Unglazed Porcelain Tile Vs Glazed

A matter of form and function.

Unglazed porcelain tile vs glazed.

Unglazed tiles tend to be denser and thicker than glazed tiles and because of their unfinished exteriors they tend to be a great choice if you re looking for a slip resistant surface in an area like a laundry room or kitchen where the tile is likely to be subjected to high amounts of moisture. The glass is what makes glazed tiles so highly moisture and stain resistant and what gives them their colour. This gives unglazed tiles an earthy natural appearance. Porcelain tile virtually always receives a surface glazing treatment a coating of liquified glass material while some forms of ceramic tile are left unglazed.

Porcelain tile has it all over the ceramic tile since the color goes all the way through the tile. Thus it s necessary to apply a protective sealant to unglazed tiles which will require re coating from time to time. If you are working with new tiles you can easily tell if a porcelain tile is glazed or not by looking at the side of the tile or the underside. Explore unglazed porcelain floor tiles range.

Glazed tiles by comparison will remain non absorbent for a lifetime. This is why unglazed tiles are preferable in particularly high traffic areas. As unglazed tiles have no liquid glass protective coating they will absorb liquid which will lead to staining. This is one of the reasons why they are a better choice in certain situations.

Unglazed ceramic tiles while not as stain resistant as glazed tiles are not as slippery. Even a matte finish ceramic tile has glaze on it and can get slippery. As a rule porcelain tile is more impervious than ceramic tile and is thus subject to less water infiltration. In this way the basic difference between the glazed tiles and unglazed tiles is the coating on them.

While many glazed tiles are glazed in a color that matches the underlying tile in order to prevent these problems any patterns on the tiles will not appear below the glazed layer so if the glaze is chipped or worn off the pattern will be ruined. Unglazed tiles whether they are made from porcelain or ceramic get their color either from the minerals found in the clay they are made of or by adding pigments in it. Understanding the different tiles available and how the manufacturing process impacts. Whilst unglazed porcelain wins in terms of durability and aesthetics it s often more expensive than glazed porcelain.

Yes a glazed tile will definitely get slippery when wet. Choosing the right tile for a project is all about. Unglazed floor tiles specialist unglazed matt porcelain floor tiles are often selected for commercial spaces which expect heavy. You can stretch your budget further by putting unglazed porcelain in moisture prone areas and on high traffic floors and reserving glazed porcelain for walls.

Commercial vs residential use.