What Is The Difference Between Porcelain and Ceramic?
PORCELAIN is made by pressing porcelain clays and fired at a higher temperature in the kiln than ceramics, averaging 2350°. The tile is dense, impervious, fine-grained and smooth with a sharply formed face. Porcelain is considered a through-body product to minimize the appearance of chipping. Glazed porcelain tiles are much harder and have more wear and damage resistance than ceramic tiles, making them suitable for any residential and commercial application. Glazing also results in a porcelain tile usually has a much lower water absorption rate than ceramic tiles, making them frost resistant.
CERAMIC tiles are thin slabs of red or white clay, in the form of shale, gypsum or sand, converted into a material known as bisque. This bisque is given the shape of tiles and hardened through the process of firing in a kiln, with temperatures averaging 2100°. Since ceramic tiles are porous in nature, they are often coated with glaze Ceramic tiles are prone to wear, chipping and cracking on forceful impact. The glaze on the tile does not go all the way through, so the core becomes obvious if the tile is chipped. Ceramic tiles, in a flooring application, are suitable for light to moderate traffic. However, ceramic is phenomenal for decorative indoor wall applications.