Porcelain Tiles Or Natural Stone – What’s the Difference?
Natural stone tiles come in a vast number of material types, colours, sizes and thickness. All natural products used internally and especially if in bathrooms and kitchens will require sealing. Natural products will, if left untreated, absorb liquids and marks from dirt and footwear that can be very difficult if not impossible to remove.
Having spent a considerable amount of money buying the tiles and then having them fit, the last thing you will want is to have their beautiful appearance ruined. How often will the tiles need maintenance? This is not a straightforward question to answer as different materials have different requirements. Some are more absorbent than others, some are harder and more resistant to marking. The only thing you can say for sure is that there will always be maintenance required. Factors that will have an influence are the type of material, the colour and the areas they are used in. Natural tiles used in areas that have direct access to the outside for instance will need more frequent maintenance than those say in a bathroom where external footwear is not worn. Natural tiles in areas that such as kitchens, where the likelihood of spillages is greater and access from the outside is usually the norm are going to be the areas where maintenance will be more frequently required.
Another factor to consider is whether the tiles are formatted or not. In this context the format of the tile relates to the physical dimensions of it. Many natural products may not be formatted and will give tolerances for thickness for instance. They may conform to a range of say 20mm to 40mm. This variation in thickness will mean that the fitting of the product is more difficult, may require a deeper bed of adhesive for instance and will be more costly to fit than porcelain tiles.
Porcelain tiles are virtually maintenance free, in most cases are fully vitrified (don’t absorb liquids) and are always formatted. However it is best to remember the old adage “You get what you pay for” not all tiles are of the same quality, although you shouldn’t go far wrong with Spanish or Italian manufactured products. Porcelain is tremendously tough and much more hard-wearing than many natural stones. The calibre of the tiles can vary from batch to batch, as can shade, so you always ensure you have enough to complete your project from the outset. You may not be able to get tiles from the same batch if you need to order more. You should always inquire about the maintenance and format of floor tiles or indeed tiles for any use, before you buy, so that you fully understand the implications of choosing a particular type of tile.
For more information and design ideas please visit http://www.tileidea.co.uk, where you can view online video footage and photo galleries showing real installations of porcelain and ceramic bathroom tiles, floor tiles and wall tiles.
