Most likely you’ll be spending a greater length of time choosing flooring for your bathroom or kitchen, because it’s going to be around for a long length of time. Tile is one of the best choices for a bathroom space or a kitchen space as it’s waterproof, and you won’t have to worry about wood or laminate becoming easily damaged.
There are also many choices with tile: ceramic or porcelain. While porcelain tile can cost more, it’s also harder and more durable, and if your choose the through-bodied type, if it chips, it reveals the same surface beneath as on its exterior surface.
Here are some reasons why you should opt for porcelain tile first.
Made with High-Quality Materials
Porcelain tile is made of a denser and less porous material that makes it much harder than ceramic tile. This also makes it more stain-resistant and water-resistant than your usual ceramic tile.
There are basically two types of porcelain tile when you’re making your selections for your bathroom or kitchen: glazed and through-bodied.
A glazed porcelain tile floor is coated with a top wear layer that is hard and durable. This layer is colored. It is both strong and dense, and you’ll discover the most colors and design options with this choice.
With your through-bodied type of porcelain tile you’ll find that the color and the texture runs straight through the tile. The benefits of this type of tile are that it’s stronger and more durable. It doesn’t have any glaze that can wear off, so if it gets chips or scratches, you won’t be able to tell.
You’ll also find that porcelain tile is much easier to clean. You can sweep or vacuum it, or use a damp mop with a bit of soap. Steel, scouring pads and harsh chemicals are not recommended.
Design Versatility
You’ll find that there are great options for design versatility in bathroom or kitchen. This type of tile can even mimic natural stone, such as granite or limestone, but at only a fraction of the cost.
There are even crazy porcelain type designs that can mimic leather or fabric.
When choosing your bathroom or kitchen design, you’ll want to consider the whole of your space with your tile flooring, including faucets, and countertops.
Tile can be laid down a concrete slab, cement-based back board, underlayment-grade plywood, and even existing tile.
Best Flooring Type for Radiant Heat
Since porcelain tile is more durable and stronger than your regular ceramic tile, it’s also the best choice for when you wish to install radiant in-floor heat in your bathroom. This makes your feet warm on cold winter days. The greater durability of the tile will prevent chips and cracks that can occur as the tile is exposed to heat.
Once you examine the benefits of porcelain tile flooring over ceramic tile flooring, you’ll begin to see many design possibilities for your kitchen or bathroom space.