Arrows on back of porcelain tiles

[Turkish tiler]

arrow on back of tiles means, tiles are derictional tiles
all arrows should point one direction
I allways check back of the tiles bofore a start layin (ceramic or porcelain)

 

[John Benton]

Normally yes, but not always the case, also had some Cotto de este 60x60 recently that were a fraction difference in size one way to other, over a few tiles this makes a difference.

Even though the arrows are all pointing in the same direction it could be that some tiles are poor quality and the calibration is poor. Had it before when customers have bought tiles and they have all been the same batch numbers but they were out by mm even in the same box.

 

[peteablard]

Would imagine they're to show you which way to follow a grain, then on non grained tiles perhaps they're just using the same underside template?

Only thing I've used which needed to follow the arrows were Klinker Sires as they had a bit of a difference you wouldn't notice until they were laid. Square tile but 2mm shorter on the arrow sides.

i had exactly the same problem with a job I did earlier this year. I had looked for an arrow but missed it, it turned into a nightmare as soon as the second row started to go down. On closer inspection I found a tiny arrow, ran them the same way and it was fine.

 

[Ajax123]

The arrows on porcelaine tiles are a guide for the direction of loading the moulds into the firing kilns. They are for production purposes.

 

[charlie1]

Funny this comes up now as i recently fitted a load of porcelanosa 60x60 with the arrows on them... I only noticed half way through thought! ...very interesting question

 

[Rizzle from the Portizzle]

the arrows on the tiles show the way they where glazed and fired on hight glaze tiles can look like diffrent shades on walls if you dout follow the arrows next time you come acrross this put a tile under good light with the arrow facing up then turn the other tile round stand back and look at the shades see if it changes with the way the light hits it

 

[jonnyc]

the arrows on the tiles show the way they where glazed and fired on hight glaze tiles can look like diffrent shades on walls if you dout follow the arrows next time you come acrross this put a tile under good light with the arrow facing up then turn the other tile round stand back and look at the shades see if it changes with the way the light hits it

this sounds like a good answer. who told you this ray.
doesnt it mean though that you may need to allow for more wastage than normal and have to ask if there are arrows on the back before you decide how many sq mts you need .also have to mark every off cut you have left over where you have already used part of tile with arrow on it!!
i had this recently on a big floor and we certainly used more than normal because we had arrows in same direction

 

[Ajax123]

Italian Ceramic Tiles - Italian Tiles - Ceramic Tiles of Italy - ItalyTile.com

 

[Dave H]

Good to get some sensible feedback, thanks to Ajax123 for link, thought that was
the case, but will still check tiles before laying

 

[Tony73]

this sounds like a good answer. who told you this ray.
doesnt it mean though that you may need to allow for more wastage than normal and have to ask if there are arrows on the back before you decide how many sq mts you need .also have to mark every off cut you have left over where you have already used part of tile with arrow on it!!
i had this recently on a big floor and we certainly used more than normal because we had arrows in same direction

I allways mark off cuts, so i know where arrows should be. If i start walls with arrows UP, i ceap it that way. ( only some off cuts stick with arrows down, but don't turn to left or right)

 

[Tony73]

the arrows on the tiles show the way they where glazed and fired on hight glaze tiles can look like diffrent shades on walls if you dout follow the arrows next time you come acrross this put a tile under good light with the arrow facing up then turn the other tile round stand back and look at the shades see if it changes with the way the light hits it

good point ray tt

 

[Ajax123]

I think because of the way they are fired whilst the arrows are for production purposes this firing procedure will "grain" the tiles such that they are not uniform across the entire tile. As each tile is subjects to the same regime these arrows can presumable as has already be mentioned be used to align the tiles so that the grain is unidirectional. I suspect that it would take an extremely keen eye to determine differences on a floor. Not sure about walls though... I don't deal with walls often.

 

[Perry]

i have had porcelain tiles quiet a few times a few years ago when they were like parallelograms the only way they could be laid was buy putting them all the same way

 

[Dave H]

another point is that on a 60x60 06 60x30, any bowing on tiles is normally the same on each tile so keeping arrows directional helps with lipping!

 

[jonnyc]

Italian Ceramic Tiles - Italian Tiles - Ceramic Tiles of Italy - ItalyTile.com

thanks for that link. you are a mine of useful info.