Now Available, a One-of-a-Kind Slip Resisting Ceramic Tile
Metropolitan Ceramics® introduces a new slip resisting tile, XA Abrasive. XA Abrasive combines two slip resisting additives to create a one-of-a-kind slip resisting tile with a Dynamic Coefficient of Friction ≥ .70. The silicon carbide embedded surface, combined with the metallic additive through the body of the tile, work together to combat the effects of spills, moisture, extreme temperatures, and heavy traffic. Use Quarry Basics® XA Abrasive in the most demanding environments and anywhere durability and slip resistance are important.
An Important Part of Every Tile Installation
Properly managing movement and expansion joints is an important part of every tile installation. Knowing how and where to include expansion joints can be one key to the success of the overall tile work.
The Tile Council of North America (TCNA) includes an entire section (EJ171) of their handbook covering movement and expansion joints. The section includes information on location and frequency, width, materials, and installation. The section also includes details on various types of joints relating to both construction and tile installation.
The TCNA has a F.A.Q. section about movement and expansion joints on their website @ http://www.tcnatile.com/faqs/53-expansion-joints.html
Don’t under estimate the importance of adding the correct expansion joints to your tile work. This important step will help ensure a sound tile installation.
If you have questions about movement and expansion joints in tile work or would like a copy of the TCNA Handbook, visit the TCNA website @ tcnatile.com or call them @ 864-646-2821.
Quarry Tile vs. Other Floor Finishes
We all know Metropolitan Ceramics quarry tile is durable and long lasting, but did you know that Metropolitan Ceramics has the most favorable life cycle cost? The infographic shown below illustrates how quarry tile stacks up when compared to other flooring products. http://metroceramics.com/environment-advantages/life-cycle/
Metropolitan Ceramics® Meets the Needs of These Demanding Applications
Industrial applications need an extremely durable floor product. These floors need to handle spills of all sorts- including chemicals. They need to perform in extreme temperatures with heavy industrial equipment and foot traffic moving over them. And through all of this they have to remain maintenance friendly and last for decades. Only one flooring product will meet all these demands at an economical price-point. Metropolitan Ceramics®, with its extruded and hard fired body is the right choice for industrial applications. And Metropolitan offers a 6” x 9” x 3/4” paver product – METRO®PAVERS for the most demanding areas. To follow are two examples of Metropolitan Ceramics products in use in industrial applications.
The Founder’s Brewery in Grand Rapids, Michigan installed Metropolitan Ceramics #310 Mayflower Red 6×6 throughout their brewery’s production area. This quarry tile will stand up to the harsh conditions and provide a maintenance friendly, slip resisting floor for decades of service.
Mission Foods® is the largest tortilla manufacturer in the United States, providing tortilla products for supermarkets and restaurants throughout the country. In their plant in Pendergrass, Georgia, Mission Foods installed 6″ x 9″ x 3/4″ METROPAVERS in their production facility. According to the plant manager, the pavers provide employees with an improved working area when compared with the existing concrete slab. Happy with the results, Mission Foods is now using METROPAVERS in other facilities throughout the country.
Metropolitan Ceramics is Now Offering an AIA CES Approved Course
Metropolitan Ceramics is now an AIA CES Registered Provider and is offering a new course worth (1) AIA Learning Unit (LU).
The course discusses the importance of using the appropriate floor covering products for demanding floor environments like commercial kitchens. The course gives participants important insight into: understanding what constitutes a demanding environment, examining the flooring options available, and setting criteria for a floor coverings suitability for use in these environments. Through comparison, discussing manufacturing processes, learning about raw materials, and viewing installation examples, attendees are better able choose the correct flooring for demanding environments.
Contact Clare Thomas – cthomas@ironrock.com if you are interested in having this course presented to your group.
METRO® Pavers – The Most Durable Paver Tiles for the Most Demanding Jobs
Metropolitan Ceramics’ METROPAVERS are designed for heavy duty industrial and commercial applications. They will stand up to heavy abuse and give decades of service. METROPAVERS will resist impact and abrasion, chemical spills, thermal shock, cracking, spalling, and erosion. And METROPAVERS will remain slip resisting for decades of uncompromising service. METROPAVERS are perfect for any area with constant foot traffic, spills and moisture, and heavy industrial traffic. Think of METROPAVERS for your next demanding commercial application.
Natural, Slip Resisting Tile, For Indoors and Out
Metropolitan Ceramics unglazed quarry tile is right at home in a relaxing residential setting.
Quarry Tile Care and Maintenance for Commercial Kitchens
An Illustrated Care and Maintenance Guide from Metropolitan Ceramics is now available. Download the attached pdf for tips on keeping your commercial kitchen quarry tile installation good as new.
Download MetropolitanCeramics Illustrated basic commercial cleaning and maintenance
The Simple Trim Piece That Works So Well 4 x 8
Sometimes unnoticed among the line drawings of cove base, bullnose, and corners representing the Metropolitan Ceramics trim offerings is the Q8485 Transition Tile. That’s a shame, because this versatile 4” x 8” trim should not be overlooked.
The exclusive Q8485 was designed to meet and exceed standards created for the barrier free environment, and the transition piece does just that for areas such as ramps.
But, the transition tile can be used other ways as well, such as when making the transition to carpet from quarry tile or any remodeling use when making the “transition” from a 1/2″ thick tile floor to a thinner material. A door sill is another good example.
Although not its original intention, one of the most effective uses of the Q8485 is as a square drain surround. The transition rises from a 1/4″ rounded edge to a full 1/2″ thickness. This works perfectly when making the slope from field tile to a drain plate and gives a clean finished look to the drain area.
The Q8485 Transition tile is available in all Quarrybasics colors.
Made in the USA for 150 Years
‘Made in the USA’ is not a phrase we take lightly – we have been saying it for 150 years.
As we look forward to the upcoming 4th of July Celebration, it is a great time for us at Ironrock to reflect on a very special anniversary -150 years of making the highest quality brick and ceramic products.
Ironrock is a fifth generation family owned company located in Canton, Ohio. We have a brick making heritage that dates back to 1866. We are the makers of Metropolitan Ceramics® Quarry Tile and two thin brick products – METROBRICK® and Royal Thin Brick®.
In 150 years, our company has seen a lot of the history that makes up the fabric of the United States, and we have made quite a bit of our own.
We are proud to have provided products along the way to help build our country, from road paving bricks that were the foundation of a budding road system, to durable and slip resisting ceramic tile used in countless buildings throughout the country, to thin brick used to clad a wide variety of buildings.
As we celebrate a storied history, we look forward to a bright future and are proud to say we are Made in the USA.