Are Porcelain Tiles Waterproof?

There are different types of tiles in the market, starting from ceramic & porcelain to subway & mosaic. Depending on whether you want to install tiles for your residential space, commercial space, or any other, you need to select the tiles.

You want your tiles to last longer, right? That’s why you need to pick a tile that is durable enough. Porcelain is considered as a good option because of its durability.

About Porcelain Tiles

Porcelain is one of the types of ceramic tiles. Porcelain tiles are made with very specific clay, with finely-ground sand and feldspar added to the mixture. Then, the tiles are fired at a very high temperature.

They are fired at very high temperatures in order to remove the excess moisture from the tile. The process makes porcelain tiles hard and more durable. As compared to the standard ceramic tiles, porcelain tiles are hard and durable.

The high durability of porcelain tiles make them ideal for indoors as well as outdoors. The ingredients of porcelain tiles are 50% Feldspar, 30-40% of white clay, 15% of Kaolin, and 15% of quartz, along with some other materials.

Advantages of Porcelain Tiles

Porcelain is made with a unique clay and is heated at a very high temperature. Depending on your usage, there are many advantages of using porcelain tiles:

• Durable: The tile is made with unique clay and is heated at high temperature. Porcelain tiles are more durable than ceramic tiles.

• Resistance to scratches, stains, and moisture: Porcelain tiles are less porous to water. And, resistant to stains and scratches.

• Easy to maintain: Another good thing about porcelain tiles is, they are easy to maintain. You can clean porcelain tiles even with a damp mop. This tile type does not require polishing, waxing, or sealing.

Are Porcelain Tiles Waterproof?

Porcelain tiles aren’t waterproof, they are water resistant. They are not completely waterproof, however, they are more resistant to water (as compared to standard ceramic tiles).

There is some misunderstanding regarding the word “waterproof.” A particular thing can be considered waterproof if it’s completely impervious to water. Talking about porcelain tile, it’s not completely impervious to water. So, we can’t call it waterproof. Instead, it can be considered water resistant.

If we compare standard ceramic tiles with porcelain tiles, both are made with different types of clay. Ceramic tiles and porcelain tiles go through different processes and they are heated at different levels of temperatures.

Article Updated - November 02, 2021

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