In 2017, ceramic companies were still shouting the slogan "No big boards, no big brands". By 2018, the number of large board production lines around the world had grown to more than 60; in the second half of 2019, the emergence of "rock slabs" It has pushed the ceramic industry into the "rock slab" era; in the first quarter of 2020, China's rock slab production capacity has ranked first in the world, and rock slabs have gradually occupied the mainstream of the market and entered an explosive period.
Stone slabs, as an upgraded product of ceramic tiles, became popular as soon as they appeared. The reason is the upgrading of consumption, and the consumption outlook of young consumers has also changed. Rock slabs and slabs are so popular nowadays. How much do you know about these materials? How can we achieve the fashionable and high-end look of rock slabs/large slabs? Today, Zhongtaojun will help you sort out the characteristics of large slabs and slates, allowing you to quickly distinguish and select the right materials in one minute, and use the correct way to open these two "internet celebrity hot products"!
Stone slab VS large slab
2017 is the hottest year for large slabs. Large slabs are widely sought after for their natural "seamless feeling" and wide application, and have even broken Europeans' prejudice against large-sized ceramic tiles; The emergence of ceramic tiles subverted people's previous stereotypes of ceramic tiles and directly changed the development direction of home decoration. Recently, a new type of material - slate has become a new hot word in decoration. As an iteration of ceramic building products, slate has once again allowed us to see a considerable market. Since its birth, slate has always been at the forefront of the ceramic industry. Above the wind.
"Stone slab" and "big slab" are both derived from the word "slab". They look very similar, but in fact they are two products with completely different concepts. Big slab, as the name suggests, is the name for large-sized ceramic tiles. Most of its applications are traditional on walls and floors; rock slabs are the product of upgraded ceramic tiles. They are wear-resistant, flexurally resistant, acid-alkali resistant, high toughness, and processable. Due to its excellent physical properties, it is widely used in cabinets, door panels, countertops and other household fields. It is a brand-new building decoration material. In terms of size, "big slabs" definitely refer to large-sized products, but "rock slabs" come in a variety of sizes and thicknesses; in addition, they also have obvious differences in decorative effects, physical properties, and finished product expressiveness. difference.
In fact, the main advantages of large boards are: good decorative effectAs well as durability. Many household items in life are the same, but there are certain differences in functionality. Of course, the one that is more comfortable and sturdier is better, and it is also more popular among consumers!
1. What is rock slab?
As for "what is rock slab", there is still no standard definition in the ceramic industry, and it is even confused with ceramic slabs. Slate itself is a new type of ceramic plate that is "more practical than ceramic tiles and more decorative than stone."
Main features of rock slabs:
Hard - fired at high temperature above 1200℃, Mohs hardness reaches level 6, even if the knife edge is scratched on the surface of the rock slab, it will not leave any trace;
Light - lighter than traditional ceramic tiles, and the average weight of ultra-thin rock slabs is only 7kgs/㎡;
Toughness - The price and performance of rock slabs are superior. They can be processed into various shapes through cutting, chamfering, edging and other processes. At present, there are also 3mm bendable rock slabs; in addition, there are acid and alkali resistant, food Grade safety surface, high temperature resistance, etc.;
Based on various advantages, slate slabs are widely used in indoor walls and floors, bathroom spaces, cabinets and countertops, etc. It can be said that they can be used everywhere in all areas of the home, creating a different sense of luxury. The surface texture of slate is also natural and beautiful, with a strong sense of modern art, and can be integrated into different styles of home spaces.
2. Price competition: Big boards are better
High-quality ceramic tiles and rock slabs are not cheap. The processing of rock slabs is complicated and requires a lot of labor. Both labor and processing fees are a lot of money. In addition, the loss of materials is large, so , the prices of rock slabs and large slabs are the same, and the price of the larger slabs is more cost-effective. All in all, slate, as an emerging thing, is still in the mature stage. Many issues that arise in the market still need to be considered, and we cannot be forced to follow the craze. In contrast, large boards have now formed a mature system, with higher proficiency/lower difficulty in the application process of decoration.
Stone slab ≠ large slab
Many people think that rock slab = big slab, but this is not the case. Comparing one by one from the four aspects of production raw materials, production process, physical properties, and application scope, you can intuitively understand the differences between the two.
1. Production raw materials
Large slabs are composed of three major raw materials: clay, quartz, and feldspar. During the production process of rock slabs, the particle gradation, fluidity, and plasticity of the raw materials are optimized to provide better conditions for the use of rock slabs as slabs. It improves the innate conditions and brings more possibilities for customized homes.
2. Production process
From the perspective of internal structure, large slabs are composed of base base + base glaze + top glaze/protective glaze; while rock slabs are mainly base base + transparent glaze. Even if the whole rock slab has been processed by cutting, chamfering, etc., the surface of the slab and the bottom of the slab will still be the same, making it more beautiful when viewed from the side. From the perspective of the forming method, the slab must be stamped with dry powder using a super-large tonnage press. The process of dry powder rolling/preparation extrusion is used for compression molding, which has higher density. From the perspective of the firing system, the firing temperature of rock slabs is higher and the cooling time is longer, so as to eliminate the stress of the product itself and avoid post-processing breakage.
3. Physical properties
The molding method of rock slabs determines that the density of the rock slab body is higher than that of large slabs. Therefore, the rock slab body is also harder, more impact-resistant and wear-resistant, and the rock slab does not absorb dust and is easy to clean.
4. Scope of application
The many advantages of rock slabs in physical properties enable them to break through the limitations of using ceramic slabs. Rock slabs not only have the basic functions of large slabs, but can also be used as slabs. For example, slate can be used as a decorative background wall like a large slab, or it can be processed and customized into coffee tables, dining table tops, kitchen stoves, islands, cabinets, sanitary wash basins, bathroom cabinets, etc.
Have you understood the textbook on understanding rock slabs or large slabs given to you today? So, have you decided whether to use "large slabs" or "rock slabs" for your home decoration? Take this essential tip for powerful players to choose!
