Ceramic and porcelain tile

Ceramic and porcelain tiles are surface finishes made by pressing clay and mineral mixes and firing them at high temperature. They are the go-to material for bathrooms, kitchens, balconies and terraces, wherever water and dirt are part of daily life, and large formats are now widely used in living rooms and commercial spaces too.

Ceramic versus porcelain

Both come from the same family, but porcelain tile is made from more finely ground raw material and fired at a higher temperature. That makes it denser, harder and very low in water absorption. It copes better with frost outdoors and with wear in busy areas. Ceramic tile has a more porous body, so it is lighter and easier to cut, and it is a common choice for interior walls.

Porcelain can be glazed or unglazed (full body). In full-body tiles the color and pattern run through the whole thickness, so scratches barely show. Rectified tiles, with precisely ground edges, can be laid with very thin joints.

Choosing and laying

Slip resistance on floors, frost resistance outdoors, and weight and size on walls are the deciding factors. Large-format slabs reduce joints and give a calm surface, but they need a very flat substrate and careful workmanship. The tile layout should be planned from a starting point so that cut pieces end up where they will not catch the eye.

In renders, believable tiles come down to correctly sized grout lines, surface gloss and small tonal differences between tiles. For practical advice on these details in bathroom scenes, see bathroom rendering tips.