Porcelain Tiles

Tile is a building material known for its durability, moisture resistance and low
maintenance requirements. Tile is often used in kitchens and bathrooms but is fairly
versatile and can be used in a wide variety of applications, such as countertops,
backsplashes and decorative wall coverings. The most common types of tile are porcelain
and ceramic.
Porcelain is a hard, white, translucent ceramic made by firing a pure clay and then
glazing it with variously colored fusible materials.
[French porcelaine, cowry shell, porcelain, from Old French, from Old Italian porcellana,
from feminine of porcellano, of a young sow (from the shell's resemblance to a pig's
back), from porcella, young sow, diminutive of porca, sow, from Latin, feminine of
porcus, pig.]
Ceramic tile is made from natural clay, sand and water. These materials are molded to
form square or rectangular tiles and then baked in a kiln to remove most of the moisture.
Porcelain tile is also made from clay but tends to be made using denser types of clay than
ceramic. Porcelain tiles are baked at very high temperatures of 1300 C for long periods of
time so that almost all the water is removed. A porcelain tile has a water absorption of
significantly less than 0.5% and non-porcelain tiles have a water absorption of greater
than 0.5%. Porcelain tiles can arrive possibly glazed or entire bodied.
http://www.overstock.com/guides/porcelain-tiles-vs-ceramic-tiles

http://www.avidtiledesign.com/id69.html
How can I notify if it is ceramic or porcelain?
If you have two tiles that are glazed and you aren't positive if they are ceramic or
porcelain below is a tiny trick. Flip the tiles above and put water on the again. If the tile is
ceramic the h2o will absorb into the tile swiftly. If it is a porcelain it is stay on the tile
and not take in in.... at least not correct absent.

porcelain (prs-ln, pr-, prsln, prs-)

n.
1. A hard, white, translucent ceramic made by firing a pure clay and then glazing it with variously colored fu
materials; china.
2. An object made of this substance.

[French porcelaine, cowry shell, porcelain, from Old French, from Old Italian porcellana, from feminine of p
of a young sow (from the shell's resemblance to a pig's back), from porcella, young sow, diminutive of porca,
from Latin, feminine of porcus, pig; see porko- in Indo-European roots.]
porcelaneous (-ln-s) adj.
The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright
2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin
Company. All rights reserved.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/porcelain

What's the big difference amongst a porcelain and a ceramic tile?

A porcelain tile is a totally vitrified tile that is fired at a temperature of 1300 C and has a
water absorption of significantly less than.five%. Porcelain tiles can arrive possibly
glazed or entire bodied.

How can I notify if it is ceramic or porcelain?

If you have two tiles that are glazed and you aren't positive if they are ceramic or
porcelain below is a tiny trick. Flip the tiles above and put water on the again. If the tile is
ceramic the h2o will absorb into the tile swiftly. If it is a porcelain it is stay on the tile
and not take in in.... at least not correct absent.

_____________________
Porcelain Tiles:
Porcelain tiles mostly consist of refined white (or light tan) clay and sand.
These tiles are pressure-treated and subjected to high kiln temperatures.
Porcelain Tiles:
Therefore porcelain tiles are very hard and need specialized equipment for cutting.
However these tiles can take a lot of wear and tear in high-traffic areas.
Porcelain Tiles:
Since they are so dense, porcelain tiles are less likely to absorb moisture. Because of this
they are very frost resistant. For the same reason they are also highly stainproof.
Porcelain Tiles:

People who prefer porcelain tiles because they want a tile that doesn't show chip marks
easily, are referring to full body porcelain tiles, which carry the color all the way through
the body to the surface.
Porcelain Tiles:
However, most porcelain tiles nowadays have a ceramic glaze "design layer" over a
porcelain body, therefore the surface color could differ to that of the body underneath.

Ceramic Tiles:
Ceramic tiles consist of red, brown or white clay. They are also kiln-fired, but not at such
high temperatures as with porcelain tiles.

Ceramic Tiles:
Because ceramic tiles are porous many ceramic tiles are glazed in order to minimize
water absorption.
Glazed ceramic tiles are very durable.
Ceramic Tiles:
The type of glazing is important as some tiles are too slippery for floors, and should
rather be used for walls.
Grade III or higher glazing makes ceramic tiles highly resistant to scratching and
moisture.