Ceramic Tile Compared To Porcelain Tile

Ceramic tiles come in far more colors and sizes than porcelain ranging from inch mosaic to 16 inch or larger tiles.

Ceramic tile compared to porcelain tile. Ceramic tile is fired at lower temperatures generally no more than 1 650 degrees fahrenheit. The major difference between porcelain tile and ceramic tile is how it s made. Both tiles are made from a clay mixture that s fired in a kiln but porcelain tile is made from more refined clay and it s fired at higher temperatures. It may eventually reach square sizes of 36 or 48 inches.

Ceramic tile can be slightly more prone to water infiltration than is porcelain tile though these differences are fairly minimal if the ceramic tile is glazed. Porcelain comes in mosaics but usually starts at 2 inches in size skips up to 6 or 8 inches then 12 inches. Ceramic tiles are kiln fired at a lower temperature than porcelain tiles making them less dense softer and more porous. Porcelain tile is almost impervious to water compared to ceramic tile.

If you chip a porcelain tile no change in color occurs. This ultimately results in a denser and more durable tile. Ceramic tiles are made with red brown or white clay while porcelain tiles are almost exclusively made with refined and purified white clay.