Ceramic Tile vs. Porcelain Tile

Whether you want to add unique visual interest to a room or a timeless, elegant feel, tile is an incredibly wide-ranging surface that dates back to ancient civilizations around the world. There is seemingly no end to the gorgeous colors, patterns, and finishes that you can use to create spectacular floors!

Before you start designing with this versatile, reliable hard surface for your home, take a moment to learn which tile type will serve your rooms the best. Today we’ll take a quick look at two of the most prominent tile types that you will most certainly want to explore: Ceramic and porcelain tile. Here’s how they stack up.

Construction & Performance

Ceramic tile is made up of clay, minerals, and water and is available in glazed and unglazed varieties. Unglazed tile is hard and dense with good slip resistance, but each tile requires sealing in order to provide proper stain resistance. Glazed ceramic tile is finished in matte, semi-gloss, or high-gloss varieties that can offer better stain resistance. Porcelain tile is constructed with up to 50% feldspar and is fired at much higher temperatures than ceramic tile, making it the hardest and densest tile you can buy. This construction ensures that porcelain tile is non-porous, scratch-resistant, can withstand extreme temperatures, and has color all the way through the tile.

Durability & Water Resistance

Both ceramic tile and porcelain will offer the valuable durability that serves homeowners for decades. However, different finishes for glazed ceramic tiles will create varying levels of slip and moisture resistance, so it’s extremely important to match the characteristics of the tile you love with the needs of the rooms you are designing for. Thanks to the density of porcelain tile, it is equipped with the durability to handle the wear-and-tear for residential and even commercial applications. This also makes porcelain tile virtually impervious to water when compared to ceramic tile.

Cost

If you have concerns regarding your design budget, then here’s where a major difference between porcelain and ceramic tile will come into play: Porcelain tile costs more to create and therefore comes with a higher price tag than ceramic tile. However, you receive greater hardness, resistance, and full color in the event of nicks or scratches. Your investment will yield great returns, but it all depends on your budget for the projects you have in mind. Different varieties of ceramic tile have different ingredient make-up and manufacturing that can lower the cost per tile considerably. If you don’t need the extreme durability of porcelain or are designing walls, countertops, or backsplashes, you may opt for ceramic tile.

Style-wise, both ceramic and porcelain tile will offer you the unique opportunity to express your personal creativity with vast design capability. From different colored glazes and textures to eye-catching shapes and mosaics, all tile options will allow you to create one-of-a-kind layouts throughout the home. No matter which tile choice is the best fit for your home, you will receive beautiful, functional surfaces that offer exceptional durability and are easy to maintain. Sign up here to receive $100 off your new tile flooring purchase, plus you’ll receive 0% interest for up to 60 months* from Dolphin Carpet & Tile!

*restrictions may apply