The basics about porcleain tile and ceramic tiles

Porcelain  tiles and ceramic tile can be a great investment for your home. A good grade of tile; whether porcelain tile or ceramic tile, should last the life of the house.  That is why it is important to try not to pick something that will date the house.  It is always best to find a tile that has a timeless look.  One that will last the test of time and fashion changes.  You may ask what make one tile better than another?  Or you may ask what classifies a tile to be a good product that will not wear out over time?  Ceramic and porcelain tiles basically has a group rating that will tell you what kind of wear ability the tile has.  The group a graded from a 1 to 5 rating.  The group 1 and 2 are the least wearable, they are normally used for wall areas or areas with little traffic.  Most people use a group 3 or better for their floor areas.  The group 4 and 5 can be used in a commercial area due to the higher wear qualities.

The wear qualities of a ceramic tile is not the only detail you need to consider.  Many people ask us what the difference is between the ceramic tile and the porcelain tiles?  The porcelain tile is basically has a more dense hard core and it is less porous.  The ceramic tile is a clay body tile that is easier to cut when installing and normally does the job with no problem.  A few down sides to the ceramic tile would be that if something was dropped on it, the ceramic tile has a greater chance of chipping.  The clay body ceramic tiles are sometimes not compacted as well and may have air pockets in the tile.  This down side can be a rare occurrence.  Also the ceramic tiles are not as ideal for outside use in areas that has climate that drop below freezing.  Some people in the Wilmington, N.C. area find the ceramic tile that they love and chance it.  Wilmington N.C. is normally a fairly mild area for coldness; but if you decide to put a ceramic tile outside here, make sure it has a dense body.  The best thing to do is put the porcelain tile outside to insure no cracking.  The porcelain tile will not absorb the water like the ceramic tile.

We are often asked what makes some tiles more expensive that other. Often times the complexity of the ceramic tiles has a lot to due with the cost range the product falls into.  The more times the manufacturers have to screen the tiles and bake them, the more the product normally cost.  Again the quality of the body of the tile, the more costly the product might be.  It is preferable to have a higher rated, more dense body tile.  Many times the ultimate decision to buy a tile is the look, texture, and value.  For all your porcelain tiles and ceramic tile needs stop by your local Carpets Plus Colortile dealer.  Crystal Carpet Plus Colortile has been serving Wilmington, N.C. and surrounding area since 1993.  Thank you for years of loyal support.