When renovating or building a new home, flooring is one of the most essential considerations. Whether the area in concern is high traffic, prone to wetness (bathroom, kitchen), below grade (basement), or to be installed over radiant heat, the appropriate flooring can make a big difference.

Many homeowners ask us which is better: ceramic or porcelain. because both tiles offer an unlimited range of styles, sizes, colours as well as textures, the response is less about aesthetics than it is about functionality. The tile you requirement depends upon the space you’re believing of installing it in as well as where the space is found in the house.

In this article:
Ceramic
Porcelain
Tile rating

Ceramic

Ceramic tile is made of a blend of clays that are pressed into shape. Tiles have either a glazed or unglazed surface. Glazed tiles have a special ceramic covering that is used to the body of the tile as well as then terminated under remarkable heat. The glazing becomes difficult as well as non-porous, resulting in a flooring that possesses the complying with characteristics:

Stain resistant

Scratch resistant

Fire resistant

Won’t fade from sun light

Slip resistant

Easy to clean

If glazed, the glaze on the tile doesn’t go all the method through, so if a tile gets chipped, the inside colour will show through. Glazed tiles may tend to get scratched on often utilized countertops, however are perfect for walls. Both ceramic as well as porcelain glazed tiles are offered in high-gloss, matte, as well as abrasive slip-resistant finishes. For floors, make sure to select a surface that won’t be as well slippery or show scratches easily. Ceramic tiles with bright reflective surfaces (bright glaze finish) are not suggested for floors as they can present a slip hazard as well as have bad abrasive resistance.

Porcelain

Myth: All porcelain tiles are “through” coloured products. Actually, only “unglazed” porcelain tiles are through-coloured, implying that if the tile is chipped, the colour showing below the top layer will be the exact same throughout the thickness of the tile. when a tile has been glazed, whether ceramic or porcelain, the body under the glaze will never be precisely the exact same colour or structure as the top layer. This is an essential consideration when selecting the tile that is best for your space.

Porcelain tile is really a type of ceramic tile, however made of a much finer clay than ceramic, composing kaolinitic minerals, quartz as well as feldspar, covered by spray as well as shaped by dry pressing the clay dust to type a ceramic material that is then terminated at higher temperatures than ceramic. one of porcelain’s many essential qualities is its resistance to moisture. It is likewise resistant to wear, deep abrasion as well as frost, making porcelain a fantastic product for utilize in severe climates.

Available in matte, unglazed or high polished finishes, porcelain utilized to be offered only in basic 6” by 6” wall tiles as well as 12” by 12” floor tiles. Today, tiles are made in numerous different sizes, including 20” by 20” for those areas that would benefit from a stone “slab” look.

Unglazed porcelain tiles are extremely difficult as well as they are incredibly vitreous as well as dense. They are a through-colour product as well as in extremely heavy web traffic areas like hallways they may wear, however will keep their original colour. Unglazed porcelain tiles are offered in different finishes, from matte to high gloss, as well as some have textured finishes, made to imitate natural stone.

Glazed porcelain tiles have a gloss or matte finish, as well as they can be ground as well as polished to create a totally flat surface. They are likewise offered in the stone imitation finish.

The primary advantageous qualities of a porcelain tile, be it glazed or unglazed are:

The body is less porous, which makes it ideal for bathrooms as well as kitchens where water is a consideration.

Being much more dense than ceramic, porcelain tiles will tolerate higher loads.

Other essential considerations when selecting tile include the slip-resistance, size of tile, size as well as colour of grout joints, thickness of tile, height variations from space to room, suitability of the subfloor as well as maintenance of the tile.

Tile rating

The PEI classification (Porcelain Enamel Institute rating) of 0 with 5 ought to be thought about when selecting the best tile for your space. The score from 0 to 5 (0 for lightest foot traffic, 5 for heaviest) applies to both ceramic as well as porcelain tiles. The score is not a measurement of high quality however an sign of the very best areas of utilize producers recommend. Typically, the most aesthetic tiles will have a lower rating, for example a PEI 2 tile isn’t produced with additional heavy web traffic as well as abrasion resistance as the main concern. many tiles with high gloss, metallic completes or special colours will tendto be rated in this group. Tiles utilized for extremely heavy web traffic areas, like PEI 5, are developed with function as the foremost concern, aesthetic style next in importance. The technical elements such as surface abrasion resistance will be thought about as well as should be accomplished very first before aesthetic impacts are incorporated.

Class 0: No foot traffic
Wall tile only as well as ought to not be utilized on floors.

Class 1: extremely light traffic
Very low foot traffic, bare foot only (master ensuite, spa, bathroom).

Class 2: Light traffic
Slipper or soft-soled shoes (second level primary restroom areas, bedrooms).

Class 3: Light to moderate traffic
Any residential area with the possible exception of some entrances as well as kitchens if incredibly heavy or abrasive web traffic is anticipated.

Class 4: moderate to heavy traffic
High foot web traffic areas where abrasive or outside dirt might be tracked (residential entry, kitchen, balcony, as well as countertop).

Class 5: heavy traffic
Ceramic tile suggested for residential, industrial as well as institutional floor subjected to heavy traffic.

Because of its remarkable properties, porcelain has ended up being the flooring of recent years. It is the most resilient of the difficult body tiles, 30% harder than granite. Porcelain was previously utilized in smaller mosaics residentially, while larger tiles were produced for mainly industrial use. Today, with new techniques of manufacturing, gorgeous new styles as well as much more competitive pricing, they are a hot trend. If installed properly, they ought to last forever. polished porcelains are practically impossible to scratch, practical as well as beautiful, a foolproof hit for any type of house enhancement project.