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Porcelain: What is it and why you need it in your home or business

Though the uses of porcelain in home decor seems to be trending in 2017, the fact is that people have been using and enjoying porcelain for at least 2000 years. Porcelain is not only beautiful, but surprisingly tough and easy to maintain. It gets both its good looks and durability from the clay it’s formed out of being fired at extremely high temperatures. These high temperatures make it non-porous, glossy and able to be put to many uses around the home.

Floors

Waterproof porcelain tiles make excellent flooring in kitchens, laundry rooms and bathrooms. Nowadays, they can be made to resemble stone, concrete, wood or even metal. Because porcelain tile is nonporous, it does not have to be sealed against stains. Many homeowners are worried about porcelain tile floors being slippery, but they don’t need to be. Besides mats being placed on the floor, the tiles themselves can be textured to give feet a firm purchase. Ribbed porcelain tiles are said to feel especially good to walk on.

Because porcelain is as durable as it is, it can also be used as floors for patios and outdoor spaces.

Walls

Unlike natural stone, porcelain tiles are easily rectified, which means a batch of tiles can be made the same thickness. This is good news if a homeowner wants to apply porcelain tiles to a wall. Wall tiles do not have to be as tough as floor tiles and can be fairly thin. This allows them to be applied with thinset as opposed to the more expensive mudset.

Countertops and Vanities

Porcelain countertops and vanities not only bear up under the hard work these surfaces do, but give the room a degree of elegance that simply can’t be imparted by a material like engineered stone. Porcelain backsplashes can be made to match or complement the colors, patterns and textures of the floors or the walls.