On Friday, 29 July, more than 500 guests, including clients, architects and professionals, were at the Hafary Gallery in Eunos to discover the new chapter of tile materials. Tile materials from four different factories in China were launched after the Hafary team visited them for a field study in Foshan, Guangzhou earlier this year. The key focus products from the four different factories are 4.8 mm Thin Tiles, Cement Inspired tiles, Inkjet Porcelain Tiles and 20 mm Porcelain Stoneware.

The 4.8 mm thin tiles are a revolutionary porcelain tile concept. Weighing at only 11.5kg/sqm, the tile is able to be handled solely by one person. Incredibly lightweight, the tile is easy to cut (curves) and can be used on any surfaces. The tiles can also be applied over existing tiles, saving time and cost in any renovation project. The collection comprise of large slabs, in size 600 x 1200 mm, ideal for refined and contemporary interior design schemes.

The cement inspired tiles have been leading flooring trends locally and internationally. With heavy investments in research and development, the factory is able to design and manufacture cement inspired tiles that are an accurate and faithful representation of the original concrete screed. Available in functional sizes, each series provides 6-12 different tiles faces to minimise repetition. The collection also comes with accompanying decor tiles.

Inkjet porcelain tiles are a breakthrough in technology. Featuring a scratch and wear resistant tile surface, the inkjet porcelain tiles are thus very suitable for high traffic areas. Also, the inkjet infiltration depth is able to reach a depth of 0.5 - 0.6 mm as compared to conventional tiles of 0.1 mm.

20 mm thick porcelain stoneware are ideal for outdoor applications. With excellent technical properties, the tiles are guaranteed a higher resistance to load and stress. Depending on different needs and destination of use, the material can be installed by: placing tiles onto polypropylene support, dry installation onto sand, grass and/or gravel and by traditional adhesive installation.

The advantage of using raised installation with the polypropylene supports is such that irrigation pipes and/or cables can be concealed while giving easy access for inspection and maintenance over time.

For dry installation onto sand, grass and/or gravel, the quick installation does not require the intervention of skilled workers. Material can be removed and replaced at any time without masonry works.

For high traffic areas, traditional installation method should be considered as this installation method provide the highest resistance to load and stress.