Elf Wiki

What the hell is that word??? Well, here you go. It’s not really a wiki, per se, since I’m the only one that adds to it. I just like the word wiki.

Absorption: The amount of water (or kool-aid) a particular type of tile will absorb. Defined by weight percentage.

Ceramic: Ceramic tile is made from clay or other minerals which are then shaped and fired in a kiln. Clay tiles are further treated in one of two ways:

  • Unglazed – the pigment or natural color is there during firing and is part of the tile itself. Unglazed tile needs to be sealed for stain resistance.
  • Glazed – color is added to the tile after firing. The glasslike surface is bonded to the tile. Glazed tile offers more color choices than unglazed. Glazing allows brighter colors to be used and adds stain resistance. Because of their slick, glassy surface, glazed tiles are used mostly on walls or countertops.

(Static) Coefficient of Friction: The number that describes how “slippery” a particular tile is. Defined by testing how many pounds of pressure must be placed on a particular object (a rubber shoe sole) before it slides or moves on a tile. Represented as a decimal usually between 0.1 and 1.0 with 0.1 being more slippery. Each type of tile will have two of these numbers – one for wet and one for dry.  It’s MUCH more technical than that, but you get the idea. Let’s just say they’ve actually put some thought into this equation.

Granite: Igneous rocks obtained from molten masses or magmas. There is evidence that the origin of some granites may be attributed to regional metamorphism or pre-existing rocks. Rearrangement and re-crystallization taking place without a liquid or molten stage. Coarse grain granites have lower density.

PEI Rating: The Porcelain Enamel Institute Rating is a scale of wear rating or durability from 0 to 5 with 0 being the lowest or least durable. This scale is a guideline which tile manufacturers use to rate wear durability of the finish surface their tile.


Slate: Slate is a fine-grained metamorphic rock that splits into thin, smooth-surfaced layers. Because slate is made from a natural stone, you can expect a certain level of color variation from tile to tile. This is because of the fluctuation of the amounts of minerals and other compounds unique to each individual tile.

Travertine: Travertine tiles are formed from hardened mineral deposits that are left over after carbon dioxide-rich water filters through rocks and earth. As the water passes through areas with concentrations of limestone, the limestone dissolves. When this limestone saturated water reaches the surface, the carbon dioxide is released due to the changes in temperature and pressure. As the carbon dioxide fizzes out of the water, the limestone is left behind, and re-crystallizes over underwater plants. As these mineral deposits harden into stone, they can be made into tiles. Travertine tiles are characterized by fissures and small irregular holes on the surface of the tile that are not found in limestone. More than you ever wanted to know, huh?