Porcelain tile?

[orangetrader]

What is the difference between porcelain tile and regular ceramic tile? is it just a fancy name or is there a real difference?

Also, is "Santurian" marble a real marble?

Thanks,

O

[Dennis Turner]

Porcelain is harder and generally more durable than ceramic. Another benefit of the porcelain is that the color is more uniform throughout the tile so any small chips will be much less noticeable than with ceramic.

[John Hines]

It like the difference between a flower pot and a toilet.

One is clay, one is porcelain. Same kind of process, better materials like clay, thicker and larger, hotter and longer baking time, make porcelain the stronger tile.

Porcelain is good for flooring that will take loads and traffic.

[Norminn]

Porcelain is much harder. Different kinds of clay. Porcelain is like compressed baby powder before it is fired, and it shrinks a great deal when fired. I would not have anything else on a floor that gets a good amount of traffic.