Flooring gains growing importance in construction
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The flooring market today is dominated by porcelain tiles. Builders say a majority of their clients prefer them over marble, granite or mosaic, writes KARTHIK MADHAVAN
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Good market: Laying tiles is easier and faster than laying marble or mosaic. They have become fashionable.
Gone are the days when it did not matter what you walked on inside your house.
Members of the past two generations were content with walking on cement, and subsequently on red-oxide floors. But things have changed today. People consider flooring to be as important as overall architecture, woodwork and paint.
Good flooring
“Flooring has come to occupy a prominent position because it is visible unlike brick or cement, which is hidden, and is for everybody to see. So, buyers pay a great deal of attention to have good flooring,” says R. Mohanraj of New Premier Constructions and State secretary of the Federation of Civil Engineers’ Associations of Tamil Nadu.
Branded tiles
Dominating today’s flooring market are porcelain tiles. “Customers prefer tiles because, firstly, they come in a variety of designs; secondly, branded tiles are available, assuring customers of good quality; and thirdly, are easy to lay co
mpared to mosaic, granite or marble," says M. Jaganathan of Sree Kumaran Promoters.
Builders say a majority of their clients prefer tiles to marble, granite and mosaic.
They attribute the surge in demand for tiles to technological development.
“Today vitrified and rectified tiles offer the kind of finish customers demand and perhaps no other flooring material offers,” says Mr. Jaganathan.
Size
This has to do with the size of tiles as well. While average tile size today is 2X2 feet, the popular size is 3X3. Odd sizes like 4X6 are also available, though.
Customers, builders say, prefer bigger tiles because the number of joints is less, grooves between tiles are not so visible, giving a complete look. And maintenance becomes easier.
Ready within 12 hours
As regards laying time, tiles are the quickest. “Tiles-laying does not take up much time like marble or mosaic. And, it will be ready to use within 12 hours of laying,” Mr. Jaganathan points out.
While marble requires very careful laying to ensure even surface and absence of air bubbles, mosaic consumes time for laying as well as polishing.
Given the shortage of labour the builders face, they say they go in for tiles.
Rock product
“Irrespective of the truth in it, people have come to believe that granite being a rock product, should be used only in temples and not houses,” says Mr. Jaganathan.
As for marble, Mr. Mohanraj says, “The fear of leg pain has gripped people and holds them back from buying marble.”
Well-built house
He, however, recommends marble to those who wish to have a well-built house. The builders see a good market for tiles in the years to come, though wooden flooring has entered the market.
“People, especially those from the affluent sections of society, use wooden flooring, but not for the entire house. They use it only in home theatre rooms to have good acoustics and perhaps in the room of the chairman or managing director of a company. This limited use has to do with the cost," says Mr. Mohanraj.
Mostly imported, wooden floor tiles, which like porcelain tiles can be removed and re-laid as they come with inter-locking facility, sell for between Rs. 110 to Rs. 400 a sq ft.
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