Differences between stoneware and porcelain

What is the difference between a stoneware tile and a porcelain tile? 

In this article we will try to clarify some doubts about what type of material is more suitable for what areas, the resistance of each of them, the price, the quality and the general characteristics. 

The first thing we should indicate is that today it is not easy to find a wide variety of stoneware tiles. Tile brands show us that most of the products in their catalogs are porcelain. This is due to a series of advantages that we will discuss in this article. 

Porcelain models are manufactured with a much more refined and purified clay than stoneware, which guarantees superior strength and almost non-existent water absorption (<0.5%). This is the first of the advantages that porcelain has over stoneware. Although the stoneware has been the star product for decades in the rehabilitation of the home, this made the porcelain materials were gaining ground especially in outdoor areas exposed to water. 

It is true that for interior both a product and another are equally valid, and it is in the areas of exterior or commercial premises with high traffic where we find a great difference in resistance and easy maintenance between a stoneware and a porcelain.

he main advantages of porcelain are: the great hardness and durability of the material, the low water absorption, the versatility of its models. This versatility implies that with porcelain models we can achieve almost any designs, textures and formats that would not be possible with stoneware. Porcelain factories manage to capture any aspect of their pieces: wood imitations, stone textures, cementitious finishes or marble imitations ... 

One of the disadvantages that we can highlight from porcelain materials is that being such a resistant material makes it difficult to cut or perforate the tiles. On occasions when such hardness is not required, it may be preferable to place another type of material, such as stoneware or a red-paste or white-paste ceramic. The high resistance of the porcelain tile can make it difficult for us to cut the tiles or perforate when installing a bathroom element, such as shower screens or bathroom furniture. 

The advantages of stoneware, or almost the only advantage, is the price. It is true that stoneware tiles have a cheaper price. And not only the price of the tile itself, but the necessary gripping material is also cheaper. Therefore this will lower the workforce.

Although before the price difference between a stoneware and a porcelain tile was very high, now the prices of porcelain tiles are getting cheaper. The growth of the offer of this type of product and the competition between brands has forced price adjustments, being already a much more affordable product for the consumer. 

Hopefully this post will provide useful information for the decision of your purchase.