The answer I give usually is a question. Where are you installing? Floor? Wall? Backsplash? Patio?

People have no idea what ceramic tile to use on a wall, floor or outside patio. Customer enjoy it when a person explains what tile to use for their design projects.

Helping someone make a decision that will put their mind at ease and knowing they have made a good selection of ceramic tile for their design project is a very rewarding experience for me .

Porcelain tile has been the "in thing" over the last few years. That is all well and good if by looking at a ceramic tile we could tell the difference between a porcelain or non-porcelain tile. The general assumption is if the tile is not a porcelain, it is called a ceramic tile. That assumption is correct.

Ceramic tiles are made from red clay and some from white clay. Red body tiles are easy to identify, where as white body tile are almost impossible to tell if it is porcelain or not.

Here is where the word of the tile manufacturer comes into play. Reputable tile manufacturers mark the tile boxes "porcelain" if they are porcelain.

The better ones, such as Dal-tile(R), Marazzi(R), Crossville(R), Porcelanosa(R), Emser(R) to name a few, label their tile porcelain if they are and ceramic if the tile is non-porcelain.

Porcelain tiles have a much lower water absorption rate than a ceramic tile. This is because they very dense. These tile are baked at temperatures from 1800 degrees for a surface colorered tile to 2200 degrees for a color through or thru body tile. Thru body procelains have the same color from front to back, thus a chip will not show as much as a tile that has only a surface coloring.

Procelain tiles can be used outside in climates where the temperatures get below 32 degrees. They are called frost resistent.

The density of a porcelain tile makes it suitable for residental and light commercial use. It is great to use on a patio that is exposed to the elements. Water will not damage it.

Ceramic and porcelain tiles are wear rated by the Porcelain Enamel Institute (PEI). This system of rating tiles is approved by the American Society of Testing and Materials (ATSM).

They are as follows:

PEI 1 Rating (Not hard enough to walk on) Use on walls only.

PEI 2 Rating (Light traffic) Use on wall and bathroom floors only. A word of caution. the larger the tile, 6x6 8x8 on the floor may crack with prolonged foot traffic.

PEI 3 Rating (Light to moderate traffic) Use on kitchen and bath countertops, walls and floors where foot traffic is not heavy. (Residental)

PEI 4 Rating (Moderate to heavy traffic) Use in residental, medium commercial and light institutional.

PEI 5 Rating (Heavy to very heavy traffic) Use in all residential plus heavy commercial (malls, airports) and institutional application. (prisions).

Porcelain tiles, with a PEI 5 rating means they are very resistant to chipping or cracking.

Ceramic and porcelain tiles add value to a residential property. The investment in tile in a home, will greatly add to the asking price for a home when it is sold.

One of the best benefits for a homeowner is the low cost of maintaining tile floors. Ease of care with tile assures a homeowner of a relaxed lifestyle.