GVT stands for glazed vitrified tile. It is a porcelain tile with a dense, low-absorption body and a layer of glaze on top, and the design is printed into that glaze with digital inkjet machines.
In India, "vitrified" is the trade word for porcelain. A vitrified body falls in group BIa of ISO 13006 and EN 14411, which means water absorption of 0.5% or less. The glaze sits on top of that body and gives the tile its colour, pattern and finish.
How a GVT tile is made
The process is the same in most Morbi plants, though equipment and control differ. The main steps are these:
- A blend of clay, feldspar and quartz is ground, spray-dried into powder and pressed into a tile.
- The pressed tile is dried and coated with an engobe and a base glaze.
- A digital inkjet printer prints the design, often a marble, stone, wood or concrete look.
- A top glaze or protective layer may be added to set the finish, such as matt, satin or glossy.
- The tile is fired at high temperature in a long roller kiln, which vitrifies the body.
- After firing, tiles are checked, sorted into grades, shades and calibres, and packed.
What GVT is good at
GVT gives you a very wide choice of looks at a strong cost position. Because the design is printed, a factory can reproduce almost any stone or wood and change designs quickly. That is why Morbi catalogues are so large, as covered in choosing designs from a tile catalogue.
The vitrified body is strong and absorbs very little water. That makes GVT suitable for most residential floors and many light commercial ones, and for walls in kitchens and bathrooms.
Where GVT has limits
The design lives only in the glaze, which is a thin layer. If a heavy object chips the surface, the body colour below shows through. On a light marble design over a beige body, a chip is easy to see.
Wear resistance depends on the glaze, not the body. A glossy glaze shows scratches and wear sooner than a matt one in busy areas. Ask for the PEI class from an ISO 10545-7 test, explained in what PEI rating you need.
For very heavy traffic, buyers often prefer a tile where the colour goes deeper into the body. Those are double-charge tiles and full-body tiles.
GVT and the related names
You will see several labels in Morbi price lists. GVT usually means a glazed vitrified tile with a matt, satin or lightly glossy surface straight from the kiln. PGVT means the glaze has been polished after firing to a high gloss. The difference is covered in PGVT vs GVT.
Some factories also use "digital vitrified" or "DGVT" for the same product. The label matters less than the test report. Ask for water absorption, breaking strength and surface abrasion results to ISO 10545 from an accredited lab.
What to put in your order
When you order GVT, name the product by its properties as well as its trade name. A short list helps:
- Body group BIa to ISO 13006 or EN 14411, with water absorption of 0.5% or less.
- Size, thickness and whether the edges are rectified.
- Surface finish, with a reference sample kept by both sides.
- PEI class and slip rating if the floor is commercial or wet.
- Grade, shade and calibre rules, with one batch per design.
Next step
GVT is the core product of Morbi, and quality varies a lot between plants that use the same label. We check samples against your specification and have lots tested before you pay the balance. To start, book a free sourcing review.