A full-body vitrified tile has the same colour, and often the same pattern, through its whole thickness. If you cut or break it, the inside looks like the face.
That makes it the most wear-resistant kind of porcelain floor tile. Scratches, chips and years of foot traffic do not reveal a different layer, because there is none.
How it differs from other vitrified tiles
Morbi makes three main types of vitrified floor tile, and they differ in where the colour sits:
- GVT and PGVT carry the design in a glaze on top of the body. See what GVT is.
- Double-charge tiles carry it in a coloured top layer a few millimetres thick. See double-charge vitrified tiles.
- Full-body tiles carry it through the entire body, from face to back.
Some factories also sell "through-body" or "colour-body" GVT. These have a glazed face, and the body is tinted to a similar colour. A chip shows a matching colour, but not the pattern. Ask which of the two you are being offered.
Where full-body tiles are used
Full-body tiles suit places where the floor takes real punishment and must still look acceptable. Typical uses include industrial floors, workshops, parking areas, ramps, public walkways, outdoor paving and stairs, where edges get knocked.
They are also used where tiles will be cut and the cut edge stays visible, such as step nosings and exposed external corners. A full-body edge needs no trim to hide a different colour.
The trade-offs
Full-body tiles offer fewer looks. Because the pattern must run through the body, they come mainly in plain colours, salt-and-pepper speckles, granite looks and simple textures. Detailed marble or wood prints are a GVT strength, not a full-body one.
Many full-body tiles are unglazed, so their surface can be more open than a glaze. Some are polished, and polished unglazed surfaces may need sealing or a nano coating to resist stains. Read nano-polished tiles for that step.
Thicker full-body tiles weigh more per square metre, so fewer square metres fit in a container. Ask for the factory's packing list and loading plan before you compare offers.
Tests to ask for
- Water absorption to ISO 10545-3, which should be 0.5% or less for group BIa.
- Breaking strength and modulus of rupture to ISO 10545-4.
- Deep abrasion to ISO 10545-6, the wear test for unglazed tiles.
- Slip resistance for the intended area, such as DIN 51130 or a pendulum test.
- Frost resistance to ISO 10545-12 if the tiles will be used outside in cold climates.
Ask for reports from an accredited lab, and check that the report names the same product, size and thickness. Our founding guide on reading a lab certificate shows what to look for.
Next step
Full-body tiles are a specialist product, and not every plant makes them well. We find the factories that do, check samples, and have lots tested before shipment. Book a free sourcing review to discuss your project.