[MicheleMazza]

What is the difference in porcelain and ceramic tile? Does one wear better than the other? What about chipping, scratching, dulling, cracking, etc.

Thanks for your help.

[tickle]

Porcelain is much more delicate then ceramic because of the firing process and clay used.

[pattyg2]

It depends on what you are using it for. I used porcelain tile in my bathroom since it impervious to water and so much harder than ceramic tile.

[Bljack]

Both clay bisque ceramic and porcelain will hold up just fine in any house in a wet area. In an exterior environment, you need to use porcelain IF the area will be subjected to freeze thaw cycles as porcelains water absorption is less than .5% and won't be at risk of falling apart by absorbing water and then freezing when the absorbed water expands as can happen with regular clay bisque tiles. If you live where it doesn't freeze, use whatever you want.

I think Parthpatel's goal is to just direct everyone to their site which is why all their posts bring up threads some years old and link multiple times within each post to one particlular site. I'd not be as concerned about it if they could at least share accurate information within their link heavy postings.

[JazMan]

I had to yell when I read

"porcelain is much more delicate then ceramic" YIKES! :)

Bljack gave the correct answer. Porcelain is better, however most people don't really need it. But these days most tile are porcelain. Just remember, not all porcelains are really porcelain as tested in ANSI. I see garbage tiles at the vest stores all the time, both porcelain and glazed quarry.

Jaz

[jmedgar]

Porcelain tile is a form of ceramic tile. According to American National Standards Institute (ANSI) the only tile that is entitled to be called porcelain is ceramic tile that absorbs less than .05% water in its water absorption test (ANSI A137.1). However, in actual practice, porcelain is just whatever tile its manufacturer decides to call porcelain. It is mostly a marketing gimmick. The fact that a tile has the word porcelain on the box does indicate a necessarily better tile, especially if the tile is made outside of the United States. For more information go to <a href="http://starcraftcustombuilders.com/porcelain.or.ceramic.htm">Porcelain or Ceramic: What is the Difference</a>.