21/07/2022
Articles
SHOULD I CHOOSE CERAMIC OR PORCELAIN TILES?
Both ceramic and porcelain tiles are made from clay, however porcelain tiles use much denser clay with the addition of other raw materials, such as quartz.
Ceramic
The term ‘ceramic’ descends from the Greek word meaning ‘pottery’ and little has changed today; made from natural clay, sand and water, the material is molded into shape and then baked in a kiln at a high temperature to remove most of the moisture.
A glaze protects the tile’s surface whilst adding a decorative finish; patterns are either painted or printed onto the surface depending on the required finish. Ceramic tiles are perfect for adding colour and pattern to a space, including but not limited to, shower walls and kitchen splash backs. It’s important to get matching batches when installing tiles to ensure the colour variation (shading in the glaze), the size and thickness are all the same.
Make sure you’re tiling onto the correct substrate that can hold the weight of the tiles, adhesive and grout. Selecting the right adhesive for your chosen tile ultimately depends on the substrate but also the size of the tile. As for ongoing cleaning and maintenance, ceramic tiles don’t need sealing due to the surface glaze however you should use a specialist tile cleaner to avoid any overly acidic or alkali products affecting the grout.
Porcelain
Similar to ceramic tiles, porcelain is made of clay but it’s also combined with other materials to make it stronger and more durable, it’s also baked hotter for longer making it denser and therefore less porous than traditional ceramic
In its natural form, porcelain has an irregular finish but it can be made to have a specific texture that mimics natural materials like wood and stone, highly polished or with a high-gloss shine depending on the desired look. There are three types of porcelain tile, these are
Glazed used for internal purposes and not recommended for outdoors as frost can find its way between the tile and the glaze.
Full-bodied or Double Loaded the colour runs through the whole tile rather than just a glaze on the surface, suitable for both indoor and outdoor applications.
Polished suitable for both indoor and outdoor applications. All three finishes can be used in conjunction with under floor heating when used with the correct substrate preparation and suitable flexible cement based adhesives and grouts. Porcelain tiles can be used on a variety of surfaces but you need to ensure you have the correct substrate to be able to take the weight of the tiles as well as the adhesive and grout.
