The many looks of porcelain tile flooring

Published: September 12, 2017

Porcelain tile might just be one of the best kept secrets in flooring choices. It carries all the benefits of tile but what many don’t realize is that new manufacturing techniques also make porcelain the greatest chameleon of flooring. Walk into a kitchen and see a beautiful wood floor? Look a little closer… you might just be looking at porcelain tile.

Beautiful and practical hard surface floor in this kid-friendly room

There are few flooring options available with as many design options as porcelain tile. You can choose a porcelain floor that looks like granite, limestone or other natural stone tiles. You can even find tile that looks like natural hardwood wood. Manufacturers are starting to really have fun with porcelain tile offering designs that look like leather, fabric and even animal prints – all with the durability and easy maintenance of tile.

Porcelain vs Ceramic

You might be wondering why porcelain instead of ceramic? After all, ceramic tile is the traditional “workhorse” of tile flooring. To see some of the benefifts of porcelain, lets start with looking at how each tile is made. Porcelain is made up for a sand like material formed under high pressure and heat. Ceramic tiles are made from clay and other minerals and then fired to hardness. Those core differences result in some big benefits to homeowners:

Porcelain is a denser tile which means it absorbs less water than ceramic
Porcelain has a greater breaking strength so it can stand up to more elements – even outdoors. In fact, porcelain tile is considered frost resistant.
Porcelain is fired at extremely high temperatures making it harder than ceramic and natural stone
Porcelain gives you the look of natural stone at a lower price

Bonus: Porcelain makes an allergy friendly floor

Top indoor allergens are dust, mold and mildew – all of which are common problems for homeowners, especially homeowners with lots of wall-to-wall carpet. Tile flooring doesn’t trap those common allergens. Porcelain tile can literally make it easier to breathe for any allergy sufferers in your home. It’s also easier to stay on top of cleaning to help keep those allergies at bay. Top benefits of hard surface floors for those with allergies:

Easy to clean and keep dust-free. You’ll know if the floor needs dusting because you’ll be able to see the dust.
No fibers to trap dust, dust mites, mold spores or other allergy triggers.
Long-lasting so you won’t need to replace it as often as carpet. While carpet typically lasts 15 years or more, those with allergies often need to replace it more often.
Aside from those practical benefits, tile floors are so versatile that you can find one to match any decor.

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