In recent years, bathroom accidents have frequently occurred. To prevent the elderly from slipping and getting injured in the bathroom, the non-slip tiles must not be sloppy when decorating.
Ceramic tiles that meet the standard must undergo a slip resistance test by an accredited laboratory. The German standard DIN51130 is the most common on the market in Hong Kong. The ideal non-slip tile should perform its best function in wet and dry conditions.
Anti-slip level The DIN 51130 slip resistance is achieved by putting on safety shoes, the tester stands on the lubricated test material, and then calculates at which inclination angle the tester starts to slide.
R9-R11 are sufficient for general household applications, R12-R13 are mainly used for outdoor and special space applications, applications with different slip resistance:
Anti-slip certification There is no proof of slip resistance for ordinary ceramic tiles on the market, especially polished tiles. If you want to use polished tiles with full sense of light to make the floor of the hall, it is easy to ignore the anti-slip function while pursuing aesthetics. For safety reasons, polished tiles with qualified non-slip certificates should be selected. The Asian floor tiles are certified by the Hong Kong laboratory and have the most basic R9 anti-slip grade.
The non-slip tiles commonly used on wet floors are matte. Although they have a certain anti-slip function, they lose a bit of natural and soft light under the light, and their reflectivity is relatively low. The pursuit of non-slip will sacrifice aesthetics and ease of cleaning, especially if the bathroom is wet, there is a chance that bacteria will grow more easily.
So to strike a balance between the two, you can consider soft-gloss tiles, which not only have R10 anti-slip grade, but also retain the natural light feel of the smooth surface.55 degree soft lightIt is Asia's first technology that combines the advantages of polishing and matte, but also makes up for the shortcomings of both, and meets customers' requirements for non-slip and the pursuit of beauty.
Are you concerned about the decoration? Let us tell you to choose suitable materials to solve problems.
Choosing tiles for the right design and decoration is sometimes challenging. To place the correct tiles in certain locations depending on the design concept would increase the tiles value in terms of the decoration looks.
Now let’s talk about how to choose tiles for "living room", "kitchen" and "bathroom":
The living room is usually the most aesthetic part of the house, and the floor tiles can be slender. ChoosingTimber Tiles, with the warm feeling of imitation wood plus the extension along the grain, add a sense of spaciousness. You can choose a large size ofMarble tiles, to make it look luxurious.
2. The kitchen wall design could have various tiles in it. A stylist kitchen will improve your mood to spend time cooking delicious dishes. Sometimes cleaning the kitchen is hard because smoke or oil stains are involved and dirt there would grow some bacteria. Therefore,Antibacterial Tilesis the best choice for kitchen wall decoration. It is smooth, easy to clean and stylish.
3.Bathroom is a private space and we should pay more attention to the flooring. For bathroom decoration, using tiles with safety and slip resistance is recommended. The bathroom floor is more likely to be exposed to water, so high-slip tiles are applicable and look best with R10-R11 effects. The floor of the shower area should have anti-skid safety to ensure it is safe for everyone that uses it.
In conclusion, applying the high-density ceramic tiles on the floor and walls can prevent mold to a certain extent.Antibacterial Tilescan prevent bacteria and mildew more comprehensively and is more suitable for humid and coastal areas.
Due to the environment and weather, many Hong Kong people find it difficult to keep their homes dry. When choosing tiles and other building materials, products with antibacterial and mildew resistant functions should be considered. Since it is quite durable, it can also serve as the first protection for your family’s health.
Fighting The Unseen Foe
Take the common mold at home as an example. Due to its small size, it is difficult to clean it away completely. Moist bathrooms and toilets often become hard-hit areas where molds are raging. The mold releases allergic substances, which fly away with the air, enter the body from the nasal cavity, and then follow the respiratory tract to the lungs to stay, causing allergies, asthma, and causing minor physical problems.
Antibacterial and mildew-proof wall and floor tiles
Diligent cleaning is important, but if you want to get better results without too much effort we need to change from the source. Traditional solid wood floors are susceptible to dampness, mildew and could cause thermal expansion. It could cause a gap between floors, which dirts easy to hide in and grow bacteria. The ceramic tiles with the new OXYTECH antibacterial technology continuously release negative ions and effectively inhibit the growth of bacteria on the surface of the tile. It is compact and hard as it burned at a hot temperature and slow-burning of 1,250 degrees. Under high-density conditions, the water absorption rate is less than 0.1%. Effectively resist moisture, anti-bacterial, and anti-mildew.
1) 淨化空氣除甲醛 Furniture, wood, paint, viscose, etc. that you encounter every day have the chance to be indoor pollution sources, which will continuously release free formaldehyde and toluene. Especially after the decoration of new houses, the excessive formaldehyde situation is even more serious. The test proves that OXY TECH antibacterial technology can purify formaldehyde and toluene in the air and keep indoor air fresh for a long time.
Photo from shutterstock
2) 抑制細菌、真菌的生長和繁殖 Tile cleaning is often a tricky part of household hygiene. Ordinary cleaning is difficult to remove the dirt in the narrow gaps of the tiles, which only affects the growth of bacteria and health. The seam between most tiles on the market is 2mm. The latest research and innovation of OXY TECH's anti-bacterial technology-"dense seam paving" can reduce the seam between tiles to only 0.5mm, effectively reducing the accumulation of bacteria. space. In addition, as the gaps on the surface of the tiles become smaller, there is nowhere to absorb dirt, which enhances the anti-fouling and easy-to-clean effect. The ceramic tiles of OXY TECH antibacterial technology have proved to have an antibacterial rate of 99%*, and an antibacterial rate of Escherichia coli as high as 90%.
3) 減少霉菌滋生 The damp problem in Hong Kong has always plagued all homes. Especially in summer, the bathroom walls and floor tiles in many people's homes are always wet. They are prone to mold, and sometimes smelly. OXYTECH antibacterial technology ceramic tiles have the advantage of high density, and the water absorption rate can be lower than 0.1%, which can help reduce the growth of mold and reduce troubles caused by dampness.
OXY TECH Tiles Test
The editor conducts a series of tests to understand the effectiveness of OXY TECH technology. The tests will compare the water absorption, stain resistance, hardness, and fire resistance of the tiles.
1. Water absorption The weather in Hong Kong is humid. For example, ceramic tiles with lower water absorption rates are used indoors, which are denser, not easy to expand, and are more effective in blocking moisture and reducing mold. The editor first prepares an ordinary tile and an OXY TECH tile and then places the two tiles in the blue water agent for 24 hours to test their water absorption capacity.
Photo from Medical Inspire
After one day, the water level of ordinary tiles was significantly lower than that of OXY TECH tiles, which shows that ordinary tiles have a higher water absorption rate.
Photo from Medical Inspire
2. Ease of cleaning In addition to mold, stubborn stains such as kitchen oil stains are critical issues in daily cleaning. The editor splashed the old and new soy oil stains on the OXY TECH tiles, then wiped it with a rag, and found that the soy oil stains had been wiped away without leaving any traces, and the stain resistance was extremely high.
Photo from Medical InspirePhoto from Medical InspirePhoto from Medical Inspire
3/ Fireproof OXY TECH tiles are made by slow-burning at a hot temperature of 1,250 degrees. The process requires a gun to burn OXY TECH tiles at close range for about 1 minute, if there is no blackening or cracking of the tiles, it means they have certain fire resistance.
Photo from Medical InspirePhoto from Medical Inspire
As mentioned above, when it comes to choosing ceramic tiles, customers should not only pay attention to the reputation of the tile brand, but also pay attention to the water absorption, stain resistance and fire resistance of the product, and buy suitable tiles. It increases hygiene and house cleanness.
*Tested on Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans and Escherichia coli under laboratory conditions.
If you are not familiar with tiling projects before, you will be surprised by the many different types of tiles available. Ceramic and porcelain tiles are the most popular, but there are also glass tiles, cement tiles, metal tiles, and stone tiles—to name just a few. It’s not easy to pick tiles because not every type of tile works for every job. And, of course, there's a budget to consider.
Whether you're shopping for an immediate project or just planning for the future, we will guide you through the most common tiles and the basic knowledge of their types.1. Ceramic Tile and Porcelain Tile Ceramic tile is one of the most popular types of tile because it's suitable for many applications. Increased durability makes ceramic tile perfect for any room in the house, such as kitchens, bathrooms, or even entryways. Ceramic tiles have been sintered at a hot temperature of thousands of degrees and increased the density unlike the ordinary bricks, and the hardness can reach level 6, which is harder than ordinary stone. It is suitable for various environments. Moreover, the water absorption rate is low, which is more suitable for humid environments (bathroom/kitchen) or humid climate areas (Hong Kong/offshore).
The other most common type of tile is porcelain, which differs from ceramic tile. The appeal of porcelain comes from its ability to emulate natural stone, brick, or wood—and without any of the maintenance. In addition, as it's an all-purpose tile, it comes in a variety of designs, colors, and styles to allow for versatility when designing a space. Porcelain can even be used outdoors, as it will not freeze, fade, or crack. Other applications for porcelain tile include bath or kitchen tile, high-traffic areas, and kitchen backsplashes.
The biggest drawback with porcelain tile is that installation can be tricky. While you can DIY an install, many homeowners forget that you also need an adhesive when laying down this type of flooring.2. Polished vs Matte vs Soft Polished There are two main types of tile surface: light-separating surface and matte surface. As the name implies, the glossy surface is smooth and reflective, and it is mostly used on the wall to reflect natural light that creates a natural feeling. The matte surface is usually more non-slip, and it is mostly used on the floor, especially in the bathroom/kitchen. Although there are many styles, it does not have the glossiness of smooth tiles. In fact, there is a third type of tile surface-soft surface, "55°Soft Light" The recent technology can have the best of both worlds. It not only has the matte surface of R10 anti-slip but also maintains the shine of the glossy surface, which is beautiful.「55∘Soft Light」The new technology can have the best of both worlds. It can not only have the matte surface of R10 anti-slip, but also maintain the gloss of the glossy surface, which is beautiful and practical.3. Coloured Body Tiles Over the bottom brickAlso known as Homogeneous Tile, the brick body to the brick surface are made of the same material. Over-bottom bricks are known for their practicality. Since the brick surface and the brick body have the same color, it is not obvious even if the surface is damaged. However, the hardness of many tiles can reach Mohs 6, which is durable and scratch-resistant. Although the bottom tiles are practical, they are inferior in appearance and style. There are not many choices. The colors and textures are mainly pure colors and simple.4. Timber Tiles In recent years, wood-grain tiles have become very popular, and they are more durable and moisture-proof than ordinary flooring. Wood grain bricks have many variations in texture, and different paving effects can be achieved with different paving methods. But pay attention to the flatness of the brick body, because the wood-grain bricks are mostly slender 1200x200mm, which requires a high level of flatness, and the "bending brick problem" can easily cause "empty drum" and "kicking" problems. Choosing reputable and certificated wood grain tiles can reduce the risk of mid-voltage.Ceramic tiles have many changes in style, color, size, and texture. In addition to personal preference and design style, when picking tiles, you should also pay attention to the characteristics of different tiles and consider actual needs.
As a developing enterprise, ASA Tiles not only work on the growth of business, but also focus on social engagement.
Earlier, we were invited to participate in a school anniversary tiles printing event. In the two-days event, we provided tiles and the students created a tiles printing with the guidance of tutor.
The tutor designed the general picture in advance. Before the event begun, the tutor drew the draft of the print across the tiles. Then, we gave each student a piece of tile and let them add colours on it. They also put their own ideas and creation onto the tiles.
In the process, the tutor guided the students to reflect on the project and told them the importance of details, as they all started this magnificent printing from small parts. They also learnt the value of teamwork and communication during the project. At the end of the day, the tiles printing was a team effort.
We, as the tiles manufacturer, feel equally on how valuable and important details are. A high-quality piece of tile, could only be made with many fine details adding together. Seeing the students adding the colours they wanted with each stroke, made us felt touched.
After the students finished printing the tiles, we put the tiles on the wall and formed the complete and wonderful printing. We were honoured to be a part of this meaningful event, and we were delighted to see how much potential tiles have as art and craft.
ASA Tiles was established in 1973. Our tiles are made of selected mineral clays, fired at ultra-high temperatures of at least 1200℃ for over one hour. ASA Tiles applies high-quality imported glazes and employs robotic automation in the manufacturing process. We own three production plants in China, the largest of which covers an area of 1.3 million square metres. ASA Tiles is committed to green production techniques, and we control our emissions to ensure they are less than half of the national standard.
Our products are in service at world-famous landmarks like The Great Hall of the People (Beijing, China), The Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower (Shanghai, China), Changi Airport (Singapore), and The Burj Khalifa tower (Dubai, U.A.E.), among others.
Key Highlights
ASA was listed on the Main Board of the Singapore Stock Exchange
ASA has been awarded one of “Asia’s 500 Most Influential Brands” for 2016–2020
In 2016, ASA partnered with a team of Italian designers to create the first large-format (1.6 × 3.2 m) tile production line in China
In 2019, ASA invented bacteriostatic Oxy Tech®, and applied such technology into the PuriTiles® series
We are now looking for a Brand Ambassador.
What we will offer
A friendly and motivating environment
Excellent career prospect
Attractive bonus scheme
Highly competitive basic salary, sales commission, discretionary bonus, and MPF
Bank holiday
Guaranteed at least 10% salary raise in the first three years
Annual leave, maternity / paternity leave
Your role
Liaise with developers, architects, dealers and interior designers
Handle customers’ enquiries, provide product information and design solution
Build and maintain an interactive and trustworthy relationship with new and existing customers
What you need
School Certificate or above
Experience selling to architecture and interior design firms is an advantage
Native Cantonese speaker with conversational level of English and Mandarin
A good team player
Interested parties please send your full resume with your availability, current and expected salary details to hr@asatileshk.com.
All personal data provided will be kept in strict confidence and only for employment purposes.
I usually paint on paper and canvas. Painting on ceramic tiles is a new attempt for Elaine. When I write, I feel fresh and challenging. The whole creative process brings her a new experience and a little new reflection.
In love with the streets of Hong Kong, Elaine has always used watercolors to document the appearance of our city, especially the streets with a taste of "old Hong Kong". For her, the effect of painting on the tiles is better than imagined, because the appearance of the street and the tiles are put together, and it turns out that they blend in just right.
"Affected by the old street signs, I have always liked metal signboards, so I especially love the earthy color system. Using tiles of the corresponding color as the drawing board, there is no need to add more content due to the background color of the painting. The artistic conception and composition of the "blank" The sense of space on the top is exceptionally present."
In addition to the color matching, the texture of the creation on tiles is also different from the usual creation on paper and canvas.
"Some tiles are not smooth, but have unique textures, and the texture is very different from ordinary drawing boards. Such tiles, after the corresponding composition, the work will appear more real. It turns out that a painting can not only bring out visual enjoyment. , Creators can provide one more sensory way for viewers to appreciate the work-tactile rather than visual."
So, does this new creative attempt still give Elaine more new experiences?
"I have always said that I like old things. The valuable thing about old things is that we must protect them. Their fragility makes people cherish them. Or, if we don’t cherish them, I’m afraid we won’t be able to do it again soon. Seeing it. Tiles give me the same feeling. If you don’t pay attention, the creation on the brick surface will no longer be the original. Because of this, I must always remind myself that in the life of non-stop creation, I must not forget it. We must always value, stare at and cherish every work."
The possibility that ceramic tiles can be shaped has gone beyond the inherent ideas all the time!
Learn more about Elaine: personal webpage- https://www.elainechiu.com/ Facebook- elainechiuart Instagram- elainechiuart
In line with the faith and intention to innovate on ceramic tiles, ASA is committed to providing customers with their own style of life.
If you are interested in artistic tiles, Guanying visits Asia's flagship concept store. For cooperation on art projects, please contact 2152 1900 or 9686 6482.
