About porcelain tiles

Porcelain tiles are ceramic tiles with a water absorption rate of less than 0.5 percent that are used to cover floors and walls. They can either be unglazed or glazed. The hardness of the tile is rated from zero to five according to the ASTM C1027 (or ISO 10545-7) test for surface abrasion resistance of glazed tile. This rating, (sometimes mistakenly called the PEI rating) determines the tiles suitability for various end use conditions.

Large scale production of porcelain tile is undertaken in many countries, including the United States, China, Italy, Bulgaria, Turkey and Spain.

One of the latest practices for porcelain tiles, especially in restrooms, is to coat them with ultra-durable, water-based urethane. This can greatly enhance the appearance of the tile, while also providing a complete seal over the tile and grout surface making it very easy to keep clean and protected from penetrating stains and odor-causing bacteria.