Tile flooring is a popular option for many rooms in the house – usually bathrooms, conservatories, and kitchens. Tiles are both easy to clean and naturally hardwearing, but which type is right for you: ceramic, porcelain, or stone? This quick guide lets you know the advantages and drawbacks of each.
Ceramic
Ceramic tiles are made from hardened clay – normally mixtures of red or white – and usually feature a decorative glaze. They are baked on the top only, meaning that colour does not run all the way through the tile.
Ceramic tiles are less expensive than other options, and they’re also extremely easy to install. This means they can be purchased and laid down with no need for employing additional labour. However, these tiles are far less durable than stone or porcelain, both breaking and taking stains much more easily. It’s generally best to use them in interior spaces with low levels of foot traffic.
Porcelain
Porcelain is technically a ceramic as well, but is made of white clay using a dust pressing method. This produces a smoothly finished tile which is both denser and more durable than ceramic.
Unlike ceramic tiles, porcelain tiles can be used in both interior and exterior locations due to its strength, and holds up far better in busy areas. Its density makes it less absorbent, and therefore more stain-resistant, and people generally prefer the more upscale look compared to ceramic. However, it is trickier and more expensive to install. This is not a material which is suitable for a DIY job.
Stone
Stone tiles are made from a variety of natural materials, usually either slate, marble, or granite. Easily the most sought after tiling material, stone has a timeless beauty whichboth porcelain and ceramic usually attempt to mimic.
Stone is notably more durable than ceramic, and, while porcelain is technically harder, it’s worth remembering that chips in porcelain will be far more apparent. Of course, stone tiles are extremely heavy, making them the most expensive to install by a wide margin. You’ll certainly need to employ additional help, and may even need the stone to be reworked.
Each material has its own benefits, so all you need to do is decide which benefits are going to benefit you.
