Porcelain tile

Porcelain is much harder than ordinary ceramic tiles and is usually selected, despite its higher price, for its hard-wearing nature. Porcelain can be used in both wet and dry areas such as bathrooms, showers and kitchens.

The dense, hard surface of porcelain has made polishing a viable alternative to a glazed surface. This means that a tile can be fired, then a polish cut into the surface, creating a shine without a glaze.

Porcelain is denser and therefore heavier to handle than other ceramic tiles. For this reason, it is generally more expensive. Being harder, it is more difficult to cut and drill and requires specialist tools, which can hamper fitting and increase costs. Polished porcelain may need sealing, where ordinary glazed tiles do not. The glazed surface is coated with less than two microns.