The 12 Different Types of Tiles, Explained by Experts (2023)

FAQs

How many different types of tiles are there? ›

6 Main Types of Tiles.

A porcelain tile should feel denser than a similar ceramic one and have consistent color throughout the tile. A water penetration test is the best way to tell the difference. If a tile soaked in water absorbs five percent or less of the water, it is most likely porcelain.

Tiles are usually thin, square or rectangular coverings manufactured from hard-wearing material such as ceramic, stone, metal, baked clay, or even glass. They are generally fixed in place in an array to cover roofs, floors, walls, edges, or other objects such as tabletops.

There are 3 types of ceramic tile: glazed, unglazed and porcelain. Understand them and you're home free. Glazed ceramic tiles are coated with glass-forming minerals and ceramic stains. Typically, they have a matte, semi-gloss or high-gloss finish.

For flooring, Vitrified tiles are the best bet since they are durable and can withstand heavy traffic. For walls, you can choose either ceramic or porcelain tiles as they are non-porous or do not absorb stains. For outdoors it's best to opt for either matt finish or anti-skid tiles to avoid slips.

ceramic tiles are the most common type of tile, and they come in many different colors, sizes and designs. Most ceramic tiles can be used on kitchen countertops, bathrooms floors or walls - anywhere that requires durability! Ceramic is easier to clean than stone tiles.

Durability: The density of porcelain tile makes it more durable than ceramic tile while being less subject to wear and tear. This makes it more suitable for commercial use as well as in the home. Water Resistance: Porcelain tile is almost impervious to water compared to ceramic tile.

Ceramic and Porcelain Tiles

These are the most popular tiling materials that can be used for bathroom flooring as they are affordable, long lasting, scratch resistant, maintenance free and non-porous in nature.

Which tiles are best for bathroom walls? ›

Ceramic tiles are the most suited and most preferred tiles when it comes to bathrooms. Glazed or polished ceramic tiles make a great option for the walls of your bathroom however they aren't best suited for the floor as they can be slippery when wet.

Class 3: Light to Moderate Traffic: Ceramic tile for residential floor, countertop and wall applications. The most common residential floor tile. The glazing on these tiles is most often very durable, and the strength of the tiles can handle the stress of most traffic areas.

Tile. Ceramic Tile: At less than $1 per square foot, durable ceramic tile makes an excellent inexpensive flooring option.

Known as the most durable type of tile on the market, porcelain is harder, denser, tougher, and less porous than ceramic tile. It also has a very low absorption rate, meaning it's virtually impervious to water damage, even after prolonged exposure.

Colours such as beige, cream, whites and light shades of grey and blue are great choices. For bathrooms, you should consider creating an airy and open feeling. For this, choose neutral coloured floor tiles in light shades.

Do porcelain tiles chip easily? As long as porcelain tiles are in a good condition before laying and laid correctly then no chipping should occur over time. If something extremely heavy were dropped on them then they could crack and chip but this would be the same for any flooring under those conditions.

When looking for suitable tiles for a kitchen, homeowners can choose different types of finishes like Stone, Wood, Matt, Rustic among other options. Glossy tiles have turned out to be one of the most preferred choices for kitchen walls and backsplash as they are easy to clean.

2. Which tile is the most versatile? Explanation: Slate can be used as roofing shingles, it can be used indoors as well as outdoors, because of its natural looks and range of colours.

The different grades of ceramic tiles – Grade 1 are usually placed on walls, grade 2 are usually for homes flooring; grade 3 is for light to moderate foot traffic; grade 4 is usually for commercial use; grade 5 is for heavy foot traffic.

In summary, there are many factors that will affect the cost of various tiles including the product's density, slip resistance, the material it is made of, the manufacturing process and the tile's country of origin.

Is there a difference in tile quality? ›

Unlike other materials that are graded, the tile grading system does not indicate the quality of the tile, it just categorizes the tile by its ideal usage. For example, tile with a PEI grade of 1, which is the lowest, can last for years and look gorgeous when it's installed as a decorative wall tile.

Cons to consider: Although porcelain tile is extremely durable, it does occasionally chip, particularly around the edges. This may not be noticeable with through-body composition, but it is a concern. Porcelain tile is typically more expensive than ceramic and other popular flooring materials.

Ceramic tiles are extremely hard. While the hardness of ceramic is considered to be an added value, as it makes them easier to clean and maintain, there is also a downside. The hardness makes it uncomfortable to stand on them, while the kitchen is an area where the user has to stand for a prolonged period.

Ultimately, porcelain tile is the superior choice for bathroom floors. When compared to ceramic, the material is much better equipped for rooms that use plumbing. It's also easier to maintain than ceramic tile.

The surface of most ceramic and porcelain tile does not need to be sealed, although some require a light application of a penetrating sealer to fill the micro pores on the surface of the tile. However, the grout joint between the tiles is usually very porous and generally made of a cement-based material.

You may have guessed where this is going: porcelain tiles are not waterproof, they are water resistant. That means that if you submerge them in water long enough, then they will eventually allow that water to seep through.

Ceramic and porcelain tile floors can be notoriously slippery. The very feature that makes tile easy to clean—its smooth, non-porous nature—also means that it is slippery underfoot.

White tile is probably the most popular solution in our bathrooms. Why? White brightens the interior. It gives a sense of order and lightness.

Overall, when it comes to white tiles, it's easy to clean them because you can see the mess and bathroom cleaning products work well.

If you're mixing and matching tiles, choose no more than three different types of tiles. If you choose more tile types, you'll unnecessarily make your bathroom look busy. Consider tiles for your shower space and make sure that they complement the rest of your bathroom.

Is it better to use small or large tiles in a small bathroom? ›

A small bathroom can actually benefit from a large tile. With fewer grout lines the walls and floor are less cluttered and the room visually expands.

While some bathrooms can look great with large and small tiles, your best bet to enlarge a small bathroom is to opt for a medium-sized tile, no larger than 1' x 1'.

Grade 4: This is the strongest tile we typically see in residential settings. Grade three tiles will do the trick most of the time, but you can opt for grade four as more of an insurance option.

Italian porcelain is classed as the best porcelain paving in the world. If you are considering new porcelain paving for your outdoor area, you should definitely consider Italian porcelain. You get a far better return on your investment when you choose Italian porcelain paving over porcelain paving from other areas.

Because they are stronger, tiles with a thicker thickness are less likely to break or crack than tiles with a thinner thickness. Because durability of porcelain floor tile is important in preventing cracks and damage, you may want to choose thicker porcelain tiles for flooring, especially in high-traffic areas.

Best for: Ceramic tile is typically affordable, durable, easy to install and comes in a nearly endless array of colors and designs.

Cost of Porcelain vs. Ceramic. While both ceramic and porcelain are less expensive than most renovation materials, their price differences are due to their density differences. Porcelain tiles are therefore more expensive than ceramic tiles.

1, Wear resistance: polishing glaze tile is surface with a glaze, penetration and brightness is better, but the wear resistance is lower than the polished tiles. Because the surface of polished tiles is thicker and more wear-resistant, the glazing surface is glazed, and the abrasion resistance is much inferior.

Unglazed tiles are thicker than glazed tiles, and due to their density, chemical-resistance, and lack of porosity, they are better suited to areas with lots of moisture, such as washrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms. In terms of safety, they are the better option.

How many types of tiles are used in construction purpose? ›

There are two types in ceramic tiles, porcelain, and non-porcelain.

As a rule, floor tile is typically 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch thick. Wall tile tends to be thinner and available in squares (3 inches to 6 inches). Mosaic tiles are usually the smallest tile, available in 2-inch squares. The most popular and readily available tile sizes are (in inches) 12 x 12, 16 x 16, 12 x 24 and 18 x 18.

There is no much more difference between branded and local tiles durability. It's based upon the maintenance of tiles. A small one has branded tiles that have durability up to 10-15 years with good maintenance whereas local tiles are up to 13 years with the best maintenance.

The 12 Different Types of Tiles, Explained by Pros.

Tile. Ceramic Tile: At less than $1 per square foot, durable ceramic tile makes an excellent inexpensive flooring option.

There are two types in ceramic tiles, porcelain, and non-porcelain.

Porcelain tiles are denser than ceramic tiles, giving them hard wearing qualities suitable for both wall and floor. Through body porcelain tiles in particular are known for their outstanding durability, therefore they have no Porcelain Enamel Institute (PEI) Rating, which describes how resistant tiles are to abrasion.

Cons to consider: Although porcelain tile is extremely durable, it does occasionally chip, particularly around the edges. This may not be noticeable with through-body composition, but it is a concern. Porcelain tile is typically more expensive than ceramic and other popular flooring materials.

Most people go for light hues such as white, cream and light grey although many small bathrooms still look fantastic with darker shades. Neutral colours help keep the tone of a room calm and clean which really helps in smaller rooms.

Colours such as beige, cream, whites and light shades of grey and blue are great choices. For bathrooms, you should consider creating an airy and open feeling. For this, choose neutral coloured floor tiles in light shades.

What is the strongest tile for floors? ›

Known as the most durable type of tile on the market, porcelain is harder, denser, tougher, and less porous than ceramic tile. It also has a very low absorption rate, meaning it's virtually impervious to water damage, even after prolonged exposure.

Grade is the numerical ranking that reflects tile quality. Grade 1: Highest quality. Recommended for walls or floors. Grade 2: Similar to Grade 1, but with slight imperfections.

Tiles are classified into two types: common tiles, which are available in different shapes and sizes and used for paving, flooring and roofing, and encaustic tiles, which are used for decorative purposes in floors, walls, ceilings and roofs.

Class 3: Light to Moderate Traffic: Ceramic tile for residential floor, countertop and wall applications. The most common residential floor tile. The glazing on these tiles is most often very durable, and the strength of the tiles can handle the stress of most traffic areas.

Ceramic tiles are the most suited and most preferred tiles when it comes to bathrooms. Glazed or polished ceramic tiles make a great option for the walls of your bathroom however they aren't best suited for the floor as they can be slippery when wet.

Compared to bone china, porcelain tends to be significantly heavier and more brittle, which can lead to chipping. What is Bone China? Bone china, also composed of kaolin, feldspar and quartz, has the greatest strength and resilience of all ceramics with the addition of bone ash to its raw materials.

Drip water test. You can drip water on the back of the tiles, see the speed of infiltration after the water dispersed, generally, the slower the water absorption, indicating that the tiles density is greater. On the contrary, the faster the water absorption, the less the density, the better the intrinsic quality.

Do porcelain tiles chip easily? As long as porcelain tiles are in a good condition before laying and laid correctly then no chipping should occur over time. If something extremely heavy were dropped on them then they could crack and chip but this would be the same for any flooring under those conditions.