How Backsplashes Are Made
Because backsplashes can be made up of such a wide variety of materials, this section will give a very brief overview for some of the most common materials.
You can learn more about some of these materials in the appropriate ceramic and porcelain pages and natural stone pages in the flooring section of this site.
Natural Stone
The production of natural stone is part art and part science – the convergence of tradition and technology.
Quarries.
Quarries are found in many countries throughout the world: Italy, China, Spain, India, Canada, Mexico and the United States. In these quarries, people work with precision and passion, with expert selection skills, and a devotion to their craft that’s second to none.
However, science also plays a major role at the quarry. Recent advances in the stone industry’s equipment and technology have greatly impacted the process of extracting stone from the quarry and installing it in a home. Today’s modern tools can accomplish this with speed and efficiency.
Modern Removal of Stone.
At the quarry, giant blocks of stone are cut out of the earth with diamond studded, high-speed equipment. This diamond wire cutting system has revolutionized the extraction process, a once laborious and time-consuming manual task.
The blocks of stone are then moved to a processing plant where they are cut into slabs.
Cutting the Slabs.
High speed gang saws are used to slice the blocks into multiple slabs. A gang saw is fitted with several blades, typically about 12 to 15 feet long, that make simultaneous parallel cuts. It takes about 2 days for a gang saw to completely cut a 20-ton block of stone.
Polishing and Calibration.
The slabs are sent through a polishing machine that puts the desired finish on the piece. Most of these polishing machines can produce a number of different finishes, from a rough, rustic texture to a mirrored polish.
During this stage, the slab is also calibrated, meaning its surface is worked down to a relatively uniform thickness across the length of the material.
Fabrication.
At the fabricator’s facility the slab is customized for specific installations. Edges are shaped and polished.
Manufactured or Agglomerate Stone.
Manufactured stone is made from natural stone chips suspended in a binder such as cement, epoxy resins or polyester.
Some of the most popular types of manufactured stone products are those made mostly of quartz. The natural quartz gives the product depth and radiance while at the same time strength and consistency. Manufactured Stone is scratch resistant but not scratch proof.
Manufactured stone is available in a wide array of colors ranging from subtle neutrals to dazzling bright colors.
It doesn’t require sealing because it’s non-porous, making it highly resistant to staining, very hygienic, and maintenance free.
Ceramic and Porcelain
The process of making ceramic tiles is ancient, and the resulting benefits are many: beauty, durability, practicality and versatility.
Earth and Fire.
All ceramic tiles are created from natural products extracted from the earth, shaped into tiles, and then fired in kilns at extremely high temperatures.
Classes of Ceramic Tile.
There are 2 main types of tile construction: glazed and unglazed.
Glazed
Glazed tiles have a hard non-porous, impermeable surface after firing. They are more stain resistant than unglazed tile and are easy to clean, Something to consider for those more active areas of your home like the kitchen and baths.
Unglazed.
They have no additional surface applications and are typically more dense and durable than glazed tile. Thus they are more suitable for interior and exterior applications where wearability is a concern.
Making Ceramic Tile.
There are 5 steps in the ceramic tile manufacturing process: Mining, Blending and Mixing, Pressing, Glazing, and Firing.
- Mining.
The process begins with the mining of the raw materials, which is a mixture composed of mostly clay and minerals.
- Blending and Mixing.
The clay and mineral mixture is blended and mixed into a semi fine powder. Water is added to form a wet slurry or mud-like consistency. Then the slurry is pumped into a large dryer and comes out feeling like a warm, fine sand.
- Pressing.
Next, the clay is pressed or formed into a tile shape. These pressed tiles are called green tiles at this stage. After the green tiles are formed they are dried to remove some of the moisture.
(There is also another method called extrusion, which can replace the pressing step. Extruded tiles are formed by forcing the clay material through a mold for the desired shape versus pressing the tile. However, pressing is the more common method used today.)
- Glazing.
The glaze liquid is prepared from a glass derivative (called frit) and colored dyes. The glaze is applied by either a high-pressure spray or is poured directly onto the tile.
(Obviously, this step is skipped for unglazed tile.)
- Firing.
The ceramic tiles are now fired in the kiln at temperatures around 2000 degrees Fahrenheit.
Note On Glazed Ceramic: Tiles that are fired once after glazing are called monocoturra tile or single fired. Tiles fired both before and after the glazing process are called biocuttura or double fired tile.
Porcelain Tile
Aside from the glazed and unglazed ceramic tile, there is another, closely related category that continues to gain popularity – beautiful, elegant and strong porcelain tile.
Porcelain tile is made from a blend of fine-grain clays and other minerals to produce a very dense body and is fired at a much higher temperature than regular ceramic tile. These differences make porcelain tile more resistant to moisture, staining, and wear than other tile products.
Glazed Porcelain.
Glazed porcelain has “filled in” microscopic holes that can be present in unglazed tile, are very durable and a little easier to maintain. However, the color in the glaze layer may be different from that of the body.
Unglazed Porcelain.
Unglazed porcelain is referred to as “through body” where the color on the top goes all the way through the tile. Due to this characteristic, unglazed porcelain tends not to show wear as much. Finally, unglazed normally has better slip resistance.
Classes of Ceramic and Porcelain Tile.
Not all ceramic tile is suitable for each area of your home. There are five classes you should know about.
Class 1: no foot traffic-wall use only.
These tiles are suggested for interior wall applications only, such as backsplashes, and not for the floor.
Class 2: light traffic.
These tiles are suggested for light residential use for bathroom flooring, countertop and walls.
Class 3: Medium commercial & all residential.
These tiles can be used for residential floor and wall applications including bathrooms, kitchens, foyers, dining rooms and family rooms. They’re a good all-around performer.
Class 4: moderate to heavy traffic.
These tiles are recommended for residential, medium commercial and light industrial floor and wall applications including shopping malls, offices, restaurant dining rooms, showrooms and hallways. Although they may be overkill for a backsplash, they can be used if they provide the look you are going for.
Class 5: heavy/extra heavy traffic.
These tiles can be installed anywhere. They will hold up in floor and wall applications at airports, supermarkets and subways. Tile doesn’t get any tougher.
