Porcelain Tile – How does Porcelain Tile differ from other types of ceramic tile?
Porcelain tile is a dense clay mixture that provides a very dense body tile. It is considered an impervious body which means its absorption is less than 0.5%. As in all things in life, not every porcelain is made equal and there are trade offs for using this type of tile. There are higher quality porcelains and lower quality porcelains. Red or brown body tiles come in a wide range of quality as well. Most of the Spanish red body tiles are very dense and considered vitreous (glass like) which means its absorption is less than 3%, which is still considered frost proof and chip resistant. There are even some porcelain tiles that have a red body, but most are white bodied. There are some red body tiles that are very absorbing. These tiles come in either glazed or unglazed surfaces. The glaze is a glass like material that gives it an impervious surface. It typically gives the tile more stain resistance and makes it easier to maintain, but it also can make it more slippery and susceptible to
