The new building code relating to fire rating regulations and standards became mandatory in April 2013.  Tiles by nature are non flammable and so automatically meet the Group 1-S requirement. This makes them an excellent choice for commercial floors and wall surfaces.

An exceptional example of tiles utilised to great effect on both walls and floors can be seen at Wellington's iconic Embassy Theatre where Tile Warehouse was recently involved in the refit of the entrance and bar area.

Originally built in 1924, the Embassy was designed with elements of Art Deco, Gothic and Classical Style architecture. In keeping with this heritage, marble stone Carrara was chosen in a 300x300mm size interlocking mosaic sheet.

The stone mosaic runs in strips, all the way from the theatre entrance to the bar area, continuing up the front of the bar creating a stunning feature. This particular mosaic was commissioned especially for this project and it is now exclusive to Tile Warehouse.

During a fire, many products let off dangerous toxic fumes in the form of VOCs (volatile organic compounds). However, being fired at very high temperatures means ceramic tiles do not exude VOC emissions. During manufacture, any organics that might be present in clays or binders are completely burned away. As a result, the final product is inert and no VOCs can be emitted. Aside from this, quality porcelain tiles contain no sealants, waxes or other chemicals that could release VOCs into the environment.

A safe, simple and stylish approach to interior design is to utilise tiles for both floor and wall areas.