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Porcelain Tile Flooring

Choosing the perfect flooring for your home can be a daunting task. Not only are there numerous materials available for home flooring, but the designs and patterns in each type can leave you mesmerized. Porcelain tile flooring is one such flooring option which not only looks amazingly beautiful but has myriad other advantages. It hardly looks any different from ceramic tile flooring. However, in the hindsight, porcelain flooring has far more advantages than ceramic tile flooring. Let us discuss this magnificent flooring option in more detail.

Porcelain Tile Grades
Porcelain tile flooring is manufactured from clay, crushed stone and other materials. These materials are heated in a furnace at very high temperatures. Firing of porcelain at such high temperatures makes it rock hard and impervious to water. Ceramic flooring is manufactured in similar way, except at lower temperatures. Depending upon the degree of heating, porcelain is classified in grades zero to five. Grade zero refers to lower heating temperatures and less imperviousness to water. Grade five is the finest quality porcelain manufactured at highest temperature. It has maximum hardness and is most impervious to water. 

Applications
As mentioned above, porcelain flooring is available in various grades according to their hardness and water resisting ability. Each of these grades of porcelain flooring has its own applications. For instance, low-grade porcelain tiles can be used for bathroom walls while higher grade versions are used for flooring purposes. The finest grade porcelain is used for outdoor applications as it can withstand inclement weather as well as heavy traffic. Apart from flooring, porcelain tiles can also be used for countertops as they are extremely chip resistant. Porcelain is available in glazed as well as unglazed versions. You can choose any of the two according to your purpose. Glazed version has better water resistivity, hence is apt for bathroom flooring.

Maintenance
Cleaning porcelain floor tiles is very easy. Since it is almost non-porous, liquids do not seep in it. As a result, there is no staining. Besides, the accumulated grime and debris can be removed simply by vacuuming or dusting. Regular damp mopping with an all purpose cleaner or any floor cleaning agent, is all what you need to keep your porcelain flooring shining for years. Due to its hardness, porcelain flooring can last for years without any major maintenance. Unlike other tiles, porcelain tiles are full bodied tiles, meaning, the color of the tile extends throughout the tile and not just on its surface. Due to this, the color of the tile does not fade easily. Thus, you can enjoy your beautiful flooring for years to come. 

Pros and Cons
Porcelain tile flooring certainly outperforms other flooring options. Implementing various design ideas becomes very easy due to the variety in colors and patterns. Ease of maintenance and cleaning is another big advantage of this flooring. Besides, its installation is as easy as any other flooring type. If you have installed ceramic tiles yourself, porcelain tile installation shouldn't be a problem for you. Durability and sturdiness are some other reasons that make it a favorite home flooring choice. The only things that go against porcelain flooring are its high cost and grout cleaning. Porcelain is a pricey home flooring option, hence, many budget conscious homeowners may shy away from it. Similarly, the grout between the tiles tends to get dirtier with use and can mar the beauty of your porcelain flooring. Cleaning this grout is one daunting task which many homeowners are wary of. 

Nonetheless, porcelain tile flooring is still the finest flooring option you can have for your home. It is indeed a beautiful and lasting addition to your home. Its initial high cost can pay for itself in the long run, in terms of low maintenance cost and high resale value for your home.