Get answers to common questions about double charge tiles
For durability and scratch resistance, yes. The 3–4 mm pressed design layer holds up better under long-term wear than the surface-printed layer on GVT tiles. However, GVT offers a much wider range of design patterns and visual detail.
Double charge vitrified tiles typically last 15–20 years in residential flooring without visible wear or colour change. With quality tile adhesive and proper installation, the fused pigment layer does not fade the way a surface print does. [Based on standard vitrified tile lifecycle data for Indian climatic conditions]
Glossy polished variants should not be used on bathroom floors they are slippery when wet. Matte or satin anti-slip tiles with an R9 or R10 rating are suitable for bathroom floors if you prefer this tile type.
No. Because the design is physically pressed 3–4 mm into the tile body during manufacturing, it does not fade under normal use. This is a direct advantage over surface-printed alternatives.
Standard epoxy grout works well for double charge vitrified tiles in residential settings. For commercial spaces with higher foot traffic or spill exposure, epoxy-based grout is preferred for its stain resistance and durability.
Porcelain tiles are better for outdoor applications. They provide stronger weather resistance, better texture for wet outdoor conditions, and higher durability against temperature variation and rainfall exposure.
Double charge vitrified tiles are full-body ceramic floor tiles made by pressing a 3–4mm pigmented design layer onto a base body under high pressure and firing it above 1200°C. This gives the pattern real depth instead of a thin printed skin, meeting Group BIa vitrified standards under IS 15622 and ISO 13006.
Clay, kaolin, feldspar, and quartz are ground into a fine powder in Morbi's ball mills. A feeder machine deposits two mineral-pigment layers onto a base body, a hydraulic press compacts the stack under high pressure, and it's fired in a kiln at over 1200°C. Better manufacturers follow this with a nano-silica treatment to seal the microscopic pores that polishing opens up.
Key properties include water absorption under 0.5% (often below 0.05% in well-made Morbi lines), breaking strength typically 1300N–1800N against a 1113N minimum per ISO 10545-4, Mohs surface hardness of 6–7, and an overall tile thickness of 8–12mm with a 3–4mm pigmented design layer. Wear performance is measured by Deep Abrasion Resistance (ISO 10545-6), not PEI rating.
Double charge tiles offer design depth that survives years of heavy foot traffic without fading, lower cost than full-body vitrified tiles, and large-format options that reduce grout joints for easier cleaning. A unique advantage is that the surface can be ground and re-polished to restore shine after years of use, something a thin printed glaze cannot do.
Choose double charge tiles when you need a design that holds up under sustained heavy footfall in commercial or dry residential spaces, such as mall corridors, office lobbies, hospital passages, or living rooms. They strike a practical balance between durability and cost, sitting between GVT and full-body vitrified tiles on price and performance.
Digital vitrified tiles (GVT/PGVT) carry a thin printed glaze layer under 1mm, offering high-definition, photorealistic designs but relying on PEI rating for wear testing. Double charge tiles have a thicker 3–4mm pigmented layer, tested for Deep Abrasion Resistance instead, giving better resistance to visible wear on high-traffic floors, though with bolder, less intricate designs.
Double charge tiles are available in polished gloss, semi-polished, honed or matte, and satin finishes. Polished finishes suit dry high-traffic areas but carry slip risk in wet zones, while matte and honed finishes are the safer choice for bathrooms, balconies, and mixed-use spaces.
Standard sizes from Morbi manufacturers include 600x600mm, 800x800mm, and 600x1200mm, with larger formats available up to 800x1500mm or 800x1600mm from select production lines. A few lines are also extending into 1200x2400mm slabs for premium commercial projects. Larger formats reduce the number of grout joints, which helps with hygiene and maintenance in commercial spaces.
Double charge tiles work best in high-footfall dry commercial spaces like mall corridors, corporate lobbies, airport concourses, hospital OPD passages, and showroom floors. They also suit dry residential zones such as living rooms, hallways, and dining areas where design retention under years of traffic matters more than photorealistic detail.
No, standard polished double charge tiles are not recommended for outdoor pathways or driveways. They aren't built to handle direct sun and monsoon cycling without becoming brittle at the surface over time, regardless of what some promotional material claims. Confirm with your manufacturer if a specific outdoor-rated variant is genuinely available before specifying one.
Polished double charge tiles have a low wet-friction coefficient (measured as DCOF, or Dynamic Coefficient of Friction), making them a genuine slip risk in bathrooms, kitchens, and balconies. Matte or honed finishes offer significantly better grip and are the safer choice for wet or mixed-use areas.
Double charge tiles have a Mohs surface hardness of 6–7, which resists everyday scratching from grit, sand, and furniture legs reasonably well. However, no ceramic tile is scratch-proof against harder abrasives, so exact resistance can vary slightly by production line check the technical data sheet for specifics.
Double charge tiles typically feature bold, mechanical, geometric patterns rather than intricate photorealistic designs like fine wood grain or marble veining. If your project needs highly detailed patterns, digital GVT or PGVT tiles are a better fit, since the double charge manufacturing process naturally produces bolder designs.
Morbitaa Buildmart LLP works directly with Morbi manufacturers, helping buyers verify grade, batch, and specification before tiles leave the factory reducing the risk of B-grade mixing or batch mismatch that's common through multiple trading layers. This factory-direct approach also gives buyers clearer pricing and lead-time visibility compared to routing through several dealer layers.
Morbi, Gujarat is India's dominant vitrified tile manufacturing hub, and the best supplier depends on your specific need batch consistency, grade verification, and factory-direct pricing matter more than brand name alone. Morbitaa Buildmart LLP works directly with Morbi manufacturers to help buyers verify grade, batch, and specification before committing to an order.