Product Features and Benefits  |  General Information Types of Ceramic Flooring Each Roth Carpet store maintains an extensive ceramic tile department.  Included are tiles by Marazzi, Interceramic, Florida Tile, Casa Italia and many more. We show model floors with unique design and pattern inlay ideas.  Prices for ceramic start with approximately 40 selections under $1.99 sq.ft. and continue to over $4.50 sq. ft.  We sell popular rustic stone looks and classic highly polished patterned tiles in every conceivable size, shape, and color. We install all that we sell and guarantee our workmanship for a period of one year. We also sell a complete line of tile care products. We will beat any competitor's price on equal flooring products. Ceramic Tile - General Information Ceramic tile is made from clay or other nonmetallic minerals and fired or baked above red heat- at least 1800 degrees F.  Terra-cotta, stone, and cement body tiles are not really ceramic. However, all are often used in the same places and all are basically installed in the same way.  Ceramic tile is most often made in a 12 in. X 12 in. size, but a large variety of smaller and larger sizes are available to allow for infinite pattern design combinations.  Ceramic is ideal for heavy traffic areas where liquids stains or sharp objects may attack the floor. It is installed by gluing to the floor with special adhesives.  Sometimes you can start with your existing floor but it is best to install a cement backerboard first. After the tile is adhered to this subfloor grout is applied to fill the spaces between the tiles. Types of Tile Glaze tile: Colored, opaque, or transparent finish fused to the body of the tile by the firing process. Unglazed tile: No protective finish on top. Quarry tile: Unglazed tile manufactured from clay or shale by extrusion. Porcelain tile: Dense, impervious, fine-grained, and smooth.  Made from fine-textured clay.  The color permeates the tile. Terra Cotta tile: Made of red clay. Mosaic tile:  Small tile patterns that are prefabricated onto a mesh backing. Product Features and Benefits Durable under all conditions of people traffic, fixtures, and furniture. Yet, tile can be damaged. Cracked tiles can be replaced relatively easily. Resists abrasion and scuffing by heavy and sharp objects. However, not scratch proof. Non-porous glazed surface ideal for kitchen and bathrooms. Practically unlimited designs, sizes, and color options.  It increases the value of your home. Maintenance is easy.  Routine broom sweeping or a pass with a vacuum removes dirt and grit that might scratch the tile.  Wipe up spills immediately. Some grouts stain easily and should be sealed to maintain the new look.  Ask for more details on cleaning your particular ceramic floor. Ceramic tile is the authentic hardsurface floor. Vinyl and wood laminates are often designed to create the ceramic look. Ceramic is a very durable and long lasting floor but it is also the most expensive.  From floor preparations to tile and installation labor a ceramic job can cost from $7.50 per sq. ft. to over $10.00 per sq. ft.  Many ceramic jobs are easy enough to do yourself.  Complicated jobs with extensive site preparations or intricate patterns are better suited for a professional installer. Subfloor is an important element in hardsurface installation of vinyl, ceramic, hardwood and wood laminates.  Imperfections in the substrate can telegraph through to the new floor and result in unsightly bumps and ridges.  Most installations require subfloor or floor preparation.  The more you spend on subfloor and preparation the better the finished job will look.