People have always had trouble in picking out the kind of tiles to use in their homes, it's hard enough to pick just one design, they have another tough decision to make, and that is to use porcelain or ceramic tiles. At a glance there is hardly any visible difference between the two tile types. But which of the two is better? In the comparison of ceramic vs. porcelain tile, which comes out victorious in the end?

What are the differences between the two?

Ceramic tiles are made from clay. Their color comes from the glaze that is put on top of the tiles and then baked, giving it a glossy finish. Porcelain tiles on the other hand are made using different materials, often including clay as well, but the process of making it is different. Porcelain gets fired at a higher temperature than ceramics, often exceeding temperatures of 1300 degrees. This high temperature results in the development of glass crystals in the materials which gives porcelain tiles its characteristic glossy finish, toughness and durability.

One quick way to distinguish a porcelain tile from a ceramic one is by turning both of them over to expose the unglazed surface. Place a couple of drops of water on the underside of each tile; if the water gets absorbed right away the tile is ceramic, if the water stays on top then it is made of porcelain.

So Which One is better?

If based on just looks and texture, the winner then is ceramic tiles. These tiles give off some kind of aesthetic charm that most porcelain tiles do not. But if the decision is based on durability, then the winner is the porcelain tiles. Ceramic tiles are a bit brittle, even a slight shift in the surface it is placed on will often cause them to crack. Porcelain tiles on the other hand are a bit more flexible than ceramics; they can follow the movement of the surface for some extent before showing signs of failure.

Another advantage that porcelain tiles have over ceramic tiles is that porcelain tiles rarely show any signs of aging. If ceramic tiles are placed in an area with heavy foot traffic, the glazing over them would obviously wear down, exposing the red clay material underneath. This form of discoloration will not happen in porcelain tiles, primarily because the color on top is the same all throughout the entire tile.

Conclusion

There is no clear winner in the comparison between ceramic vs. porcelain tile, since there are ceramic tiles now that can come close to the toughness of porcelain tiles, and designs and textures of porcelain tiles are also improving these days. But if a person has to choose just one kind of tile, porcelain tiles are the most obvious choice. Porcelain tiles are low maintenance, they are not as brittle as ceramic tiles, and they are also a lot more water resistant, making them the popular choice for most kitchen and bathroom flooring material.