Each owner of a country house or cottage dreams of equipping a fireplace in his house to create a special comfort. The crackling flame gathers the whole family around it, creating a comfortable and warm atmosphere for communication. Many owners also build a full-fledged oven in the house, in which you can cook unique dishes according to traditional recipes. To give fireplaces and stoves a decorative effect and harmoniously complement the interior in any style, special decorative tiles for the fireplace are used. For fireplace wall tile ideas, the material must be chosen carefully, taking into account the very specific operating conditions.
What is the stove or fireplace lining for?
Finishing the stove and fireplace with properly selected tiles can significantly expand the functionality of the structure.
- Highly decorative. Matching in style and color to the basic interior, the material creates a complete and aesthetically appealing design of the space.
- Increase in heat capacity and heat transfer. The tile, heating up, helps to heat the room faster and increases the amount of heat inside the stove.
- Simplified care. It is much easier to clean the glazed surface from soot and dirt than natural porous stone or plaster.
What properties distinguish a suitable tile?
When choosing a ceramic tile for a fireplace, consider the features of its design. The basic materials of manufacture, shape, and dimensions. Also, ovens differ in the degree of heating. It varies from low to medium and has its own cycle of the duration of heating and cooling time. This indicator determines the purpose of the building: a cooking stove, a decorative stove, or a fireplace.
Regardless of these parameters, ceramic materials for lining furnaces must meet the following requirements:
- Thermal stability. From the point of view of creating a decorative effect, almost any ceramic product is suitable. But not all of them will withstand high temperatures. So that the tile does not crack after the first use of the oven. It is necessary to check with the manufacturer the limit of temperatures maintained by it. Also, such information is indicated on the box with the material or in the detailed description of the catalogs. Choose a tile with maximum heat resistance – it’s surface in the fireplace often comes into contact with open fire.
- The ability to store and release heat. In order to maintain the desired temperature in the oven and additionally heat the room. The tile must absorb and retain heat. Cooling evenly and slowly after the flame has ended.
- Strength. The optimal indicator of the parameter is 30 t / sq m. Such ceramics are distinguished by increased wear resistance and bending strength. Which guarantees a long service life of the material without chips and cracks. It should be borne in mind that a really strong tile will be quite thick.
- Environmental friendliness. When heated, composite materials release toxic components. It is important to use ceramic products, the safety of which is confirmed by the relevant certificates.
- Low porosity. This parameter will protect the tile from excessive expansion when heated, which will prevent its deformation, swelling, and cracking.
- expansion factor. If the tile expands more when heated than the base material of the fireplace or stove, then the elements of the ceramic finish will peel off the surface.
Basic rules for choosing a facing material
After evaluating the operational properties of the material, carefully inspect the ceramic elements:
- The basic elements of the collection and parts of the ceramic decor must have the same thickness, preferably at least 6 mm.
- Coincident geometric dimensions. Fold 2 elements of the collection with the front and back sides – their corners should match, and the ends should fit perfectly.
- Uniformity of colors. Shades of colors on the surface of each tile must be identical and not contain differences in shades visible to the eye.
- Coating integrity. Carefully inspect each element, examining its surface for chips and cracks.
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