Differences between ceramic tile, porcelain tile and natural stone tile Porcelain and ceramic are not different kinds of tile. All ceramic tiles (including porcelain ) are made out of clay, some additives (such as feldspar and quartz sand ) , plus water. The main difference between Porcelain tile and regular ceramic tile - is that the light colored clay is heated or "fired" at a higher temperature. Firing drives out water and crystallizes some of the molecules within the clay - into a low-order. form of glass . The process is known as “vitrification” That being said, porcelain tiles are denser than a standard ceramic tile and because of their higher density, porcelain tiles are less likely to absorb moisture (0.5%) which makes them more durable and more resistant to staining, freezing and/or cracking.

Cost of the material With little exception, ceramic tile is going to be the least expensive of the three, followed by porcelain and then natural stone. Chipping Porcelain relatively speaking is the hardest of the three materials. Stone can be softer, however the nature of ceramic makes it the easiest to chip. Stone is colored 1

through so a chip isn't as noticeable, with ceramic the chip will usually stand out like a beacon. Porcelain has a more expensive family of through-body porcelain, where the color is contain through the body of the porcelain, however the variety of patterns and colors is limited Installation Without a doubt ceramic tile is the least expensive to install, it has great forgivingness and can be installed with the simplest of thin sets. Porcelain takes more care, requires more expensive thin sets, more expensive tools and much more careful installation due to the nature of the material and it's resistance to adhesion unless it is installed correctly. Stone is by far the most expensive to install, with additional labor required for pre-sealing of the stone if required, the thicker thin sets because of the irregularity of the material and the more expensive thin sets required. It's probably not common knowledge to homeowners but some marble will actually curl and warp if the wrong thin set is applied to it.

Looks or esthetic Value Stone has a look of it's own, it is ageless and timeless and beautiful. When it comes to porcelain, the best porcelain is usually judged by how well it mimics natural stone. Ceramic when it tries to mimic a natural product fails miserably, ceramic has a look of it's own and it's best to use ceramic for what it is known for which is richer solid man-made colors that are not trying to look like a natural stone material.

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Variety This is an interesting criteria. Looking at stone you could say since it's a natural product that the variety is endless, however while there are endless variations of colors, veining and such there are definitely a finite amount of varieties of stone, from slate to marble to granite. The variations in the different families of stone, are what makes it so versatile. Porcelain we would consider the work horse of tile with a large amount of variety, but all trying to mimic natural stone. Ceramic while there is a multitude of 'artsy' one-off ceramics the selection of ceramic is pretty limited to mimicking the popular colors of the color palette. Maintenance Good quality ceramic floor tiles will not wear out easily. Porcelain can be considered as providing the same esthetics of stone without the problems. Stone's ability to be trouble free depends a lot upon the end users initial choices, honed will be more trouble free then polished , granite will be more trouble free then a soft marble. The maintenance issues of stone products are relative to the end user's expectations and understandings of the material and how it will be used.

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Moisture Resistance Stone can range from moisture resistant to moisture sensitive. Ceramic tile tends to have a moisture gain from between 3%-7% of it's weight. Porcelain by contrast is considered impervious to moisture, meaning it is limited to a moisture gain of no more than 1/2 percent of it's weight. This impervious nature is one of the factors that make it more expensive to install than ceramic tile, porcelain with hardly any pores and thin sets work by bonding to pores makes porcelain installation a less forgiving process. Refinishing Not an often thought of factor and for many not an option. However, a stone floor can easily be reground in place, honed or polished again and look brand new. A through body porcelain can go through this process also. Ceramic has no option. Consistency Ceramic and stone are on opposite ends of this scale. Stone is a natural product and variations in color, texture and appearance are what gives stone it's natural appeal. If you like stone, you better be a fan of natural variation. Porcelain will straddle this line depending upon the style of porcelain you are looking at. Some porcelain is made on purpose to have a lot of variation and some is made to have more consistency. Ceramic will be the most consistent of all. After all a box of 4 inch white ceramic tile is the pinnacle of consistency. Quality Control

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Stone definitely has the potential for the most problems in this regard. Stone isn't manufactured in a factory but quarried and resold, which always opens the door to problems of quality when new quarries are being bought from usually from the other side of the world. Exterior Applications Stone if often considered the superior material for outdoor applications, however certain grades of porcelain are just as advantageous if not more. Ceramics are not suitable.

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