Ceramic Vs Porcelain Tile Countertop

Ceramic porcelain or glass tiles are traditional countertop materials often seen in traditional decor but they are also used in trendy modern styles thanks to recent innovations especially with porcelains.

Ceramic vs porcelain tile countertop.

Each surface material ranges in price some being more dramatic than others. Get the largest tile you can find. Porcelain is a type of ceramic that features finer. Porcelain tiles are made of high grade white clay whereas ceramics are made of coarser red or brown clay.

Ceramic and porcelain tiles can be any color and may resemble other materials such as natural stone or even wood tile. If a tile is marketed as a ceramic tile it is much softer lighter in weight and unless it s glazed can soak up water. The first generation of porcelain countertops featured slabs 3 4 thick and they were heavy. The major difference is that porcelain tiles are denser manufactured of white clay with fewer impurities and in many cases the color and pattern runs all the way through instead of being printed on the surface.

Xl to xxl tile. To be considered a porcelain the tile must have a water absorption rate of less than 0 5 after firing. Ceramic vs porcelain tile countertop written by doityourself staff. While the porcelain countertop price is higher than laminated counters or ceramic tile though less than granite and other natural stones the investment is balanced by the longevity.

Porcelain is created from a super fine mixture of quartz clay and feldspar which is fired at a higher temperature than most ceramic tile around 1400 c which makes tiles denser. Porcelain tile countertops are in essence a more refined version of ceramic tile countertops. These include granite marble quartzite soapstone porcelain butcher block quartz solid surface and laminate. On oct 02 2010.

According to the industry group that decides whether a tile is porcelain or ceramic everything boils down to whether the tile can meet a set of highly controlled water absorption criteria. Traditional ceramic tiles are made of clay with a surface glaze. When considering a tile refresh for any floor wall or countertop keep porcelain and ceramic tiles top of mind for their classic look and clean lined appearance. Many tiles come in 24 x 24.

The chart below compares the main characteristics of the most popular countertop materials in the market today. They are heated by fire to harden them. However that refining process leaves a few advantages.