A bright kitchen corner with a multicoloured rustic-effect tiled splashback, a wood-effect countertop, a potted plant and coffee appliances.

REFERENCE PHOTOGRAPH · RUSTIC-EFFECT WALL TILES ON A KITCHEN SPLASHBACK

Home  ·  Tiling Guides  ·  Porcelain vs Ceramic

GUIDE · 0 MM · THE TILE ITSELF

Porcelain vs ceramic: choosing by room, not by label

On a showroom board, porcelain and ceramic can look the same. On a shower floor or an open balcony they behave very differently. This guide compares them one property at a time, then room by room, so the job decides which tile you pick.

For homes and small commercial spaces in Malvern and the suburbs around it.

Go to the comparison

SUBSTRATE OF THE TILE · BODY

Both are fired clay. The difference is in the body.

Ceramic and porcelain tiles are made from similar raw materials. Porcelain uses a finer, denser mix fired at a higher temperature, so the finished body has very little open porosity. Ceramic is fired cooler and stays more porous. That makes it lighter and easier to work, but it takes on more water. Neither one is better across the board. The right choice depends on where the tile goes, what it’s laid over and how much water, foot traffic and weather it will face.

The glaze colour and print tell you very little about the body underneath. Before you commit, check the manufacturer’s technical sheet for water absorption and intended use.

Porcelain and ceramic, side by side

COMPARISON · SIX PROPERTIES

In a wet area, neither tile is the waterproofing. The membrane underneath does that job.

Waterproofing

Porcelain

WATER ABSORPTION
Very low. Porcelain is generally classed at 0.5 per cent absorption or less, which makes it the safer choice for floors that get wet and for anywhere exposed to weather.
DENSITY AND HARDNESS
Dense and hard-wearing. It suits kitchens, hallways and small commercial floors with steady foot traffic.
SURFACE FINISH
Comes glazed, matt, polished or through-body, including textured outdoor surfaces. Polished faces can be slippery when wet, and some need sealing.
CUTTING AND DRILLING
Harder to cut cleanly. It needs a wet saw or a good scoring cutter, diamond bits for pipe holes and extra care around cut-outs.
COST
Usually costs more to buy. Slower cutting and stronger adhesives add labour, especially with large formats.
WHERE IT SUITS
Floors, shower bases, wet-area walls, balconies, outdoor areas and large format work.

Ceramic

WATER ABSORPTION
Higher, and often much higher than porcelain, especially in glazed wall tiles. The glaze sheds water, but the body behind it doesn’t.
DENSITY AND HARDNESS
Softer and lighter. Excellent on walls, but less forgiving on busy floors or where heavy pans get dropped.
SURFACE FINISH
Almost always glazed, with the widest choice of colour, gloss and handmade-look edges. A chip shows the paler body underneath.
CUTTING AND DRILLING
Cuts and drills easily. That makes it a good fit for detailed splashbacks, niches and walls with lots of pipe holes.
COST
Generally cheaper to buy and quicker to cut. Still, once preparation and waterproofing are counted, the tiles themselves are only one part of the job.
WHERE IT SUITS
Walls, splashbacks, and wet-area walls over a properly installed membrane. Only floor-rated ceramic should go on a floor.

SUMMARY · ROOM BY ROOM

Which tile, where

Walls carry little load and stay mostly dry. Floors, showers and outdoor areas have to handle weight, water and weather. That split decides most choices.

01 · VERTICAL

Walls and splashbacks

Ceramic is the practical default here: it’s light, cuts easily around power points and taps, and comes in a huge range of glazes. Porcelain works too if you want a slab look or tiles that match the floor. See Kitchen Splashbacks.

02 · WET AREA

Bathroom floors and showers

Use porcelain on the floor and the shower base, where water pools and runs to the drain. Walls can take either tile, as long as it’s laid over a cured membrane. See Bathroom Tiling.

03 · TRAFFIC

Living areas and hallways

Floor-rated porcelain stands up best to foot traffic, furniture and dropped keys. If you want a bigger format, check that the slab is flat first. See Floor Tiling.

04 · WEATHER

Balconies and outside

Use porcelain with a slip-resistant outdoor surface, laid to fall over an external membrane where one is needed. Wall-grade ceramic doesn’t belong outside. See Outdoor Tiling and Balcony Tiling.

EDGE + JOINT

A note on rectified edges and joint width

A rectified tile has its edges ground square after firing, so every piece comes out closer to the same size. That allows a narrower grout joint and the crisp, almost seamless look many people want, especially with porcelain. Non-rectified tiles keep their pressed edges and vary slightly in size, so they need a wider joint to take up the difference.

Whichever edge you choose, stick to the manufacturer’s minimum joint width and keep movement joints at the edges of the room and wherever the surface changes direction. Tight joints show up any unevenness underneath, which is why rectified and large format porcelain need a flatter bed. See Large Format Tiling and Preparation Decides the Finish.

NEXT · SERVICES AND GUIDES

Where this choice gets made

Floor Tiling
Bathroom Tiling
Outdoor Tiling
Large Format Tiling
GUIDE  Large Format Tiles: Fewer Joints, Higher Demands
GUIDE  Choosing Outdoor Tiles for Melbourne Conditions
Choosing tiles for a room in Malvern, Armadale or Glen Iris? Send us the details or request a quote.