Porcelain vs ceramic
When the box is unclear, check water absorption: porcelain is typically ≤0.5%. If a “ceramic look” is floor-rated porcelain, buy it — looks are marketing, density is performance.
- Porcelain: denser, lower water absorption — best for floors and outdoors
- Ceramic: fine for light residential floors; verify floor-rated
- Glazed porcelain: easy clean; through-body hides chips better on unglazed edge
PEI wear rating (glazed tile)
Unglazed or through-body porcelain may not use PEI the same way — rely on the manufacturer’s floor rating and abrasion claims for those products.
- PEI 3: residential floor, light traffic
- PEI 4: general residential including kitchen
- PEI 5: heavy traffic commercial — overkill at home but durable
Slip and size
Bath and entry: look for DCOF ≥ 0.42 wet or textured surface. Large format (12×24, 24×24) means fewer grout lines but demands flatter subfloor and more waste.
Polished tile in a wet bath is a slip hazard even when it photographs well. Matte or structured surfaces are safer for kids and pets.
Kitchen vs bathroom tile picks
Enter tile dimensions in the tile calculator with 15–20% waste for diagonal or large-format layouts.
- Bathroom floor: textured porcelain, PEI 4+, smaller formats for slope areas
- Kitchen: PEI 4 porcelain; large format OK if subfloor flat
- Shower wall tile ≠ shower floor tile — floor needs slip rating
- Natural stone: seal regularly; higher maintenance than porcelain
Grout color and maintenance
Mid-tone grout hides stains better than pure white in kitchens. Epoxy grout costs more and resists staining in heavy-use floors; cement grout needs sealing. Plan grout joint width from the tile rectification rating — rectified tile allows tighter joints.
Order 10–15% extra tile from the same shade lot for future repairs. Dye lots shift between production runs.