What Are the Features of High-quality Porcelain Tiles?

Porcelain tiles are, next to ceramic tiles, the most popular option for kitchens and bathrooms worldwide. Porcelain is hard, dense, frost- and water-resistant. It is also durable and can bear quite a bit of load. From the standpoint of maintenance, the surface is easy to clean and it is highly anti-allergenic.

Now, while all of this may sound amazing, the truth is that porcelain comes in different shapes, forms, and quality standards. As such, all the benefits that we’ve already listed depend on one question – are you buying quality porcelain tiles or are you going for a low-end alternative?

Here are six features of high-quality porcelain tiles that you need to be aware of before you commit to making a purchase.

1.      Slip and abrasion resistance

Slip resistance depends on the texture of the porcelain, which is something that you should check with the manufacturer. The ASTM test requirement for the Mohs scale determines the hardness of the tile and maybe in direct correlation with this. On the other hand, abrasion has 8 stages, ranging from 100, all the way to 12,000 rotations. This is the key aspect to pay attention to when looking for maintenance-friendly tiles. Abrasion resistance can also be interpreted as stain resistance. In other words, it’s something worth checking out early in your decision-making process.

2.      Breaking strength

Porcelain is generally regarded as a brittle material but even these materials are not of equal strength. Now, breaking strength is determined in Newtons. Also, these requirements are different for floor and wall tiles. For instance, floor tiles made out of porcelain are supposed to be able to endure 250 lbF. When it comes to porcelain wall tiles, they need to be able to endure 125 lbF. Everything short of this is considered sub-standard and, therefore, of a low average quality. Naturally, even if tiles are quality, you shouldn’t go extra hard on them.

3.      Bond strength

Remember that the quality of tile installation isn’t just about the quality of tiles. This can also be due to the bond and adhesion to the substrate. According to experts behind Stone & Tiles Projects, after being exposed to foot traffic and vibrations, this adhesive might diminish in strength quite drastically. While there are a lot of adhesive brands that are deemed as high quality, the nature of the installation, the material of tiles, and the underlying surface might dictate which adhesive is the best. Keep in mind that there’s no trial and error here, once you choose that’s it.

4.      Sound absorption

Now, this is something that you don’t hear that often but different porcelain tiles may have different sound absorption levels. Generally speaking, tiles are not the quietest of materials. Therefore, in order to make their installation more sound-proof, you might want to use special adhesives or mortar with sound-absorbing properties. Sound pollution is a serious issue and it could diminish both your productivity (in the kitchen where porcelain tiles are common) and your ability to relax (during menial tasks). While this is never a priority, paying attention to sound absorption properties is always a good idea.

5.      Water resistance

There’s a reason why tiles are the most popular flooring and backsplash option in kitchens and bathrooms. This is mostly due to their water-resistant properties. The problem, however, lies in the fact that not all porcelain tiles have the same water resistance. Now, water resistance is a colloquial term and if you’re looking for a scientific scale, the property that you’re looking for is water absorption. Here, you have non-vitreous, semi-vitreous, vitreous, and impervious. The last one is the most resistant option. Generally speaking, the impervious tile has water absorption of 0.5% or less.

6.      Color permanence

This one is fairly easy to slip from one’s mind but you need to think about the color permanence. First of all, just because a tile looks nice, this doesn’t mean that it’s manufactured for longevity. Namely, you need to keep in mind that over the course of time, the tiles might fade. This happens even if they’re not exposed to sunlight but if they are, the situation will become even more drastic. Quality tiles will not fade as easily, which means that the look that you get on the first day will be here to stay.

In conclusion

At the end of the day, whenever buying something for your home, you need it to pass a certain quality check. For porcelain, this is even more important than you think, seeing as how the flooring or wall solution that you pick probably won’t be changed for years to come. Other than this, the section about the bond is important so that you understand that the physical properties of tiles aren’t everything and installation can have just as much of an impact. Overall, the more you know, the more likely you are to make the right choice.