If you love the look of hardwood flooring but not the cost then wood look tile is a trendy alternative.
Disadvantages of porcelain tile flooring.
Depending on the traffic and level of risk for the floor in your home choose a value that suits the situation.
These tiles have a distinct look and are ideal for areas where moisture is a concern.
Here s more on the pros cons and costs.
Plain ceramic tile is all you need for residential uses.
Ceramic tile being softer has a hardness value that ranges between 3 and 4.
It s fired at a higher temperature than ceramic tile and needs to meet strict requirements to be classified as porcelain.
Porcelain tile is made from clay and other natural materials blended together and fired in a furnace.
Porcelain bears a perception of high quality but for residential applications its particular toughness is unnecessary.
Porcelain is designed for say airports says dave gobis executive director of the ceramic tile education foundation.
Porcelain is somewhat harder with a rating ranging from 3 to 5 pie.
It s a flooring solution made from very dense clay that s fired at higher temperatures than standard ceramic tile flooring is.
Porcelain porcelain tiles also come from the clay family but manufacturers use feldspar and other minerals in the mixture.
Choosing between ceramic or porcelain tiles can mean prioritizing durability water resistance and the tiles overall appearance.
The pei scale is used to give a measure of how hard a tile flooring is.
Before getting into the benefits and drawbacks of porcelain tile it makes sense to go over what it actually is.
Cleaning porcelain tile is a breeze.
Porcelain tile achieves this by using clays with finer particles fired at a higher temperature which creates a harder less porous surface than can be achieved by standard ceramic tiles this inherent versatility gives ceramic tile the ability to provide a number of benefits as a flooring such as durability and design flexibility.
In high traffic areas porcelain floor tile is an excellent choice and will out perform other tiles in both long term appearance and durability.
Some porcelain floor tile is made to look like stone and while it might hold up just as well it will cost less.
Ceramic tiles and porcelain tiles are both excellent tile flooring options but you need to consider the benefits and drawbacks of both to help you select the best option for your own needs.