What you need to know about ceramic & porcelain flooring

Many homeowners view ceramic & porcelain tile as the same product. While it’s true that they are, indeed, very similar, they do have some differences that you should be aware of when shopping for new flooring for your home. It’s likely that one will work much better in your home than the others will, so it could make a world of difference to choose the right one the first time.

At Wagner Rug and Flooring, we have more than forty years of experience in helping homeowners choose and install the perfect flooring for their needs. In fact, customer service is our number one priority, so making sure you’re happy is our first line of business. With a showroom located in Westfield, MA, we proudly serve the areas of Westfield, West Springfield, Southwick, Agawam, and Chicopee. We’d love the opportunity to serve you as well, and we invite you to stop by for a visit at your convenience.

When it comes down to it, the difference is really in the clay used to create the tiles. Porcelain is used with the highest quality clay, while ceramic is made with lower quality clay, with other natural resources added in for stability. But there are some other differences as well, that can affect your own use of this flooring material.

For instance, when it comes to ceramic & porcelain, porcelain has a lower water absorbance rating. That means it will be much more water resistant than ceramic. It is even boiled in water and rated as to how much water was absorbed after five hours. Ceramic, however, is still water resistant.

Both ceramic & porcelain tile are durable, with porcelain being a bit more so than ceramic. Porcelain is not only denser than ceramic, but it also has a through-body composition that makes it more durable in heavy traffic situations. A chip in ceramic tile will show a color that is different on the inside, while chipped porcelain is barely noticeable, because it is the same color through and through.

You’ll find that the density of porcelain means that it is also harder to cut, as it is more brittle. For this reason, it’s best to leave this job to a professional tile installer, especially if you are working within a budget. We think you’ll be glad that you did.