Porcelain Versus Ceramic Tile

Remodeling a kitchen or bathroom with tile is a great way to revamp the feel of your home. Tile is a multipurpose material that can be used anywhere from backsplashes to decorative wall art to give your home a unique vibe and personal touch. Because of tile’s versatility, it may be a no-brainer to use tile in your home, but purchasing the right tile can be stressful. With any home remodeling project, it is important to research the materials before you purchase them.

When you begin looking at different tiles for your remodeling job, you will see the words porcelain and ceramic when referring to specific tiles. It may seem easy to get the two confused. In fact, some people may even refer to these materials interchangeably. But what is the different between porcelain and ceramic tile?

Both ceramic and porcelain are made from the same materials—clay, sand and water. The difference in the two materials is the heat and amount of time the clay is baked. When clay is baked at a higher temperature for a longer amount of time—as porcelain is—the resulting product contains less moisture and is therefore a more solid material.

Because porcelain is baked longer and becomes harder and denser than ceramic, it can be safely used inside as well as outdoors. Ceramic on the other hand should be used indoors only.

The availability in color differs between porcelain and ceramic as well. Ceramic tile is known for its red, clay color and may be glazed with any color. While porcelain is generally left white or grey. Because porcelain is not glazed, it does not have the increased risk of becoming chipped and revealing its internal coloring.

If you are still unsure whether you would like porcelain or ceramic tile in your home, don’t base your decision off of the price. While porcelain tends to be more expensive, it has higher resistance to chipping, staining, and everyday use. In fact, porcelain’s lifespan in your home may be double that of ceramics making the overall cost worth it.

This post was written by Thais Sousa. Follow Thais on Google.