Quarry tile has long been the tile of choice for restaurant “back-of-house” areas that are plagued with potentially dangerous conditions such as moisture and grease, which can cause slipping and falling hazards. Also known as BOH in the restaurant industry, back-of-house is the name for all the behind-the-senes areas in a food service establishment that the customers do not see: the kitchen, break rooms, and office spaces. These areas are prone to all manner of wet and oily spills. Non-skid footwear alone is never enough in these environments. That’s why the choice of flooring for back-of-house areas is so important.
What is Quarry Tile?
Quarry tiles do not come directly from a quarry. The name is a little misleading, as the tiles are made from ground minerals such as feldspar, clay, shale, and other natural ingredients (which do come from a quarry, initially). The ingredients are ground together, extruded into tile shapes (think Play-Doh), then dried and baked in a kiln at high temperatures. The quarry tiles are unglazed to encourage traction. Commercial kitchen floor specifiers gravitate to quarry tile because it’s durable, hides stains, and the rough textures offer good traction on slippery floors.
Why Would a Tile Specifier Seek a Quarry Tile Alternative?
With all the advantages of quarry tile, why would a tile specifier need an alternative floor surfacing material for back-of-house applications? Currently, quarry tile is experiencing drastic issues with both availability and price. That’s a big deal for businesses, whether for new builds or renovations of existing buildings.
There are other disadvantages to quarry tile, too. Because the tiles are unglazed, they are also somewhat porous. Porosity in tile means that the tile is susceptible to water damage, potentially providing a hospitable environment for molds and fungus.
What are the Advantages of Cross-Tread® Tile over Quarry Tile for Back-of-House?
Better Technical Characteristics
Cross-Colors Mingles with Cross-Tread is ideal for back-of-house installations. Cross-Tread® was developed in a joint effort between Crossville and restaurant industry experts to address traction concerns caused by common conditions such as moisture and grease. Our through-body, pure porcelain tile collection, Cross Color Mingles, is available with Crossville’s Cross-Tread technology in a range of colors. With superior technical characteristics and built-in slip resistance, Cross-Tread tiles are resistant to microbial growth, are easy to clean, and stand up to harsh cleaners.
More Appealing Aesthetics
The slip-resistant Cross-Tread surface pattern is eye-catching, and thinner grout joints with the larger 8” x 8” size offer greater aesthetic appeal. The surface textures of Cross-Tread are an integral part of the tile and cannot be worn down. While quarry tile is typically limited to red, grey, or brown (and can look rather worn out), we offer nine shades of Cross-Colors Mingles in the Cross-Tread finish to appeal to all design schemes. The array of available colors and trims colors is a real advantage for restaurant brands that are opening up the kitchen to offer a “customer experience.”
Greater Cost Savings
A Crossville Cross-Tread tile system can offer cost-savings over a traditional quarry tile system. While the Cross-Tread system utilizes the same epoxy grout as a traditional quarry tile system, a Cross-Tread system can result in an overall less expensive system because it uses less epoxy — thanks to Cross-Tread’s larger dimension, slimmer profile, and an increased manufacturing precision that allows for a thinner grout joint. And because porcelain tile weighs less than quarry tile, additional savings come from lower freight costs.
There are other cost considerations: Quarry tile sometimes has to be waxed before grouting with heavy-duty epoxy. Waxing is an added expense since it is done at the manufacturing facility. Additionally, quarry tile might need to be sealed, whereas Crossville porcelain tile never requires sealing.
Availability
Manufactured and stocked in the USA, Cross-Tread porcelain tile is readily available for immediate shipment. And with almost 100,000 square feet of “Grey Mingle” in stock alone, availability is not an issue!
Environmentally Conscious
Cross-Colors Mingles with Cross-Tread is a sustainable, eco-friendly 100 percent pure porcelain tile product containing a minimum of 4% pre-consumer recycled content manufactured by Crossville® in the U.S. using proprietary processes. Our Cross-Tread workhorse, Grey Mingle (R001/.10808CTS), has 30 – 35% recycled content. (Learn more about Crossville’s sustainability initiatives here.)
Reputation
Cross-Tread is a proven product line that major brands have used and trusted for years. With almost 5,000,000 SF installed in all commercial applications over the last 10 years, you can feel confident that Cross-Tread® is the ultimate back-of-house solution.
Cross-Tread Isn’t Just for Back-of-House in the Restaurant Industry
While Cross Colors Mingles with Cross-Tread checks all the boxes for commercial kitchen flooring, the product transcends all industries. Schools, hospitals, hotels, and more all have areas that can benefit from Cross-Tread porcelain tile flooring.
