Ceramic tile

Ceramic tile is the workhorse of residential surface design, present in millions of bathrooms, kitchens, mudrooms and laundry rooms across the world. The material has been continuously used for thousands of years, has gone through countless aesthetic phases, and remains the most-installed wall and floor material in most price categories. Understanding ceramic's strengths, weaknesses, and how it compares to porcelain helps homeowners choose intelligently.

How ceramic tile is made

Ceramic tile is made from a clay-and-mineral mixture, formed into tile shapes, dried, and fired in a kiln at temperatures around 1800-2000°F (980-1100°C). Most ceramic tile is "glazed", a coating of glass-like material is applied to the surface before firing, which produces the colored, durable, water-resistant surface. The clay body underneath the glaze is typically called the "bisque" and is usually red, brown, or pale. The lower firing temperatures (compared to porcelain) produce a tile with greater porosity and lower density.

Ceramic vs porcelain, the critical distinction

These two are constantly confused but meaningfully different:

• Ceramic, fired at lower temperature (~1800°F); higher porosity (~3% water absorption); softer; cheaper; usually has different colored bisque vs glaze
• Porcelain, fired at higher temperature (~2200°F); much lower porosity (<0.5% water absorption); denser and harder; more expensive; often "through-body" (same color throughout, so chips don't show different color underneath)

For floors that get heavy use or wet floors, porcelain is the better choice. For lower-traffic walls and most bathrooms, ceramic is more than adequate.

Common ceramic tile types

• Glazed wall tile, the most common ceramic; thinner, decorative, not durable enough for floor use
• Glazed floor tile, thicker, more durable; rated for foot traffic
• Subway tile, 3×6 inch rectangular tile, originally for NYC subway stations; the most ubiquitous American tile
• Spanish encaustic-look ceramic, printed to look like encaustic cement tile; cheaper and less maintenance
• Mexican Talavera tile, hand-painted ceramic with colorful folk patterns
• Italian glossy ceramic, polished surface, often decorative
• Matte ceramic, non-shiny, more contemporary

Where ceramic works

• Bathroom walls, perfect for shower walls and bathroom walls generally
• Backsplashes, kitchens and bathrooms
• Decorative accent walls
• Fireplace surrounds
• Low-traffic bathroom floors

Where to use porcelain instead

• Kitchen floors and high-traffic areas
• Outdoor applications (freeze-thaw zones)
• Wet zones with heavy use
• Commercial-grade applications

PEI ratings, durability scale

The PEI (Porcelain Enamel Institute) rating measures tile abrasion resistance:

• PEI 0, wall use only
• PEI 1, bathroom floors with minimal foot traffic (slippers/bare feet only)
• PEI 2, general residential bathrooms
• PEI 3, most residential floors, light kitchens
• PEI 4, heavy residential, light commercial
• PEI 5, commercial / industrial grade

For kitchen and high-use floor tile, look for PEI 3 minimum.

Sizes and trends

Tile sizes have grown dramatically in the last 20 years:

• Mosaic (1×1, 2×2 inch), accent areas, decorative use
• Subway (3×6 inch), traditional and decorative; still the most common American kitchen backsplash
• Standard (12×12, 12×24 inch), traditional flooring
• Large format (24×24, 24×48 inch), current trend in modern flooring
• Very large format (32×48, 48×96 inch porcelain slabs), current high-end trend; minimizes grout lines

Large-format tiles reduce grout lines significantly, which makes rooms feel more seamless and modern.

Grout, the visible component

Grout color dramatically affects how tile reads:

• Matching grout, minimizes visual breaks between tiles; rooms feel more uniform
• Contrasting grout, emphasizes the tile pattern; reads more graphic
• White grout with white tile, clean, classic, but stains easily
• Gray grout with white tile, practical compromise; hides dirt while keeping crisp look
• Dark grout, modern, durable, hides dirt; pairs well with industrial styles

Cost

• Basic builder-grade ceramic: $1-5 per square foot
• Quality residential ceramic: $5-15 per square foot
• Premium designer ceramic: $15-40 per square foot
• Installation: $5-15 per square foot in materials and labor

Related materials

Ceramic tile sits in a family of tile and surface materials that includes porcelain (higher-fired version), terracotta (low-fired earthenware), encaustic cement tile (pattern-in-body cement), zellige (Moroccan glazed clay), natural stone tile (marble, slate, limestone), and large-format porcelain slabs (newer, used for countertops and walls).