Porcelain Tile or Ceramic: Which is Better?

Porcelain and tile are technically the same material. They are both made of clay mixed with natural materials. What separates them is that porcelain uses a finer texture clay and is fired at a higher temperature. The differences in the materials and the way they are manufactured makes a big difference in the way they perform.

The differences between ceramic and porcelain also require different tile floor cleaning methods, among other considerations. Here’s what you need to know about how porcelain and ceramic tile compare so that you can make the best choice for your Arizona home and your lifestyle:

Ceramic Tile

Typically, red or white clay is used for ceramic tile. But that doesn’t mean that ceramic tile only comes as red or white. After the material is fired, a layer of glaze is added. That glaze can be in any color to give the tile its hue. The trouble is that if you chip the tile, the natural color of the ceramic underneath will be exposed.

Ceramic tile is cheaper and easier to install than porcelain because it is not as hard. If you have a room with plenty of small spaces and nooks and crannies, ceramic might be the better choice since it is easier to cut into different shapes.

Ceramic can be used on walls, floors, countertops, and backsplashes, but it shouldn’t be used in areas that are exposed to standing water, such as the basin of a shower. You can seal ceramic to protect it, but the material is more porous and can be more easily damaged or stained than porcelain.

Porcelain Tile

Porcelain tile can be glazed just like ceramic tile, or it can come unglazed so that it has the same color throughout its body as it does on its surface. The tile is very similar to ceramic, but since it made of finer materials and cooked at higher temperatures, it has a denser and more durable finish. It can stand up to more wear and tear than ceramic tile, and it is more resistant to water and other liquids. You have a lot more options for where you put porcelain tile in your home, as well as for the way it looks.

Because of its stronger finish, porcelain is also harder to install and more expensive to buy. You must hire a professional to install it. Otherwise, you are likely to make mistakes trying to cut it and end up costing yourself a lot in raw materials.

Cleaning and Maintaining Your Tile

You need to clean your tile regularly to keep it free of stains and damage, no matter what type of tile you have. With ceramic and porcelain, you need to sweep or dust regularly to keep sand, dirt, and fine pebbles from scratching the floor. The Arizona landscape kicks up a lot of that, so you’ll need to develop a daily schedule of ceramic tile cleaning or porcelain tile cleaning.

Mop floors once a week or so to keep accumulated dirt and debris off the floors. If you have a spill, clean it up immediately, even if it is just water. While porcelain might be more resistant to water damage, the water can still combine with dirt and other elements on the tile to stain it or to wear off the sealer.

Keep standing water off ceramic tile. Make sure you reseal both porcelain and ceramic tile at least once a year to protect it from water penetration and stains.

You can keep your tile looking great yourself, but to really make it sparkle and preserve its life, consider calling in the professionals for tile and grout cleaning. Arizona Stone Care provides specialized ceramic tile cleaning and porcelain tile cleaning. We use the right cleaners and techniques to protect the tile while also removing any staining and restoring the natural beauty of the tile. Our tile and grout cleaning in Mesa also gets the stains out of the grout between the tile, which can make the rest of the tile look better. We also apply sealer to protect the tile and the grout from future staining. Call us in Arizona to get an estimate for your tile and grout cleaning, whether you have ceramic or porcelain tile or another type of stone. We clean all tile types.

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Arizona Stone Care

Phone: (559) 660-6002