Kitchen Styles - Tile Styles- Porcelain Tile

             Porcelain

Pros: Endless options in size, color, shape, texture and pattern for use just about anywhere in the home. Manufactured in large formats up to 24 inches with rectified edges that allow tile to be set tightly like natural stone. Styles mimic fabric, stone, wood, metal and terra cotta. High-fires for extreme durability. Frost-resistant. Easy to care for.

Cons: Cold and hard underfoot; addition of radiant heating and soft area rugs alleviates the problem. Because of its hardness, it is best cut with a wet saw. More difficult to install than ceramic when using a tight grout joint. Unglazed porcelain must be sealed to prevent staining. More expensive than basic ceramic.

Installation tips: Ideal substrates include concrete or plywood and cement backer board combination. In dry areas, tile can be placed vertically on any clean, durable, flat and intact surface. Cut tiles using a diamond-blade wet saw. Set with modified thinset mortar and square-notched trowel similar in depth to the tile's thickness.

Care and maintenance: Unglazed porcelain tiles must be sealed with an impregnating sealer prior to grouting to prevent staining. Glazed porcelain tiles are only as strong as the surface glaze itself; be sure to check rating. Through-body porcelains are the hardiest and easiest to maintain. To clean, simply sweep, vacuum, and mop as needed.

  

Pocelain tile