Bathroom Tile Porcelain Vs Ceramic

The clays used to make porcelain have a higher density and are fired longer at a higher temperature than ceramic.

Bathroom tile porcelain vs ceramic. Keep in mind that traditionally wall tiles used to be 8x10 and 8x12. It s the same reason folks prefer porcelain tiles for damp areas such as the bathroom and the basement. Large format ceramic and porcelain tile look really good on floors and walls. While ceramic tile generally has solid color and pattern porcelain tiles are available that are remarkably good at mimicking natural stone such as marble or even wood grains.

Porcelain is the hardest and strongest material when it comes to clay. Ceramic tiles are kiln fired at a lower temperature than porcelain tiles making them less dense softer and more porous. Porcelain tiles are considered to be the toughest flooring options available on the market. Porcelain tile may be slippery when wet.

When we say large we refer to 18x18 15x30 18x36 24x24 and 24x48. One recent innovation with porcelain tile is the ability to manufacture them to resemble different materials. For ceramic wall tile formats large refers to 10x30 15x30 8x24 and 10x26. This causes the clay to become less dense and porous.

Both tiles are clay based and kiln fired but porcelain is technically a specialized type of ceramic. According to experts ceramic tiles absorb more water than porcelain tiles. Using applicable astm tests regular ceramic tile has a breaking strength of 250. Porcelain tile is slightly higher at an average of 3 to 10 per square foot.

Right behind ceramic is porcelain a similar material that s often found in sinks tubs and other home goods. All ceramic materials are heated in a kiln at a very high temperature. That owes to the fact that porcelain is denser and hence more capable of keeping water at bay than ceramic tiles. It may be slippery and might cause you to slip and fall if you don t watch your step.

The difference in ingredients and production methods creates types of tile with unique characteristics. It s the most common material that is used to make bathroom basins because of this. That price difference is offset somewhat by the fact that porcelain tends to outlast ceramic. This is one of the major weaknesses of installing tile flooring of any type in your bathroom.

It s fired at a higher temperature than ceramic so while both are made from a clay mixture porcelain is considerably stronger. Ceramic tile generally is the less expensive option with average prices ranging from 2 to 7 per square foot.