Is Ceramic Or Porcelain Tile Better For Showers

Glazed porcelain tile is the best for a shower.

Is ceramic or porcelain tile better for showers.

However poorly maintained or installed shower grout notoriously falls apart or rots when exposed to water. Ceramic is a popular tile choice for many residential uses. If you prefer your toes toasty warm either ceramic or porcelain are great options because both are rated for in floor heating. No neither porcelain nor ceramic is inherently better than the other for bathrooms and showers.

However there are other considerations. Ceramic tile generally is the less expensive option with average prices ranging from 2 to 7 per square foot. This includes all bathroom flooring showers tubs walls and backsplash areas. Ceramic tiles are kiln fired at a lower temperature than porcelain tiles making them less dense softer and more porous.

Simply check the tile s recommended applications to see if it will work for your intended use. Porcelain tile has excellent resistance to heat making it a good choice for countertop surfaces. Resistance to water is perhaps the biggest factor in the ceramic tile vs. And because of the high volume of grout required for tile showers rotting grout only increases the likelihood of leaks.

They can also be very slick which is why you always need to pay close attention to the surface texture and size. Porcelain tile is denser heavier and more impervious to water and thus is a better choice than ceramic tile for outdoor locations although outdoor use is recommended only in mild climates. That price difference is offset somewhat by the fact that porcelain tends to outlast ceramic. The answer is porcelain tile.

Porcelain tile is slightly higher at an average of 3 to 10 per square foot. Ceramic tile is more porous and therefore has a higher water absorption rate. That said there s nothing wrong with using a glazed conventional ceramic tile either. Porcelain tiles are the preferred choice in showers for one reason.

For a porcelain tile shower grout is an absolute necessity to prevent water leakage. Although there are slip resistant ceramic tiles on the market they re always more porous than porcelain. Ceramic tiles have been used in shower stalls for decades and they are a popular choice for flooring as well. The only way it make a difference is that porcelain is nonabsorbtive so it ll shed water much better and dry out quicker.

The best flooring for bathrooms is ceramic which should come as no surprise.