When looking to tile a residence, you will find the most popular choice among home-owners is porcelain. In the same class of tiles as ceramic, its’ versatility provides an endless variety of uses both indoors and outdoors. Porcelain is tough, durable, resistant to changes in weather and temperature, and is ranked highest among tiles for its fortitude against abrasion with a PEI score 5 out of 5. This tile also maintains very high aesthetic quality with a multitude of color and textures to choose from that can fit any model of design for your home and comes with the added benefit of being suitable not only for floor installation but also for horizontal installments such as walls and backsplashes. Trying to recognize porcelain apart from stone can be difficult, which makes it a great alternative that is simply more cost-effective, and could be the smartest choice for tiling your home. Westside Tile & Stone, Inc. offers a huge collection of Porcelain tiles readily available in stock ensuring orders of all sizes or styles can be fulfilled.
Concept of Porcelain Tile and Ceramic Tile
Porcelain and ceramic tiles are all part of the same “ceramic family”. What separates porcelain from ceramic is its lower absorption rate for water. The ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) has determined that porcelain has an absorption rate of 0.5% or less than one percent. It is more durable than ceramic tile, containing fewer impurities within the tile, and are often rectified, receiving a special edge treatment that makes each tile more precise and uniform. Porcelain also has the ability to retain color better, where chipping in the tile could change the color in ceramic, it would go unnoticed on porcelain. Check out the differences between porcelain tiles and ceramic tiles to choose the right one for your tile flooring needs.
Pros and Cons of Porcelain Tile
Looking at porcelain in its entirety, it is easy to see its great aspects. Porcelain’s array of applications and uses make it a top choice for designing your home. It has the durability made to withstand any kind of traffic over the years, and they are also very easy to maintain, making it the safer and more hygienic option for your home, while still presenting great affordability. So you might be thinking, “What are its’ downsides?” Porcelain being a less porous tile might require the use of special material to hold it down to its substrate. Its’ toughness also may be unnecessary for residential use and may hold the better application to a commercial setting where there is more pedestrian traffic. The tile can also be very heavy, making it hard for do-it-yourselfers to do the project on their own without hiring outside help. If you are planning to use tile in a place where temperatures may drop to below zero, a porcelain tile is your only the best option available as an outdoor tile. This is because they are engineered to be frost proof, that is the reason the ideal choice is Porcelain Bathroom Tile.
Best Porcelain Tile Flooring Ideas
When choosing porcelain floors, it is important to know the difference between unglazed and glazed porcelain tile. Unglazed can be more slip resistant making it better to use in bathroom areas and pools, and scratch resistant making its application suitable for outdoors. For any digitally printed designs used for porcelain, the tiles will need a glaze to protect the image, but any digitally printed porcelain will provide more options for design. For a more natural feel, you can find porcelain tile that looks like wood, or you can find Saltillo Look Porcelain Tile if you’re searching for more a southwestern arrangement. Our showroom offers a wide range of designs and textures in :
- porcelain limestone floor tiles
- white porcelain floor tiles
- and brown porcelain floor tiles
Porcelain Tile Design Ideas/Galleries
Porcelain Tile Design Ideas and Photo Gallery
Porcelain Tile extensively used for flooring, countertops or backsplashes, fireplaces and many outdoor applications. Checkout Best Design Ideas of Porcelain Tile.
Porcelain Tiles Uses – Indoor and Outdoor Applications
Porcelain’s variety of use and diversity of design gives it free-range to be used anywhere indoor and outdoor. If you are looking to build or remodel a kitchen, kitchen porcelain tiles can be used on your countertops, kitchen floor tiles, or the backsplashes around the sink. The tile’s horizontal applications can be used on your walls, and with any design to choose from, it can change the theme of entire rooms. Porcelain can be used in bathrooms, giving your vanities a more pleasant look, and using porcelain tiles for showers and your tub surrounds can provide a clean and sleek design. Its resistance to temperature also means you can install them around fireplaces, modifying the ambiance of the coziest parts of your home. Among its exterior uses, you can find applications for anything from your back patios to your walkways. Its durability makes it perfect for applying it to the passages leading to your home, with a rich palette that can make it look like real stone, and the same treatment can be applied on your front and back patios. Pool areas are also given a completely different looks using porcelain tiles inside and around the pool.
Porcelain Kitchen Backsplash Ideas
Backsplashes, likewise, come in a variety of motifs. If you were looking to install porcelain mosaic tile, backsplashes provide excellent canvases that can turn modern kitchens into works of art. Copper tiles are available if you were looking for a metallic finish for your porcelain kitchen backsplash alongside different ironworks such as gold or steel to choose from. Blue kitchen designs work remarkably well with blue porcelain tiles, or if you have white cabinets, installing white porcelain tiles can bring your kitchen into harmony. Porcelain Kitchen Backsplashes designs have endless possibilities and the versatility of porcelain stone that can make any of your visions come true.
Porcelain Tile Installation & Cleaning
When installing porcelain, it is advised to check the manufacturing process to make sure the tiles are rectified and polished, especially for “minimum grout line” installations because trim or multi-size tiles can cause difficulties during the procedure. The low absorption-rate also means you should invest money in the right kind of adhesives. The starting surface should be leveled, avoiding any indentations, cracks, or bumps before beginning, and it is recommended not to use the customary cement flush you see in most tiling projects. For cleaning, all you need is a vinegar and water solution. Start off by sweeping and vacuuming the floor, and then follow up by letting the vinegar solution to soak for 5-10 minutes. For unglazed porcelain, it is important for you to not allow the solution to dry as it may stain the tile. After it has soaked you can proceed by mopping the solution and then drying the floor with a microfiber cloth.
Porcelain Tile Store Near Me
If you are looking for porcelain tile in Los Angeles, and need them to find the right porcelain tile installer near you, Westside tile and Stone has a team with decades of experience in the industry that can help you envision your next big project. Their service areas spread all across the greater Los Angeles area with locations in Malibu, Calabasas, Brentwood, Chatsworth, Encino, Hidden Hills, Northridge, Santa Monica, Sherman Oaks, West Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA, and many more.
For the free consultation, you can contact us today or call now at your nearest tile store, Canoga Park CA 818.704.9222 or tile store, Beverly Hills CA 310.276.9222 to speak to a team that is ready to assist and inspires your next remodel and design.