Ceramic tiles and porcelain tiles are both excellent tile flooring options but you need to consider the benefits and drawbacks of both to help you select the best option for your own needs.
Disadvantages of porcelain tile flooring.
Porcelain bears a perception of high quality but for residential applications its particular toughness is unnecessary.
Porcelain tile achieves this by using clays with finer particles fired at a higher temperature which creates a harder less porous surface than can be achieved by standard ceramic tiles this inherent versatility gives ceramic tile the ability to provide a number of benefits as a flooring such as durability and design flexibility.
Porcelain tile is made from clay and other natural materials blended together and fired in a furnace.
Here s more on the pros cons and costs.
Porcelain porcelain tiles also come from the clay family but manufacturers use feldspar and other minerals in the mixture.
Some porcelain floor tile is made to look like stone and while it might hold up just as well it will cost less.
These tiles have a distinct look and are ideal for areas where moisture is a concern.
The pei scale is used to give a measure of how hard a tile flooring is.
It s a flooring solution made from very dense clay that s fired at higher temperatures than standard ceramic tile flooring is.
Before getting into the benefits and drawbacks of porcelain tile it makes sense to go over what it actually is.
It s fired at a higher temperature than ceramic tile and needs to meet strict requirements to be classified as porcelain.
In high traffic areas porcelain floor tile is an excellent choice and will out perform other tiles in both long term appearance and durability.
Porcelain is somewhat harder with a rating ranging from 3 to 5 pie.
Ceramic tile cost.
Choosing between ceramic or porcelain tiles can mean prioritizing durability water resistance and the tiles overall appearance.
Plain ceramic tile is all you need for residential uses.
Cleaning porcelain tile is a breeze.
When evaluating the pros and cons of porcelain tile and ceramic tile consider your taste in decor your budget and the needs of the rooms to be decorated.
If you love the look of hardwood flooring but not the cost then wood look tile is a trendy alternative.
Ceramic tile being softer has a hardness value that ranges between 3 and 4.