Ceramic vs Porcelain Tiles: How to Decide Which is Best for Your Renovation

Ceramic vs Porcelain Tiles: How to Decide Which is Best for Your Renovation

So you’re kicking off a renovation project at home and thinking about using ceramic or porcelain tiles. They often look so similar that it’s easy to think they’re identical. The truth is, while they come from the same “family,” they’re less like twins and more like close cousins — with some very practical differences that matter depending on where and how you’re planning to use them.

Understanding these differences will help you pick the best tile for your needs — saving you hassle (and possibly money) in the long run.

Ceramic Tiles

Where they shine:
Ceramic tiles are extremely popular for walls, backsplashes, and light-traffic floors, often in kitchens and bathrooms. They’re crafted from a mixture of natural clay and water, fired at a slightly lower temperature than porcelain. This makes them a bit softer and easier to cut, which is great if you’re planning custom patterns or shapes.

Why people love them:
✅ Endless design variety: Ceramic tiles come in an incredible range of colours, patterns, textures, and sizes. If you’re after a striking contemporary look or a playful mosaic, ceramic usually has more options.
✅ Easier on your budget: Generally more affordable than porcelain.
✅ Easier to install: Because they’re softer and less dense, ceramic tiles are simpler to cut, drill, or shape on-site.

A few watch outs:
Ceramic tiles are more porous than porcelain, even if only by a fractional margin. This means they’re slightly more prone to absorbing water or staining if left unsealed, which makes them better suited for indoor walls and low-traffic floors rather than heavy-duty wet or outdoor areas.

Porcelain Tiles

What makes them different:
Porcelain is actually a type of ceramic — but it’s made from finer, denser clay mixed with sand and feldspar, fired at much higher temperatures. This process results in a tile that’s harder, less porous, and extremely durable.

Where they work best:
✅ Wet and outdoor areas: Because porcelain is less porous, it absorbs far less water (often under 0.5%), making it the gold standard for bathrooms, showers, pool surrounds, patios, and outdoor entertainment spaces.
✅ High traffic zones: Porcelain tiles stand up superbly to scuffs, heavy furniture, and foot traffic.
✅ Floors: Especially if you’re worried about cracks under weight.

Other benefits:

• Available in glazed or unglazed varieties. Glazed porcelain offers colour and pattern on top, while unglazed (often through-bodied) carries the colour throughout the tile — so chips are less noticeable.

• Excellent for replicating natural stone, wood or concrete looks with surprising realism.

Things to keep in mind:

• Typically more expensive than ceramic, though this often balances out given their longevity.

• Because they’re denser and harder, porcelain tiles are also more brittle during installation. They can be tougher to cut and shape, requiring quality tools (and sometimes a professional installer if your design is intricate).

How to Decide: Other Factors to Consider

Still torn? Here are a few quick decision pointers:

• For wet rooms (like showers and bathrooms) or anywhere exposed to outdoor weather, porcelain is generally the smarter long-term choice.

• For walls, backsplashes, or feature installations where you want playful patterns or colours and don’t expect heavy moisture, ceramic is ideal (and more budget-friendly).

• For floors, especially high-traffic hallways, living areas, or family bathrooms, porcelain wins due to its superior toughness.

Finding High-Quality Ceramic & Porcelain Tiles

At Bella Bathrooms, we’re proud to offer an extensive range of both ceramic and porcelain tiles — with options in matt, polished, satin, slip-resistant and even textured finishes. Whether you’re styling a boutique bathroom, a show-stopping kitchen, or a luxurious outdoor patio, we’ll help you find tiles that are perfectly tailored to your design vision and your practical needs.

With over 15 years of expertise, we’re more than just a tile supplier — we’re here to guide you on everything from tile patterns and grout lines to best practices for installation.

Ready to Start?

Explore our full collection of ceramic and porcelain tiles online or visit us in-store. If you need a hand deciding, our team would love to chat — and help you design a space that’s exactly right for your family.

✅ Want personalized tile recommendations?
Get in touch with Bella Bathrooms today. We'll help you create a space that’s as durable as it is beautiful.