Porcelain and Ceramic Tile
What’s the Difference?
What qualifies something as ceramic tile? Ceramic tile is usually created by mixing a base of clay with
different types of minerals and water. A stoneware clay body will be fired at around 1,800-2,000 degrees
Fahrenheit and have water absorption of between 0.5%-3.0%, with some as high as 20%!
Porcelain on the other hand is made out of a mixture of clay, sand and feldspar, which is a naturally occurring
mineral in granite. The sand strengthens the mixture, while the feldspar melts, fusing together all the materials
making the tile denser than a standard ceramic tile, thus stronger (30% stronger than granite!) and more stain
resistant.
Most porcelain tile will be fired at about 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit. The higher firing temperature will drive out
more water, and with the feldspar melting to form a low-order glass, the tile will be far more water resistant.
Thus, the American standards for a porcelain product is that it must absorb less than or equal to 0.5% of water.
Why The Confusion?
The biggest debate over “what is porcelain tile” is that there ceases to be one universally accepted definition.
This means that buying from overseas can be risky, as all they have to do is slap a Porcelain stamp on the side
of the box before it ships and manufacturers can sell it as true porcelain.
To reiterate, the American tile industry traditionally has described porcelain tile as being a practically
impervious form of ceramic tile, meaning that the tile will absorb equal to or less than 0.5% of water.
There is a porcelain tile that is taken to another level as it is fired to absorb less than or equal to 0.1% of water,
making a virtually non-permeable body. This style is referred to as “technical porcelain” in the American tile
industry.
What to Take From This Article?
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Porcelain tile should absorb equal or less than 0.5% of moisture
There is technical porcelain that absorbs equal or less than 0.1% of moisture
Porcelain tile has exceptional durability, being 30% stronger than granite
Because of their higher density, porcelain tile is more resistant to staining
Just take a look at how beautiful true porcelain ceramics can be!