Porcelain floor tiles

[Janpea]

I'm just an ignorant customer but I wondered if someone could possibly help me. I am wanting to buy large polished porcelain floor tiles and have looked at two products. One is twice as expensive as the other but looked at from the side a top layer in the tile is twice as thick. What exactly are the two layers in the tile? Is it this extra thickness which makes it more expensive? And does it make it twice as good as the other one?
Thank you very much to anyone who can help me.

[Alan.P]

Without seeing the two tiles it's not definite but you have probably been looking at full bodied and a glazed porc tile.
I copied the rest because it was long winded lol


Porcelain tile also comes in three varieties: glazed, polished or unglazed finish, with glazed being the most common porcelain variety.

1. Through-Bodied Porcelain Tile
2. Through-bodied porcelain tile means that the tile's color composition and texture is uniform throughout the tile, not just along the surface. Tiles are made from a clay, sand and mineral mixture that is shaped and then fired at high temperatures. Through-bodied porcelain tile is extremely strong, durable and able to withstand freezing temperatures. Unless they have a polished finish, these tiles are slip resistant and scratch and chip resistant.
3. Through-Bodied Porcelain Tile Uses
4. Through-bodied porcelain is ideal for commercial locations because they withstand heavy foot traffic. The color won't fade because there is no glaze and if a tile does chip, the color is the same underneath, making the chip less noticeable. These tiles can also be installed in homes as flooring, on walls or countertops, and in wet locations such as the kitchen or bathroom
5. .Glazed Porcelain Tile
6. Glazed porcelain tile is made from porcelain (a mixture of clay, sand and minerals), fired in a kiln and has a glazed finish. The glaze is usually tinted and is a glass wear layer (liquid glass) that is baked into the surface and gives the tile its final color. If glaze is then polished, the tile must be sealed after installation to make it non-porous. The glaze finish makes this tile stain resistant and has more color and texture options
7. .Glazed Porcelain Tile Uses
8. Glazed porcelain tiles are the most common variety chosen by homeowners because of durability and the variety of colors and textures available at tile stores. Glazed tiles can appear glossy or matte and are extremely durable and highly stain-proof. Glazed porcelain tiles can mimic the appearance of natural stones like granite, limestone and slate, as well as metals like aluminum and brass. Some varieties even mimic hardwood. These machine-made tiles come in all shapes and sizes and can be used on the wall, floor or as a countertop.
9. Pros of Porcelain Tile All types of porcelain tile are more durable and dense than ceramic tile and require less maintenance than natural stone and hardwood. Glazed porcelain tile is more difficult to scratch and stain and resists moisture and frost. Porcelain tile is an attractive option for high-traffic areas and is easy to keep clean. Porcelain tile doesn't need to be polished or waxed and only needs sealing if a polished or unglazed tile was installed. Finally, at a fraction of the cost of natural stone, porcelain tile can imitate this look for less without the headache of maintaining natural stone.

[GaryS]

hmm have a look at b&qs porc tiles the top of the tile is porc and the bottom looks like it is some sort of cement based back its not the same through its thickness looks like a porc tile bonded to a cheaper back to make the tile affordable

[widler]

hmm have a look at b&qs porc tiles the top of the tile is porc and the bottom looks like it is some sort of cement based back its not the same through its thickness looks like a porc tile bonded to a cheaper back to make the tile affordable

its the same material just glazed/polished but not all the way through(i think)

i used the 600x 600 quite a lot these past 2 years,i think they are good tiles for the money

[YourTiler]

I always thought top quality porc was the same from top to bottom just polished on the top
Hard to cut/nibble etc (Sorry when I say hard to cut I mean it doesn't sail through the wet cutter like butter)
Five star means it can go outside and is frost resistant (depending on who might grade it I suppose)

[widler]

ive just read alan p answer, erm,should of read it before i posted,it acually tells us everything we need to know about porcelain tiles,apart from how blinking hard to cut they are

[365drills]

Hard to cut/nibble etc (Sorry when I say hard to cut I mean it doesn't sail through the wet cutter like butter)

Yourtiler is right. Porcelain (all porcelain) is very hard wearing and durable - so difficult to cut. We solve the part for drilling the holes in it.


All porcelain is hard - so difficult to cut / drill


We supply the solution for drilling the holes

[Janpea]

Thank you very much for all your replies. I have been back to both shops and both retailers said that what I was describing as a layer is the polish soaked into the tile. Does this sound right to you helpful people out there? It goes down to 2 or 3 mm from the top. I now think that the reason why one tile is half the price of the other is that one company got in a cheap job lot. Do you know if any country of origin has a better reputation than any other? The more expensive ones are from China and the cheaper ones are of European origin.

[Dontiler]

usually cheap tiles made in china But some tiles from china is far better quality then Spain and Italy, porcelain is hard wearing
material, no matter which ones you buy they will last!!! just make sure you get good tiler to fix them, In your place I would buy cheaper porcelain tiles and get better tiler for extra money you saved on tiles.good luck

[Janpea]

Thank you very much for the helpful advice.