                          of the flame > continues p. 34
     it has quickly become clear that the
     installed cladding was not fireproof.
                                                     FIGURES 1. AND 2. DETAILS OF KERAION SYSTEMS WHICH ENABLES TILES TO BE HUNG
     Within a fortnight similar cladding was
                                                     SECURELY IN SIZES UP TO 1200 X 1200MM.
     being removed from tower blocks in
                                                                                                                                          FIGURE 2
     London and other cities.
         I have heard many accounts of
     expensive tiles being specified for
     use in private apartments being
     substituted by cheaper tiles of same
     dimensions and colour when the
     building work draws to its end and the
     budget has been exceeded.
         Occupants may never spot the
     difference and the supposedly
     inferior tile may perform just as well
     as its more expensive counterpart.
     However, substituting one cladding
     material and installation system for
     another is entirely different and the             FIGURE 1
     corresponding risks associated with
     failure are far greater.
         Note: This article is not about
     illustrating the Grenfell fire disaster
     to highlight the benefits of ceramic
     tile. It is about the practical benefits
     associated with use of tile on building
     facades, where mechanical ventilated
     installation can play a significant part
     in reducing the costs of heating and

32 | TILE TODAY #94 | www.tiletodaymagazine.com.au
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