PORCELAIN TILE SECRETS REVEALED

There isn’t really any secret as to what a porcelain tile is: It’s a ceramic tile with an absorption rate of .5% or less. Incidentally, a .5% rating is also classified as “impervious”. This means impervious = porcelain, porcelain=impervious, impervious=<.5% absorption. However, all porcelains are not created equal. There are three general categories of porcelain tiles.

Natural Porcelain Tile

A.k.a. “technical porcelain”, “unglazed porcelain”, “unpolished porcelain”, or “through-body porcelain”. Natural porcelain is, as the name implies, porcelain that has not been glazed nor polished. These tiles are made of porcelain through and through. They can have surface treatments (soluble salts), have a different face and body (double loaded), or the face of the tile simply be a different color or texture than the body of the tile, yet it’s still classified as through-body “natural” porcelain. Most natural porcelain tiles have absorption ratings of less than .1%. Keep in mind that absorption has nothing to do with the facial surface being stain resistant. Unless the tile manufacturer has treated the porcelain to close up the surface (micro) porosity, you’ll need to seal natural porcelain tile before grouting.

Polished Porcelain Tile

Polished porcelains are natural porcelains with a polished surface. The polished surface isn’t a glaze, but actually comes from within the stone and is polished in a fashion similar to granite. It’s important to note that the polishing process on a porcelain tile actually opens up the pores of the tile. This means polished porcelain tiles must have a penetrating or impregnating sealer applied before grouting in order to increase resistance against staining and make them easier to keep clean.

Glazed Porcelain Tile

Many glazed porcelains are right a .5% absorption. However, if the bisque (clay body) of the tile is used as part of the visual design on the face of the tile the absorption should be under .1%. Glazed porcelains can be partially glazed, they can use glaze elements used in the manufacturing process or they can be completely glazed. There are even some glazes that can be polished!

Any type of porcelain tile has the following benefits when used residentially:

Design Capabilities

When the manufacturer allows the bisque to show through the face of the tile, they can get a deeper, more realistic dimension than ever before. To be honest, I would challenge any industry “expert” to correctly identify some porcelain tiles when compared to their natural stone countertops once they’ve been properly installed.

Chip Resistance

Through-body color porcelain tiles offer chip resistance in two ways. First, porcelain tiles have high mechanical strength and are extremely chip resistant. Second, if a through-body color porcelain tile does chip, the chip is the same color as the tile, so it doesn’t have to be replaced (unless the homeowner insists).

Stain Resistance

In the case of manufacturers who use glazes or use a process to close up the micro-porosity, the finished product will be extremely stain resistant, especially when compared to their natural stone counterparts.

Moisture Resistance

If a tile has greater than .5% absorption, it ISN’T porcelain. This means that all true porcelains are very dense and are ideally suited for use in high moisture settings. Whether you’re concerned about tile able to withstand freeze-thaw cycles or for use in swimming pools and spas, porcelain tile is a great choice.

Wear Resistance

Natural porcelain is simply the hardest, most durable surface for high foot traffic installations.

Maui's Natural Stone & Tile Center

25 South Kahului Beach Road, Kahului HI 96732
Office: 808-871-7595
Fax: 808-871-7059
Info@EYDesignMaui.com
Hours of Operation:
Monday-Friday 7:00am-5:00pm
Saturday 9:00am-5:00pm
Closed Sunday

25 South Kahului Beach Road, Kahului HI 96732
Office: 808-871-8674,
Toll free: 800-833-2748
Fax: 808-877-0547
JRDoran@CeramicTilePlus.com
Hours of Operation:
Monday-Friday 7:00am-5:00pm
Saturday 9:00am-5:00pm
Closed Sunday

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