Types Of Glass Bathroom Tiles

Using glass bathroom tiles is a fantastic idea to give a majestic look to your bathroom. These tiles have just entered the market and are not that popular as their ceramic or porcelain counterparts. However, they have started coming into notice with time and seem to be on the road to become the next style quotient for home decor. Glass tiles are doubtlessly more expensive than the ceramic or porcelain tiles; but they are worth the cost. They are so striking that they can easily change the look of your bathroom. These tiles come in six main varieties, which are being dealt in detail below. The information provided below will help you in knowing about these tiles and even aid you in selecting the perfect one for your bathroom!

Smalti tiles are opaque in structure and are generally cut small, to be used in mosaics. “Smalti” is an Italian word meaning a glass glaze formed out of sodium or potassium carbonate, melted in combination with silica. These tiles can hold intense color and look attractive in your bathroom.

 

Fused bathroom tiles are widely available in the market, in a variety of shapes and sizes. These tiles are made by cutting a flat piece of glass into a particular shape, followed by the addition of color either on top or below the glass. Once the color spreads in the tiles, they are fired in a furnace. The end product is a clear tile, with a layer of opaque color seen through the tiles.

 

Etched tiles are almost similar to the fused tiles, both in their look and process of making. However, a small difference still lies between these two tiles. Etched glass tiles are given a translucent surface layer, which is not present in the fused bathroom tiles. A cloudy glass layer is applied on the top of the tile, which helps in giving it a translucent surface.

 

Slumped tiles are special tiles that are made in the shape of pillow. These tiles are made of flat piece of glasses, which are given a curve shape during firing. These tiles have more or less convex surface and are one of the best options to give a grand look to your bathroom.

 

Cast tiles come in different colors and are exquisite to look at. They look like precious stones. These tiles are made by a different processing system. Unlike most of the tiles, which are made of flat pieces of glass, cast tiles are created out of small pieces of different glasses. These pieces are put together in a mould and fired in such a way that they start melting. Consequently, the glass pieces start fusing into one another. This is the best way to recycle old tile pieces.

 

Sintered glass tiles are made by putting together glass powder in a mould, followed by the heating process. Eventually, the powders fuse together. On one hand, color particles are added before firing, whereas on the other hand, these tiles are colored after the firing work. These tiles are one of the most used glass tiles, owing to their durability. These are also scratch-proof, which makes them highly popular.