1. Ceramic Tile Application Guide
Minimum ratings for the application specified.
You can always step up to a higher rating, but expect, then,
to pay more for features you may not need.
PEI
ANSI
Wear Minimum
Water
Resis- CoefficApplica- Environ- Foot Absorption tance ient of
tion
ment Traffic
Rating Rating2 Friction
Dry Area
Nonvitreous
Group I
or II3
Wet
Area
SemiVitreous
Group I
or II3
Very
Wet
Area
Vitreous
Group I
or II3
Walls
Exterior
4
Vitreous (if
Group I
frost rated)
or II3
or
For Use In…
Tile wainscots,
fireplace
surrounds. Areas
that rarely if ever
get wet.
Kitchen
backsplashes.
Areas that may
get wet on
occasion, but are
unlikely to see
constant or
standing water.
Shower walls.
Areas that may
get wet frequently
and/or are likely to
see constant or
standing water.
Exterior walls in
areas that do not
experience a hard
freeze (and in
areas that do
experience a hard
freeze if the tile is
frost rated).
Exterior areas that
experience a hard
freeze in winter.

2. Impervious1
NonVitreous
Group
II
NonVitreous
Group
III
Heavy
NonVitreous
Group
IV
Light
SemiVitreous
Group
II
Medium
SemiVitreous
Group
III
Heavy
SemiVitreous
Group
IV
Light
Vitreous
Group
II
Light
Dry Area Medium
Floors
Wet
Area
Very
Wet
Bedrooms.
Rooms where
0.60 (Dry)
there is usually no
through traffic.
Family rooms.
Areas of through
0.60 (Dry)
traffic or normal
use.
Hallways. Areas
of constant
0.60 (Dry)
through traffic or
heavy use.
Laundry rooms.
Areas where there
is usually no
through traffic that
0.60
get wet on
(Wet)
occasion, but are
unlikely to see
constant or
standing water.
Kitchens. Areas of
through traffic or
moderate use that
0.60
get wet on
(Wet)
occasion, but are
unlikely to see
constant or
standing water.
Kitchens with
heavy through
traffic. Areas of
constant through
0.60
traffic or heavy
(Wet)
use that get wet
on occasion, but
are unlikely to see
constant or
standing water.
0.60
Guest baths.
(Wet)
Rooms where

3. Area
Medium Vitreous
Group 0.60
III
(Wet)
Heavy Vitreous
Group 0.60
IV
(Wet)
Exterior4 Any
1
Vitreous (if
frost rated) Group 0.60
or
IV or V (Wet)
1
Impervious
there is usually no
through traffic,
that may
experience
constant or
standing water.
Master or main
baths. Areas of
through traffic or
normal use that
may experience
constant or
standing water.
Busy bathrooms
and shower floors.
Areas of constant
through traffic or
heavy use that
may experience
constant or
standing water.
Exterior decks,
patios and
walkways that do
not experience a
hard freeze (and
in areas that do
experience a hard
freeze if the tile is
frost rated).
Decks, Patios,
Walkways.
Exterior areas that
experience a hard
freeze in winter.
Impervious tile may also be called porcelain, but does not have to be.
When in doubt about a rating, select the next higher rating. For example, if you are
not sure whether your kitchen qualifies as a moderate traffic or heavy traffic area, go
with heavy traffic and choose a Group IV tile over a Group III tile — just to be sure.
Almost all tile is now glazed, and almost all glazed tile rates at least Group II on the
PEI wear test.
3
You will rarely find Group I tile at a tile store. It is usually sold for hobby and craft
applications.
2

4. 4
Some tile rated "vitreous" in the water absorption test will also work outdoors in a
hard freeze climate. Look for the "Frost" rating on the package.
How to Read a Tile Label
Once you have found the color and pattern of a tile that you like, then all the other
information you need to assess the usefulness of the tile is printed somewhere on the
box, often in the form of icons. These icons tell us all about the tile, and since their use
is regulated, the information in the icons is probably not going to be just marketing
hype.
Let's see just what these icons can tell us.
Tile grade is the result of a visual inspection. The range is 1 to 3, the lower the
number the better the tile. A grade 1 or Standard Grade tile exhibits no obvious
imperfections when visually inspected at a distance of 3 feet. A grade 2 tile
shows no visible imperfections at a distance of 10 feet. Almost all tile in a tile
store will be grade 1. Sometimes you will find grade 2 tile on a "special
purchase" sale — often at quite the discount. Grade 2 is just fine for many
applications. The durability of a grade 2 tile is usually not suspect, it merely has
visible imperfections. We sometimes use it in historical renovations to simulate
19th century tile that often had many visible flaws. Grade 3 tile is rarely seen in
retail stores. It usually has major aesthetic problems including wide variations in
tone and sizing. Let the tile professionals buy this tile. They know where and
how to use it.
This is the result of the PEI wear test that we introduced earlier (See chart
above). Many manufacturers use this test only on floor tiles. The higher the
rating, the more wear-resistant the tile. A tile used as flooring or on a countertop
should be rated at least in Group II (light traffic floors). A higher rating is even
better for floors with medium or heavy traffic. It should also be at least 1/4" thick.
Thicker is generally better. If the tile is glazed, then it is the glaze coating that is
tested. If the tile is un-glazed, such as in quarry tile, the tile body itself is tested.
The tests are slightly different. If this rating is missing, the tile is probably not
intended for floors — and will usually say so right on the box.

5. This is the score the tile received on the ANSI test for resistance to water
penetration (See chart above). A tile that is installed outdoors where there is a
real Winter should not absorb water. Otherwise, water trapped within the tile
may freeze, fracturing and cracking the tile. Almost all tiles rated impervious will
work outdoors, but so will some vitreous tiles. Look for the frost rating (see
below). For indoor applications, semi-vitreous and vitreous are strong enough
for floors, and non-vitreous for walls.
All tiles called "porcelain" do not necessarily rate "impervious". Don't rely on the
word "porcelain" on the box, look for this specific frost rating, for a W.A. score of
"impervious". If there is a PCTA certification of "porcelain", then the tile has
been tested for water absorption and found to be impervious, and this
certification is a substitute for a W.A. rating of "impervious".
Photo: (UK) Health & Safety Executive,

7. If present, the "Frost" icon merely tells you that the tile is able to withstand
repeated cycles of freezing and thawing. If there is no frost icon, it may mean
that the tile is not suitable for use outdoors in any place where it might
freeze, or the tile maker did not bother to order the test. Some tiles rated
"vitreous" in the water absorption test will pass the frost test, and almost all
"impervious" tiles will pass.
The tone and shade rating is an indication of how much variation there is in the
color and shade of the tile. The range of ratings on this "V" scale is V1 to V4.
V1 indicates
low visible
shade and
texture
variation
within each
carton.
V3
indicates
a high
shade
and
texture
variation
within
each
carton.
V2 tile show
distinguishable
differences in
texture and
pattern within
each color.
V4 file
contains
random
variations
of shade
and
texture
within
each
carton.
Grades V3 and V4 need to be continually blended during installation to insure
optimum appearance. This generally results in higher installation costs. Also,
examine more than one tile, and more than one box of tiles to see if you like all
the various tones. There may be considerable variation between cartons.