水泥

Technological innovation in ceramic production has made it possible to create concrete-look stoneware collections offering a very true reconstruction of the semblance of raw concrete, flaked plaster and modern cement. Thanks to advanced decoration techniques, not only have the minimalist details and unique features of concrete been re-created, but also the aesthetic appeal of aged surfaces marked by the passing of time, which convey the hallmarks of artisan manual work and the passage of man, making them almost eternal and unchanging, as is stoneware by nature.

Concrete-look porcelain floor and wall tiles flaunt material but essential textures of high visual impact, offered in the colour range of the cold hues of grey.  This pure, minimalist look is of great effect, perfect for those looking to create simple, yet lived-in atmospheres, bursting with personality, combining this with the excellent technical performance typical of porcelain tiles.

Opting for a collection of concrete-look porcelain tiles is a very precise style choice, enabling the creation of high-impact environments that convey the great expression of concrete with the additional plus points of being resistant to stains, hygienic, easy to clean and unchanging, as only porcelain tiles can guarantee.

Refin’s concrete-look tiles blend with contemporary and minimalist mood spaces and encompass the synthesis of technique, cutting-edge technology and aesthetic research. The maxi sizes proposed also exalt the unique graphic and structural features and make it possible to re-create the effect of a continuous surface in the floors or walls they clad.

The Ceramiche Refin range numbers a great many collections of concrete-look porcelain tiles. Graffiti offers a monochromatic base scratched by irregular signs, the Raw variant of the Design Industry collection re-interprets flaked plasters and aged concrete, whilst Master Plan pays homage to cement as a material, interpreting its various semblances in three different product lines: Plain, which from a distance appears to be a solid, continuous dimension yet is moved by light clouding, micro fissures and small holes, typical of concrete; Block, whose surfaces reveal small stones and gravel, as though encased in semi-liquid cement; and Mold, characterised by agglomerates of gravel of a heterogeneous form, distributed irregularly throughout the slabs, recalling the casting of fresh concrete in formwork. Finally, the new Urbex Style line is inspired by Urbex Exploration and appears as a cement characterised by darker, contrasting marks, in the style of raw materials exposed to the open air and weathering for long periods of time.

A ceramic tile with a water absorption coefficient of less than 0.5%: this is the definition of porcelain stoneware according to UNI standards. This product boasts outstanding technical properties, and is made from a blend of clays and feldspars baked at extremely high temperatures (approximately 1250° C).

Durability and resistance to knocks and stresses are just some of the advantages of choosing a porcelain stoneware floor. It can also reproduce the styling features of other materials, such as in the case of the concrete-look porcelain stoneware.

Concrete-look stoneware floor tile

Thanks to the reduced water absorption coefficient, stoneware boasts superior technical specifications. It comes in the form of a ceramic tile with a compact, hard and non-porous paste affording superior resistance to abrasion, knocks and stresses. Frost-proof and hygienic, this material is impervious to chemicals too.

Stoneware tends to retain these peculiarities unchanged with time, making it an outstanding solution for floor tiles and wall tiles in both domestic and commercial settings. Suitable for any room of the home, stoneware ceramic tiles are resistant to stains and easy to care for: they require no particular treatments after installation and just a few steps are required for routine cleaning.

Porcelain stoneware that looks like natural concrete

Thanks no natural textures and neutral colours, Refin’s concrete-look tiles blend in with settings with a contemporary and minimalist mood. Versatile collections for use in residential contexts and in the contract industry for indoor venues and outdoor areas too.

Indeed, concrete is a versatile material that offers endless customisation possibilities, taking on countless shapes with sophisticated or rougher finishes, depending on the desired effect.

To testify to their superior quality, Refin products are guaranteed according to UNI EN 14411 – ISO 13006 standards. The company has also obtained multiple certifications such as UPEC, ISO 9001:2008, OHSAS 18001 and Product Environmental Footprint (PEF).

Porcelain stoneware that looks like tumbled stone

Porcelain stoneware takes on various appearances depending on the material being replicated. In the case of stoneware that looks like tumbled stone, the tiles replicate the aesthetic styling of antique-look floor tiles with pebbles featuring rounded and irregular edges. Versatile and elegant products suitable for use as indoor and outdoor floors and wall tiles.

Concrete-look ceramic slabs (large sizes)

Refin’s product range includes large-size porcelain stoneware slabs, modern designer ceramic tiles for use in both domestic and commercial designs. Surfaces which encapsulate the concentration of technique, trailblazing technology and aesthetic styling. The dimensions available are 120×278, 120×240, 120×120 and 75×150 cm.

The maxi-sizes enhance the structural features of porcelain stoneware and make room for designers and architects to let their creativity loose. Specifically, the 120×278 size (which Refin presented at Cersaie 2018) is the ideal product for large-size walls and floors, allowing for a significant reduction in joints. As regards thickness, the slabs are produced in the 9 mm thick version as well as in the 6 mm version for greater manageability.

Concrete-look stoneware tiles: styles and patterns

Refin’s product range boasts multiple collections of concrete-look porcelain stoneware tiles for use in both commercial and residential settings. Craft is a collection based on the study of cementitious materials to enhance the non-industrial origin of concrete, its surface distinguished by colour variations, trowel patterns and clouding. The Velvet Ground line on the other hand makes it possible to customise sophisticated settings with a modern personality in an original manner.

Design Industry draws its inspiration from urban style and entails two different surfaces: Raw, which reinterprets plasters and worn concrete, and Oxyde, which refers to oxidised metal. Plain stands out for slight clouding and meticulous signs, whereas Mold originates from the more craft-based appearance of hand-mixed cement.

Stone, clay and lime are brought back to life in the Block line, with concrete-look ceramic tiles where pebbles and gravel emerge. A collection suited to locations with a metropolitan mood.

Last but not least, there is Graffiti, a range devised for floor tiles and wall tiles in urban, minimalist settings, which reinterprets concrete with a street style. The tiles have a monochromatic base and feature irregular scratches and colour variations in shades of grey.