If you are thinking about rebuilding a kitchen or bath or merely replacing worn-out flooring, then environmentally-friendly recycled tiles are an excellent choice for you.
Like other types of tiles, recycled content will outlast most, if not all, different flooring types. Tile withstands scratching and is fire-resistant. Because of its durability, you can save money over the long haul by not having to replace or change it.
We can clean it easily. If we install glazed tile, it won’t absorb liquids or release unpleasant odors as carpeting can. Another benefit over carpets is that tile doesn’t harbor potentially harmful mold spores, pollen, dirt, or dust mites. Unlike vinyl, ceramic, and many other flooring products — including some “green” options — tile doesn’t carry toxic chemicals and won’t give off fumes.
The use of recycled materials decreases waste shipped to landfills and cuts down on mining clay and other minerals needed to make conventional tiles. It also reduces energy use because making a product from waste material or element generally needs less energy compared to fabricating one from raw materials. This process also reduces environmental pollution.
The various tiles brands offer a wide range of high-quality tiles made from recycled or reclaimed materials. Recycled tile gives you many unique and creative options for your building, remodeling, or redecorating projects. These tiles are strong, sturdy, and durable, and many of them are handcrafted to ensure high quality and a pleasing appearance.
The recycled tiles can come from various sources, such as post-consumer glass, pre-consumer glass waste, post-industrial porcelain, etc. A lot of the glass used in these tiles come directly from the curbside recycling programs. And others come from raw materials and other waste that is left over from the manufacturing process. All these substances can be combined in recycled tiles to decorate your home rather than crash in a landfill.
These recycled tiles are an excellent alternative to natural stone products or other construction products. By using recycled tiles, not only will you be able to add an attractive element to your home, but you can also reduce your impact on the environment. Choosing recycled content tiles will decrease waste going into landfills, reduce mining for natural stone goods, and reduce the energy used in conventional tile products’ manufacturing process.
Many shops offer a wide variety of recycled tiles. You can also find those tiles many different styles, colors, and sizes.
Recycled Tile Options
Recycled tiles can be used for floors, countertops, and walls and may be made from recycled glass or waste from mines or factories. We can get tiles in two varieties: ceramic and glass.
Ceramic tiles are made from factory waste (known as post-industrial waste) generated by conventional tiles. Some producers, for example, Crossville, make tiles that contain 50 percent to 100 percent in-home manufacturing waste (waste that would otherwise have ended up in landfills.).
Other goods, for example, the Debris Series from fireclay tile, merge post-industrial and post-consumer recycled wastes. Various series tiles consist of 26% recycled granite dust (post-industrial waste) from a granite-cutting operation and 26% recycled glass (post-consumer waste). Besides, the glazes used by many companies contain no lead, so they are safe for the workers who apply them.
Recycled-content glass floor tiles from UltraGlas carry 15-30 recycled glass. Blazestone tiles produced are made from 100 percent recycled glass, as are the tiles from Sandhill Industries. However, recycled-content glass tiles are suitable for the environment. Many interior designers are also prized because some types have unique decorative qualities, such as translucent iridescence, not found in other tiles. Many companies make recycled tiles for floors, walls, and countertops.
Now let’s know some good sides of recycled tiles.
Great Insulation
Some factory’s panels create 20-40% more insulation than tiles and 35% more than laminate wallboards. The thermal break created by the gap between the panel, the adhesive, and the wall, combined with Acrylic’s reduced thermal conductivity compared with tiles, means these will significantly reduce the loss of heat from your room. The extra insulation will also reduce your heating bills. The surface is warm to the touch, which reduces condensation and mold within wet areas. Recycled tiles offer the ultimate eco tiling solution.
Reduced Carbon Footprint
Some tile companies are part of Polymer Recovery Ltd (recycling center). Therefore, the tile panels and system were designed with the environment in mind. They are manufactured using a unique low carbon process that uses far less energy than tiles, which are fired in a kiln at over 1300°C. All manufacturing waste is recycled into new Acrylic sheets. The colored inks used for the panel designs are water-based and UV cured, which means they are not harmful to the environment and can be recycled. Plus, some companies offer special adhesive that can easily be removed at any recycling plant, making the entire range of eco tiling 100% recyclable.
Eco Tiling – Better for the Environment
As there is no grout or grooves for dirt to get trapped in the panels, they can be cleaned without the need for chemical or environmentally unfriendly cleaning products. All off-cuts from installations can be reused or placed in a regular recycling waste bin. Old panels can also be returned to Polymer Recovery Ltd to be made into new ones. The eco tiling panels are light compared with traditional tiles or wallboards, which makes them easier and cheaper to transport. Many brands use standard carriers to transport their panels, making their carbon footprint very small.
We already know that tiles are made of natural clay and other plentiful raw materials. Their production does not need the exploitation of any other natural resources like trees or rock. In fact, the use of wood-effect, marble-effect, granite-effect, and slate-effect tiles, which appropriately imitate natural materials, makes a useful contribution to protecting forests or woodland and landscapes across the globe.
Modern tiles carry valuable quantities (25% to 40%) of both pre-consumer and post-industrial recycled content like glass, aluminum, and clay salvaged from mining operations. Some of the most modern eco-tiles are made from 100% locally resourced recycled material as well.
Recycled tiles are not only made of 100% recycled material, but they are also 100% recyclable and can be used in the making of materials such as cement, road substrates, brick, or tile mosaics without the need for unique treatments. The raw material and the glazes, and even the water from the fabrication process can be recycled, thus almost eliminating waste.