what is porcelain tile?

Answer 1

The difference between porcelain tile and ceramic tile

Porcelain tiles have a water absorption of 0.5% or less. To test this issue, the burnt tile is first weighed in the oven, then boiled for five hours and left in water for up to 24 hours. Then it is weighed again. If the weight of the tile increases by less than half a percent as a result of absorbing water to its surface, it is considered porcelain.

To achieve such density, a special glycoline compound is used, which is better and purer than ceramic. This material often contains significant amounts of quartz and feldspar. Porcelain tiles are heated at a temperature between 2200 and 2500 degrees Fahrenheit.

Both ceramic and porcelain usually have a glossy surface that makes them difficult to distinguish from each other. But some leave ceramic tiles unpolished, while porcelain is always polished.

As it seems, the main difference is that porcelain tile is more resistant to water than ceramic tile and is less prone to swelling with water.