About Tile
Ceramic, Porcelain, Glass, and Natural Stone
- Ceramic and Porcelain tile are both made from a clay mixture, but porcelain is fired at a hotter temperature than ceramic, making it more refined and therefore more durable.
- You can install "floor tile" on the wall, but you can't install "wall tile" on floors. This is because wall tile is mostly soft ceramic without any slip resistance.
- High quality porcelain tile can be installed outside in climates where freezing occurs.
- Rectified tiles are exactly the same size on all four sides, with no variance from one tile to the next; whereas normal tiles are not guaranteed to be exact and require larger grout joints.
- Natural Stone always needs to be sealed, but porcelain and ceramic tile do not.
- Glass tile is a nice accent for ceramic tile, but is never warranted or specified for use on the floor.