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Ceramic and Porcelain Tiles

‘Green.’ It’s not just a colour anymore. In the 21st century, green is a badge of honour to be worn by those who are aware of our environment and consistently act in ways that help ensure the future of our planet. For thousands of years, discerning builders have chosen tiles for their projects due to their many benefits. When you begin to factor in how environmentally-friendly ceramic and porcelain tile products are, you’ll see that tiles are the obvious choice when building green. At Walls and Floors, we believe that when you buy ceramic or porcelain tiles, you are buying the most eco-friendly type of floor and wall covering available.

1. Life Cycle

Ceramic and porcelain tiles are some of the longest lasting floor and wall covering products on the market today. Unlike carpet, vinyl, or laminate flooring which have to be replaced periodically, properly installed tiles will last a lifetime. This longevity reduces time, money and resources spent on extracting raw material, manufacturing, transportation, installation, demolition and disposal requirements.

2. Indoor Air Quality

Indoor air quality is a hot topic and for good reason. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) contribute to a wide variety of health problems and are a significant cause of “sick building syndrome.” Since tiles are fired in kilns to extremely high temperatures, there are no volatile organics in the finished product that can be released into the air we breathe; literally zero. In addition, there are adhesives and grouts available that contain zero, or very low VOCs. Some carpet, vinyl, and wood flooring contain low VOCs, but none can compare to zero. Ceramic tiles do not absorb or emit pollutants and when used with our high performance adhesives and grouts, your finished floor or wall can inhibit the growth of mould, mildew and fungus.

3. Modern Factories

We source from modern state of the art factories that adhere to sustainable and eco friendly policies, such as using recycled card for their boxes, using recycled ceramics in the production process (Johnson Tiles use up to 28% recycled product in each production run),and manufacturers who generate their own energy. Modern tile  factories today are “closed loop,” reusing water and materials. They send only negligible amounts of scrap to landfills and waste water to treatment facilities.

4. Maintenance

Ceramic and porcelain tiles can be cleaned using just warm water and pH-neutral cleaners. There is no need to use chemicals, waxes, strippers, solvents or shampoos that add to the level of toxic cleaning products being flushed into our ecosystem.

5. Material Extraction

Ceramic and porcelain tiles are made from 100% natural and plentiful raw materials that are usually found in close proximity to the factories, thus reducing fuel consumption and transportation costs.

6. Thermal Conductivity

Porcelain tiles have a high thermal conductivity and are therefore ideal for storing heat in the winter, whilst also storing the cool night air in the summer to provide passive cooling, reducing energy requirements for heating and cooling.

7. Transport Distance

We source our products predominantly from the UK and Europe, thus far less miles on average than suppliers who import large quantities from the Far East and South America