The growth in market of polished porcelain tiles continues unabated. Industry experts predict the consumption of porcelain tiles alone to double in the next 10-15 years. Not only is the demand for hard tiles is growing, the trend for 'floor to ceiling' tiles is equally strong. Porcelain tile is also a very common trend in tile installation. There are many different styles of porcelain tiles on the market and they have proved to outperform ceramic tile in durability and looks. Countries like India, China, Italy, Spain and Turkey are the major producers of porcelain tile.

Porcelain tiles are glazed or unglazed ceramic tiles used for covering the surfaces of floors and walls and have very low water absorption rate (less than 0.5 percent). The hardness of the porcelain tile is rated from zero to five according to ISO 10545-7 standard for surface abrasion resistance of glazed tile. This rating determines the tiles suitability for various end use conditions.

Porcelain tiles are growing in popularity in both the domestic and commercial markets. Producers are now able to replicate a range of natural stones, finishes and designs but with the additional benefit of being durable, strong and easy to clean. Current production methods can produce porcelain to resemble marble, slate, limestone, granite, travertine and quartzite.

Below are the main reasons to prefer porcelain tile instead of other materials, for example, vinyl flooring.

• » With technological advances, it is now possible to produce larger tiles to provide an elegant and neat finish with simple lines and a contemporary and spacious feeling.
•  
• » Polished porcelain is perfect for bathrooms and showers because it is resistant to water penetration.
•  
• » Porcelain tiles are strong, long lasting, and they do not break easily and are resistant to scratching. The tile is a homogenous mix so damage just blends in.
•  
• » It may be used for outdoor construction jobs in colder countries as it is frost resistant.
• Once installed it is very low maintenance, easy to clean, resistant to mold grown, stains and bleaching and does not need sealing.
•  
• » Granite is generally considered as the hardest building material. However, it would be interesting to know that porcelain tiles are 25% stronger than granite.