Whiter than White! Architects overjoyed as Developers release the Whitest Ceiling Tile Ever Made.
To the average customer the ‘Tile’ is a mundane and not that particularly interesting aspect of Wall Coverings or Suspended Ceilings. The ceramic component, or occasionally Plywood or even insulated rubber, is simply a tool used to cover plaster in either the Bathroom or Kitchen.
A way of adding decoration or colour to the living space…and that is all!
For architectural planners or professional decorators however the Tile is an enhancement for a special look and mood. It is a manoeuvre of grabbing guest’s attention and an illustrative signifier of the property owner’s personality.
Interiors are enriched with a sense of permanence and timelessness due to the ceramic square or rectangle according to manufacturer’s Heath Ceramics. Tiles can make a room bold and sometimes overwhelming through brash colourations, engraved textures and selected material. In other instances the piece can defy simplification and modernism due to delicate tonal White or pastel swatches with a smooth finish (compared on Figure 1).
They are also a great technique in order to disguise potential moisture, mould and sagged plasterboard.
Regarding the influencers of the Tiling system it is the contemporary White or pastel colours of Blue that the majority of architects appear to favour. The reason behind the favouritism, especially towards Whites, is that they are clean and can act as a canvas in which to personalise. It can either be an endorser of the clinical and futuristic or…
“An installation that feels warm, soft and homey because of reflected light, surface finish and texture”.
Catherine & Robin Petravic, Heath Ceramics
The character White Tile has been adored by professionals for decades. It, as with any ceramic, has the ability to be attached to the surface area and left bare or painted and for the room itself as a barrier or partition to the potential spread of engulfment, thus surrounding rooms are further protected. Of course the little additions the White Tile provides to a social space is important, but it is the durability that is adored.
A component part can be cemented to a domesticated kitchen and bathroom (compared on Figure 2), and for working areas the entrance, refurbished office and washrooms. Within those compartments the neutral visual can influence or even manipulate Office Storage, Space Planning and can realise the authenticity of flexible and moveable Folding Screens.
Figure 1
Architectural firms see the White Tile as the more safer and reliable option. They rely on the supplementation of Tiling manufacturers such as British Ceramic Tile, Johnsons Tiles and Craven Dunnill to name a few. From these they can acquire the gloss or satin Tundra, Chroma, Trace or Hemingway. All basic and selective Whites do the job of implanting freshness and openness to a living or working area, but have a slight issue.
Most White Tiles are not completely White in depth, i.e. there are slight pigmentations of other tones within the mixture, and can consist of additional grain or decors that can masquerade the full benefits of a clean and smooth surface. These attributes can either be a preference or irritant to architects and structural designers and fitters.
Figure 2
The majority of professional developers would be jubilant if there was just a smooth textured Tile with pristine White consistency rather than mixing or impressions.
It is evident when either a bathroom, kitchen or office space showcases dominant White tone that the furnishings of sinks, baths and Office Chairs are more highlighted and illusive than the duller Wall, Floor and Ceiling ceramic fittings. This problem however is coming closer to being prevented and architects idealisms closer to reality.
The manufacturing brand Rockfon have launched their new batch entitled Rockfon Blanka. The specially coated matt has been sourced from as far as the US space industry in order to guarantee a high performance wool core. The easily installed Tile is durable as to be fitted in any direction which leads onto saving time and reducing waste. They are also 100% resistant to humidity to prevent the ceramic mould losing its shape.
‘The ‘ultra-white’ Rockfon Blanka tiles feature light reflection and light diffusion properties to maximise the uniform spread of natural light. Independent tests have shown that Rockfon Blanka has a light reflection index above 87% and an L Value of 94.5+’.
The product is sound absorbent and insulated and finally adjusts ceiling lighting to compete with other Whites (see Figure 3).
‘
Figure 3
To take suspended ceilings to the next level, we asked our customers what the ultimate improvement would be to them. The architects said they want a ceiling that combines aesthetics – especially whiteness and smoothness – with technical performance, such as fire resistance and acoustics’. Figure 3 Image taken from www.buildingproducts.co.uk
Anders Juhl Thomsen, Rockfon Managing Director
