FAQs

 Selecting Tiles  

WITH SO MANY DIFFERENT COLLECTIONS , HOW DO I CHOOSE THE ‘RIGHT’ TILE FOR ME?
There is no such thing as a 'right' or 'wrong' product, just the tile that is best suited to the application it is required for.
Therefore, it's a good idea to identify the requirements of your project first, then you can let yourself wander among the wide range of choices and styles, relying entirely on your own taste.

IS IT ADVISABLE TO USE ITALFIL TILE FOR OUTDOOR LAYING?  WHAT IS THE MOST SUITABLE TILE?
For outdoor laying it is necessary to use tiles, which absorb less than 0.5% water, "fully vitrified to impervious" according to international standards.
All of the rustic collections in ITALFIL TILES are completely suitable for outdoors.

CAN FLOOR TILES ALSO BE USED FOR WALLS?
Yes, both horizontal and vertical application is possible if the correct laying methods are used.

WHICH COLLECTIONS DO YOU RECOMMEND FOR COMMERCIAL USE?
All of the collections in ITALFIL porcelain tile are against tread-wear, resistant to frost and stains, under any conditions of use. 

WHY SHOULD I CHOOSE ITALFIL TILES OVER OTHER BRANDS?
Since ITALFIL is a local manufacturer of granite and porcelain tiles, we offer continuity of tile supply, before and after sales service etc.

Characteristics of Tile  

WHAT IS CERAMICS?

·     It is a general term referring to an object of ANY of various hard, heat-resistant and corrosion-resistant materials made by shaping and then firing a nonmetallic mineral, such as clay, at a high temperature and high compaction during forming

·     Objects such as earthenware, porcelain, or tile, made of ceramic. 

 WHAT IS PORCELAIN TILES?
Made from particular raw materials, porcelain tile (or porcelain stoneware) is a highly-resistant ceramic product with a solid structure which has a very low water absorption, chemical resistant, and isn't affected by wear and tear over time. Moreover, porcelain tiles require lower maintenance than natural stones, granites and marbles. 

WHAT ARE THE TILES MADE FROM?
Ceramic is primarily made up of clays, quartziferous sands, glass substances and other minerals.
Only natural raw materials are used, mixed with water and fired at high temperatures to create a naturally beautiful product.

WHY IS IT THAT ITALFIL PORCELAIN TILE IS MORE HYGIENIC THAN OTHER FLOOR & WALL COVERING?
Because of its low water absorption characteristic, the bacterial growth brought by any liquid is not absorbed by the porcelain tile unlike the ordinary ceramic floor tile with a 7% water absorption where odor-carrying bacteria is likely to multiply.

DO TILES DETERIORATE OVER TIME?
The durability of ITALFIL porcelain products is superior to that of almost all the alternative materials in the market. By choosing the most suitable product for the destination surfaces, taking due care during laying and cleaning regularly, combined with the manufacturer's experience, their long useful life is guaranteed.

Advantages of Tiles  

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF TILES OVER OTHER COVERING MATERIALS?
Generally, tile products are beautiful, versatile, lasting, resistant, hygienic and easy to clean.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF PORCELAIN TILE FROM AN ORDINARY CERAMIC TILE?
The wide range of finishes and colors and an accurate recreation of the appearance of natural stones, combined with the technical performance of a solid, hard-wearing material which is resistant to frost, stains and bacteria, chemical damage, abrasion, heavy loads and fire.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF GLAZED PORCELAIN TILES?
The beauty and variety of colors, of styles and of decorations made available by porcelain-glazed tiles has always been one of the most valued qualities of ITALFIL TILE products in general. The glaze also makes cleaning easier and hygienically more effective.
Glazed porcelain combines the wide range of choice and the stain-resistance of glazed ceramics with the performance and durability of the porcelain tile body.

ARE ITALFIL TILE PRODUCTS MORE OR LESS EXPENSIVE THAN OTHER FLOOR COVERING MATERIALS?
ITALFIL TILE prices are competitive, especially if you take into account more than just the initial expenditure: adding up the cost of materials, ease of installation because of the fact that all of our tile products are rectified (squared), maintenance and possible repairs or replacements, Italfil tiles are the most economic material for floor, wall and façade covering because of its durability and long lasting characteristic.

WILL TILES BURN?
No.  Unlike wood, carpet, vinyl, and other combustible material coverings, Italfil Granite and Rustic Porcelain Tile products are fired at 12000C (ceramic floor/wall tiles are fired at 10800C)
 
Maintenance  

MY TILE LOOKS DULL, WHY?  MY TILE RETAINS DIRT, WHY?
These questions are often interrelated. If the surface appearance of the tile differs significantly from uninstalled pieces left from the installation there are several possible explanations.

The tile may appear dull if a grout haze remains on the surface of the tile. This often happens when the grout is not thoroughly cleaned from the tile surface immediately following installation. Since grout is a form of cement, it becomes very difficult to remove after drying completely. This can be avoided by grouting only manageable sections at one time and cleaning each well before moving on to other areas. This step is particularly important when working with textured, natural stone-like tile that feature crevices or clefts.

When grout remains on the surface, it attracts and holds dirt, thus making it impossible to restore the original sheen to the tile. Products exist in the marketplace to remove grout haze; an ordinary detergent cleaner are recommended to use followed by chlorine solution.  Since the tile is essentially dense and compact these should do the work. 

DO ITALFIL TILES REQUIRE MAINTENANCE?
Only a minimum of effort is required to keep surfaces in good condition, due to the fact that Italfil tiles are resistant to dirt.
If laid correctly and cleaned regularly using plain water with cloth or sponge, a quality porcelain floor tile like Italfil will maintain over time the appearance and the specifications of the product when new.
Furthermore, glazed porcelain tiles involve less maintenance than natural stones. 

CAN TILED SURFACES BE PROTECTED SIMPLY USING COMMON SENSE OR IS SPECIAL TREATMENT NECESSARY?
After they have been laid, ceramic products do not require special treatment or cleaning with particular detergents.
Protection against abrasive dirt in entrance areas and against possible falling objects in the areas close to working surfaces is advisable, by means of floor mats.
We also suggest that you pay particular attention to protecting newly laid flooring until all construction or restructuring work has been completed.

MY FLOOR HAS AN EXISTING FLOOR COVERING CAN I JUST INSTALL NEW TILES ON THEM?
Yes.  Using a commercial tile adhesive you can make a tile-on-tile, tile-on-marble, or tile-on-vinyl installation to minimize your labor cost, not to mention environmental hassle of disposing the old flooring material and think of the cleaning task from dirt, dusts, etc.

Purchasing Tile  

WHAT DO “SHADE” AND “CALIBER” MEAN, AND WHY DO THEY MATTER?
A tile’s shade refers to the coloration and lights’ reflectivity of a tile. A tile’s caliber refers to its facial dimension (size) and is measured with a tool called a caliper.  Italfil Granite Tile carefully selects its tile and indicates on every box the particular shade and caliber to offer customers consistency throughout an installation. Since natural materials are used in both the body and glazes of the tile, slight variations in shade and caliber are normally inherent from one production run to the next. Typically, ITALFIL TILE shades are indicated by a three-digit numeral (i.e. 5-11, 4-28, 4-23, etc.) while caliber sizes are normally shown as 0, 09, 08, 07. 

It is important to purchase tile that has the same shade and caliber, if at all possible, to ensure a pleasing aesthetic appearance as well as consistent grout joints. Using different caliber sizes result in a variation in grout joint widths. Normally, with ITALFIL TILES, two adjacent calibers (i.e. 07 with 08 or 08 with 09 - not 07 with 09) can be used in an installation if the installer is aware of the variation before the installation is begun because the slight difference can be adjusted within the grout joint. It is generally not acceptable to begin an installation with one size and abruptly change to another at some point. 

HOW DO YOU CALCULATE THE QUANTITY OF TILES THAT YOU NEED TO ORDER?
Once the surfaces in question have been measured, we recommend that you increase the amount required by ten-fifteen percent to allow for waste from laying and future repairs/replacement.

SAMPLE COMPUTATION:

For :        30x30cm is 11.1 pcs per sq.m.

100sq.m. x 11.1pcs/sq.m =1110 pcs + 10% =1,221 pcs

For:         40x40cm is 6.25 pcs per sq.m. 

100sq.m. x 6.25pcs/sq.m = 625pcs + 10% = 688 pcs

For:         60x60cm is 2.78  pcs per sq.m.

100sq.m. x 2.78pcs/sq.m. = 278pcs + 10% = 306 pcs

CAN I VISIT YOUR SHOWROOM?

The ITALFIL TILES Showroom in Bacolor, Pampanga, Philippines, is open to the public from Monday to Saturday, from 8:00AM – 5:00PM  Manila Showroom in Pasig City, Philippines is open from Monday to Saturday at 9:00AM – 6:00PM.  In order to plan your visit well, we suggest that you call us at and make a personal appointment.

Manila Showroom               Tel.Nos. (02) 672-1914 / 672-1815

Factory Showroom              Tel.Nos. (02) 246-8403 / 246-8404 (045) 636-6868