Glossary


ACTUAL DIMENSIONS: THE ACTUAL SIZE OF A TILE, AS MEASURED WITH A TAPE OR A RULER.

BACKERBOARD: ANY OF SEVERAL CEMENT OF GYPSUM BASED SHEETS USED AS SUBSTRATE FOR SETTING TILE.

BACKSPLASH: SURFACE THAT ABUTS OR IS ATTACHED TO THE REAR OF A COUNTERTOP ALONG ITS ENTIRE LENGTH.

BULLNOSE TILES: FLAT TILE WITH AT LEAST ONE ROUNDED EDGE.

CAULK: ANY OF SEVERAL COMPOUNDS USED TO SEAL SURFACE GAPS OR JOINTS.

CEMENT BOARD: A TYPE OF BACKERBOARD MADE FROM A CEMENT BASE AND COATED OR IMPREGNATED WITH FIBERGLASS MESH.

CERAMIC TILE: A TYPE OF TILE COMPOSED OF REFINED CLAY USUALLY MIXED WITH ADDITIVES AND WATER AND HARENED BY FIRING IN A KILN TO A MINIMUM OF 1800ºF.

DRYWALL: A GYPSUM BASED SHEET PRODUCT COVERED IN BOTH SIDES WITH PAPER AND USED TO FINISH INTERIOR WALL SURFACES.

GLAZE: A HARD, MOST OFTEN COLORED LAYER OF LEAD SILICATES AND OTHER MATERIALS FIRED TO THE SURFACE OF A TILE.

GRANITE: A NATURALLY OCCURING STONE COMPOSED OF QUARTZ AND OTHE MINERALS.

GREENBOARD: A MOISTURE RESISTANT DRYWALL PRODUCT MADE FOR WET INSTALLTIONS, SUCH AS BATHS AND SHOWERS.

GROUT: A MORTAR MIX USED TO FILL THE JOINTS BETWEEN SET TILES.

IMPERVIOUS TILE: TILES WHOSE DENSITY RESISTS COMPLETELY THE ABSORPTION OF LIQUIDS.

ISOLATION MEMBRANE: A FLEXIBLE SHEET OR LIQUID PRODUCT APPLIED TO SUBSURFACE OF A TILE INSTALLATION TO ALLOW CRACKS TO EXPAND UNDER THE TILE WITHOUT TELEGRAPHING INTO SURFACE.

MARBLE: A NATURALLY OCCURING HARD VARIATION O FLOMESTONE MARKED WITH VARIED COLOR AND VEIN PATTERNS.

MEMBRANE: A SHEET OF PROTECTIVE MATERIAL, SUCH AS FELT PAPER OR POLYETHELENE APPLIED TO THE SUBSTRATE OF A TILED SURFACE, USED EITHER TO WATERPROOF IT OR CONTAIN CRACKS, OR BOTH.

MOSAIC TILE: ANY TILE LESS THAN 2 INCHES GENERALLY VITREOUS AND MADE IN SQUARES OR HEXAGONS.

MUD: TRADE JARGON FOR CEMENT BASED MORTARS.

NONVITREOUS TILE: LOW DENSITY TILE WHO’S PORES ABSORBS LIQUIDS READILY.

ORGANIC MASTIC: ONE OF SEVERAL PETROLEUM OR LATEX-BASED ADHESIVES FOR SETTING TILES.

PENETRATING SEALER: A SEALER THAT PENETRATES THE PORES OF TILE AND GROUT TO FORM A WATER AND STAIN REPELLENT LAYER.

PORCELAIN: ANY OF SEVERAL HARD BODIED VITREOIS TILES FIRED FROM PURIFIED CLAY AT VERY HIGH TEMPERATURES.

QUARRY TILE: UNGLAZED, VITREOUS OR SEMI VITREOUS TILES, USUALLY ONE FOUTH TO ONE HALF INCH THICK.

SALTILLO TILE: A SOFT HAND MADE TILE DRIED IN THE SUN INSTEAD OF BEING FIRED.

SANDED GROUT: GROUT CONTAINING SAND.

SEALER: ANY OF SEVERAL TOPICAL OR PENETRAITING PRODUCTS USED AS A PROTECTIVE COATING ON GROUT AND UNGLAZED TILE SURFACE.

SEMI –VITREOUS TILE: TILE OF MODERATE DENSITY THAT EXHIBITS ONLY A PARTIAL RESISTANCE TO WATER AND OTHER LIQUIDS.

SHOWER PAN : THE FLOOR OF A SOWER STALL, WHICH HOUSES THE DRAIN.

SLATE: A NATURALLY OCCURING STONE COMPOSED OF COMPRESSED SHALE DEPOSITS, GENERALLY ROUGH-SURFACED AND GREY OR BLACK.

STONE TILE: NATURALLY OCCURING MATERIALS THAT ARE CUT FROM QUARRIES AND SLICED OR HAND SPLIT INTO THIN SECTIONS FOR USE AS TILE.

SUBFLOOR: A LAYER OF WOOD SHEET MATERIAL, GENERALLY PLYWOOD, USED TO PROVIDE A STABEL FOUNDATION FOR OTHER FLOORING MATERIALS.

SUBSTRATE: ANY OF SEVERAL LAYERS, INCLUDING THE SUBFLOOR, BENEATH A TILE SURFACE.

TERRA COTTA: A LOW DENSITY TILE MADE OF UNREFIND NATURAL CLAY AND FIRED AT LOW TEMPERATURES.

THIN SET MORTAR: GENERIC TERM USED TO DESCRIBE A WIDE RANGE OF MORTAR BASED TILE ADHESIVE.

V-CAP: V SHAPED TRIM.

VITREOUS TILE: AN EXTREMELY DENSE CERAMIC TILE WITH A HIGH RESISTANCE TO WATER ABSORPTION.

WET SAW: A HIGH SPEED POWER SAW EQUIPPED WITH WATER COOLED CARBIDE BLADE USED FOR MAKING STRAIGHT CUTS IN TILE.