Porcelain and Ceramic Tile
Porcelain and ceramic tiles are man-made products. The difference between porcelain tile and ceramic tile is determined by water absorption. Porcelain tile has less than 0.5% water absorption. Ceramic tile has more than 0.5% water absorption. The difference in water absorption is created by the difference in temperature during the tile creation process. Ceramic is fired at 700 degrees Celsius, whereas porcelain is fired at 1200 degrees Celsius.
Porcelain and ceramic tiles have patterns printed on them using various printing processes. In the screen printing process, each tile looks exactly the same. With roto printing and digital/ink jet printing, the look of each tile varies, thus imitating the look of authentic natural stone.
