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Friday, February 7, 2014

Everything You Want to Know About Porcelain Tile and More!

Home Remodeling can be a very exciting time but also a time where you need to make several decisions one of which is tiles. Whether it’s a kitchen, bathroom, entrance, or patio; porcelain tile has been the choice for designers and home owners for centuries. 

Porcelain tile is known for its durability, water-resistance, and vast options in tile sizes and patterns. Porcelain tile is created by a dust pressed method and fired at a high temperature creating a strong tile with minimal water absorption. Because it’s a less porous material, it makes cleaning very easy and it is less resistant to staining. Depending on the finish of the tile, porcelain tile is a great option for a non-slippery surface as well. 

Porcelain tile can be used indoors and a large selection can also be used outdoors. Porcelain tiles are not affected by freezing temperatures because it has a low moisture content making it less likely to crack. In interior spaces, porcelain tile is a great option for heated floor. Designers have been using the flexibility of porcelain tile to create spaces with the same floor material that flows from an interior room into an exterior space. 

Porcelain tile has a few draw backs but the pros outweigh the cons. Because of its density, porcelain tile is a heavier material to handle. It can also be tricky to cut or drill into the tile without specialty tools. Porcelain tile is also more expensive than ceramic tile but because of its long lasting qualities it’s worth the cost. 

The endless print options of porcelain tile have been its most admirable quality. By itself porcelain tile has a gray coloration but any patterns can actually be ink-jetted directly on the tile. The advancements in printing technology, has made it possible for manufacturers and designers to create high resolution prints that can imitate and are virtually indistinguishable from natural material like; marble, wood planks, slate, rustic stone, natural stone, fabric, mosaics, and relief patterns. Designers control the pattern so that it does not repeat and is not obvious to the eye. They also can control the shading of each tile unlike in natural stone which can vary. Coordinating trim pieces like baseboard and chair rails and other finishing pieces are created by the same technique resulting in a better match than traditional methods. 

So next time you begin your new project, remember that porcelain tile is a great choice. If you need help picking out porcelain tile, stop by our showroom at 2568 W Maple Ave. Langhorne, PA 19053 to view our selection. We service Greater Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery, South New Jersey counties. 

Written by Ilona Ormanzhi – Kitchen and Bath Designer at Remodeling Concepts. 
Porcelain Tile Samples in our Bucks County Showroom

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