Rock salt is a chemical sedimentary rock that forms through the evaporation of water, as minerals dissolve and settle down. When excavated directly from the earth, it maintains a cube-shaped crystalline form. With its diverse textures, compositions and structures, this natural element has captivated human interest for centuries. Depending on the region and environmental conditions, salt rock has been found in diverse applications in architecture, such as a construction material that uses blocks of salt to build structures, bricks, or tiles. Often translucent, these bricks allow diffused light to enter interior spaces, creating a unique atmosphere and aesthetic appeal.
Giving this ancient material a modern twist, Casalgrande Padana uses rock salt as the inspiration for its new Supreme porcelain stoneware tile collection. By replicating the colors, texture and brightness of natural sedimentary rock, this collection can be seen as a fascinating journey to discover the unique features of the center of the Earth.
Rock crystals that elevate architectural design
Adopting the aesthetics of rock crystals, these porcelain stoneware tiles add a natural touch to architectural spaces. Through desaturated veining, harmonious crystal lattices, and delicate transparencies, the collection combines refined details to create an expressive earth-colored palette. The palette encompasses different shades of four colors that evoke stone-inspired settings, from light sand and taupe to grey and dark tones. Through all of their shades of beige and grey, this material creates intense hues for minimalist and contemporary spaces.
Adaptable to various architectural purposes, these natural-look tiles can be used for finishing floors and walls in residential, public, commercial, and wellness buildings, as well as in hospitality spaces. With their flexibility and versatility, they are ideal for creating exclusive furnishings and for tiling accent and partition walls, sliding doors, countertops, tables, and cabinetry. Also, their various formats include large dimensions and anti-slip finishes, making them ideal for creating striking, uninterrupted surfaces between interiors and exteriors.
Emulating the beauty of raw materials
Transforming traditional spaces with a natural and raw aesthetic, this strategy incorporates the calmness and serenity of earthy materials into a project’s atmosphere. Refined and polished for domestic applications, these material solutions combine functionality, aesthetics, and strength.
Creating spaces that conjure up the architecture of antiquity, the use of these porcelain tiles evokes both well-being and authenticity. Made solely with natural raw materials, this environmentally friendly solution’s Bios Ceramics® technology enables it to be non-absorbent, fire-resistant, non-allergenic, and antibacterial. Also, their design withstands flexure, temperature fluctuations, and any kind of stress.
Just like the natural materials that inspired this collection, the aesthetics, coloration, and veining of the tiles may vary, creating spaces that evoke the feeling of being immersed in an organic yet refined and elegant environment.
Eco-friendly ceramic materials with easy installation and maintenance
While creating spaces that bring rock crystal's raw aesthetics into the interior, these tiles aim to contribute to sustainable development. Made from natural raw materials and free from glazes, they are produced through a closed-loop process that ensures recycling and complete recovery of all components. This eco-friendly approach results in zero emissions and dispersion. Long-lasting and resistant, ceramic materials are environmentally sustainable choices for project design.
Casalgrande Padana advises the traditional ceramic installation procedure with cement mortar, glues, or adhesives. Substrate type varies based on the intended use of the room, as well as the size and static/dynamic loads on the ceramic tiles. Precautions include bedding prep, mortar composition, maturing time, expansion joint positioning, and proper ramming techniques.
These surfaces are low maintenance and require initial cleaning to remove cement or plaster residues from joints. Both flooring and wall coverings are typically cleaned before use. Although polished surfaces may become slightly less glossy over time, this process occurs at a slower rate for this nature-inspired collection, compared to other natural materials such as marble, granite, or stone.
For more information on the new porcelain stoneware tile collection and how to incorporate it into interior design strategies, visit the product catalog.
