The growing popularity of “Thin Porcelain Tile”

At the beginning of this year, professionals in the tile industry were searching for a suitable name for the new type of ultra-thin, large-format porcelain tile. Now widely known as “Thin Porcelain Tile” (TPT), this distinctive product has been steadily rising in popularity — mainly because of its unique format and mechanical properties.Get more news about Thin Porcelain Tile,you can vist our website!

The material, which has been referred to as “thin tile,” “thin tile panels,” “thin porcelain tile,” among many other things, before finally being coined TPT, is characterized by its minimal thickness of anywhere between 3 to 6 mm and larger dimensions of up to 5 x 10 feet in length and width.

Discussions about what to name TPT only scratched the surface, as there are no current industry standards for the manufacturing or installation of the tile. “Standards for this product category are still being developed,” said Noah Chitty, technical director for Crossville, a manufacturer of porcelain tile. “The Tile Council of North America (TCNA), American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and International Organization for Standardization (ISO) do not yet have a product standard for manufacturing by which the quality of materials will be evaluated. In the meanwhile, professional organizations are coming together to offer stated guidelines for best practices.”
While there are no standards that are set in stone, Daniel Sanchez, sales director of TheSize, a tile and stone manufacturer based in Castellón, Spain, said there are certain recommendations regarding the variety of thicknesses TPT is available in. “Current standards dictate a 6 mm thickness for facades, cladding and flooring applications; 3 mm thickness for furniture application; and 12 mm thickness for countertops,” he said. “Whereas many thin, compact surfaces are easily broken and damaged during fabrication, Neolith is the first brand to offer a 12 mm thickness, which holds less residual strength, making it far less likely to crack or splinter while being cut. This resilience means that professionals do not need to look for thicker materials to meet their design needs — the 12 mm thickness can be easily fabricated to any desired thickness.”

Neolith is TheSize’s most prized product. When the company was formed about five years ago, it spent the first two years of its existence working on perfecting the material, which is now the largest sintered compact surface in the market, with different thicknesses and excellent mechanical properties. “Made from all-natural materials, including clays, feldspar, silica and mineral oxides, Neolith is a pioneer of sinterization: the high-pressure, high-temperature kilning process that forms the product,” said Sanchez. “This process creates one of the most resilient surfaces on the market, unfazed by sharp objects, extreme heat or cold, moisture and harsh chemicals. Its all-natural colors do not fade or change when exposed to UV rays. It’s also lightweight and easy to install, making Neolith suitable for virtually every indoor and outdoor home surface.”

Although not technically TPT, Neolith’s format and properties are very similar to those of TPT. “Neolith is not a ceramic or porcelain, but is a new type of surface,” explained Sanchez. “The brand is the outcome of the latest research and development processes in the industry and is incredibly durable.”

Neolith comes in several thicknesses — including 3 (1/8-inch), 6 (3/16-inch) and 12 mm (½-inch) — and the 3 and 5 mm thicknesses can be stacked to create custom thickness, as desired. “Slabs come in multiple size formats as well,” said Sanchez. “The 3.20 x 1.5 meter (125 x 59 inches) and 3.6 x 1.2 meter (144 x 48 inches) are considered full-size and are excellent for areas where tile is desired, but seams are not. Standard tile sizes of 1.2 x 1.2 meter (48 x 48 inches), 1.2 x 0.6 meter (48 x 24 inches) and 0.6 x 0.6 meter (24 x 24 inches) are available, as well as other smaller and cut-to-measure sizes.