Choosing the right flooring for your home, hotel or commercial space is a critical decision that involves balancing aesthetic appeal, durability, and functionality. Porcelain floor tiles are often the preferred choice for many home owners due to their exceptional durability, ease of maintenance, and resistance to stains and scratches. While tiles are being produced in many countries across the world, China has become one of the leading manufacturing hubs for tiles of all kinds. In another blog post we discussed all general details about tiles, such as the difference between porcelain and ceramic tiles, and where to buy them. If you have missed this article, you can find it here.
In this article we want to take a closer look at porcelain tiles, and the different types of tile bodies and tile glazings. We have structures this article in 5 parts, to cover all the main types of porcelain tiles. We are going from high quality to lower quality:
- The Full Body Porcelain Tile
- Glazed Porcelain Tile with Colored Body
- Glazed Porcelain Tile with White Body
- Double-Charge Tile
- Soluble-Salt Tile
Before we dive into the different types of porcelain tiles, let's very briefly review the general benefits of porcelain tiles. Porcelain tiles are a type of ceramic tile crafted from kiln-fired clay that is heated at extremely high temperatures. This process creates a dense, hard, and highly durable material that is known for its low porosity and water resistance. Porcelain tiles are exceptionally versatile and are available in a wide variety of designs, colors, and patterns to suit different styles and preferences. Whether you want a contemporary, classic, or rustic look, these quality tiles provide a wide range of aesthetic possibilities, making them suitable for both interior and exterior spaces.
Porcelain tiles offer numerous benefits that make them a popular choice for both residential and commercial applications:
- Durability: Porcelain tiles are incredibly durable tiles and can withstand high traffic without showing significant signs of wear and tear. This makes them ideal for both residential areas, such as hallways and kitchens, and commercial environments like shopping centers and office spaces.
- Ease of Maintenance: One of the key advantages of porcelain tiles is their ease of maintenance. They require minimal cleaning; regular sweeping and occasional mopping are usually sufficient to keep them looking pristine. This low-maintenance quality makes them an excellent choice for busy households or commercial spaces.
- Stain and Scratch Resistance: Porcelain tiles are highly resistant to stains and scratches, which helps them retain their original appearance over time. Their non-porous surface prevents liquids from penetrating, making spills and stains easy to clean. Additionally, their hard surface resists scratches from everyday wear, ensuring longevity and durability.
The Full Body Porcelain Tile
Full-body tile, which is also known as unglazed, through-body, or technical tile, is the most durable and long-lasting type of tile that can be made. Full-body tiles are different from other types of tiles because their design is based on the whole tile, not just the surface layers. The color and pattern are not just on the surface; they are consistent all the way through the tile body. This is because the process of making the tile starts with mixing natural clays and coloring pigments. So, if a full-body tile got a chip, scratch, or wear over decades of heavy use, the new surface would show the same color and texture, making the damage almost invisible. This natural strength makes it the strongest option and the clear choice for tough places like airports, shopping malls, and factories. This tile option is more expensive because of the long and complicated manufacturing process, but it is the strongest and most durable tile type, so it lasts longer than any other type.
Composition of Full Body Tiles
The composition and manufacturing process of full-body porcelain tiles are different from those of glazed tiles. Mineral deposits and natural clays create these tiles without the use of a glaze. The color and pattern are uniform throughout the tile's body, which is made of a single, homogenous material. Natural mineral deposits or color pigments mixed into the clay prior to firing are used to achieve this consistency.
Appearance and Durability
Full-body porcelain tiles are renowned for their remarkable durability and earthy, organic look. Unlike glazed tiles, where damage to the surface coating can reveal a different color underneath, chips or scratches are less noticeable because the color is consistent throughout the tile's thickness. Compared to glazed tiles, full-body tiles are typically denser and thicker, providing better resistance to abrasion and impact. Additionally, their high level of slip resistance makes them the perfect option for locations that need a non-slip surface, like restrooms, wet rooms, patios, and commercial spaces with lots of foot traffic.
Maintenance and Stain Resistance
Although full-body porcelain tiles are incredibly resilient, their lack of a protective surface coating can make them more susceptible to discoloration than glazed tiles. Over time, stains may result from the unglazed material's natural pores absorbing liquids. Full-body tiles frequently need to have a protective sealant applied in order to combat this. Although this sealant adds an extra layer of defense, it must exceptional slip resistance, a natural look, and high durability.
Glazed Porcelain Tile with Colored Body
Glazed color-body tile is the best hybrid because it combines the design flexibility of a regular glazed tile with the strength and durability of a full-body tile. The process of making these tiles starts out the same way as making regular glazed tiles: a layer of glaze is put on the surface to make the design, pattern, and color that are wanted. The most important difference, though, is in the tile body itself. For a glazed color-body tile, the clay bisque is mixed with pigments that are carefully chosen to match the main color of the glaze on the surface. The tile has a surface design and a body underneath that are similar in color. This careful design has a big practical benefit: if there is a deep scratch or chip that goes through the top glaze, the exposed tile body will blend in with the surface, making the damage much less noticeable. This feature makes it more durable and gives you peace of mind, which makes it a great choice for high-traffic areas where wear and tear is a concern but you still want the look of a digital print.
The Glazing Process
The glazing process for glazed porcelain tiles is different from that of other types of tiles. Before the last firing in the kiln, a liquid glass or enamel coating is put on the tile's surface. This is called glazing. Depending on the look you want, this coating can be shiny or dull. The glaze bonds with the tile during the kiln firing process, making a protective layer that makes the tile look better and protects it from stains and moisture.
Design and Appearance
One of the best things about glazed porcelain tiles is that they come in a lot of different styles. With modern technology, especially digital inkjet printing, it's possible to make detailed designs on the surface of glazed tiles. This technology can make things look like different materials, like natural stone, wood, or even fabric. This gives you a lot of options for modern design styles. It is important to remember, though, that the design is only on the top layer of the tile, which may wear off in areas with a lot of foot traffic.
Maintenance and Stain Resistance
Because their surface is non-porous, glazed porcelain tiles are very resistant to stains. The liquid glass coating keeps liquids from getting into the tile, which makes it easy to clean up spills and lowers the risk of staining. Because of this, glazed tiles are great for places where cleanliness and hygiene are very important, like kitchens and bathrooms. Also, glazed tiles don't need much care—just sweeping them every now and then and mopping them every now and then are usually enough to keep them looking good.
Glazed Porcelain Tile with White Body
Glazed white body tiles are probably the most common and versatile type of tile. Modern production methods make it possible to make almost any design you can think of. The fundamental process involves applying a thin, waterproof layer of liquid glass, or glaze, on the surface of a ceramic or porcelain tile body before it is fired. This glaze serves multiple purposes: it gives the tile its final color, pattern, and texture, and it also seals the surface, making it non-porous, stain-resistant, and easy to clean.
Composition
The core of a glazed porcelain tile with a white body is usually made of a light-colored porcelain clay mixture, which is often white or off-white. This is the base layer that the decorative glaze will be put on. The body itself is thick and strong, but its main job is to hold the complex designs and protective finish of the glaze in place.
Appearance and Durability
The surface of glazed white-body porcelain tiles is what makes them so special. In the past, glazes were simpler, but high-definition digital inkjet printing has changed the way things are made today. This advanced method works a lot like a high-end office printer. It can print directly onto the tile's surface complex, high-resolution images, photorealistic patterns, and subtle color gradations. This makes it possible to accurately copy natural materials like marble, wood, and stone, giving customers a huge range of aesthetic options to perfectly match any design vision, from simple solid colors to complex mosaics. The only difference between the glazed tiles with colored bodies and those with white bodies is that if the tile surface chips or cracks, the underlying white clay becomes visible, making fractures or cracks more noticeable.
Maintenance and Stain Resistance
People love glazed porcelain tiles because they are so easy to clean and don't stain easily. The glaze makes the surface smooth and glassy, which keeps dirt, stains, and liquids from getting into the tile body. This makes it very easy to clean up spills; all you have to do is sweep and mop once in a while to keep them looking great. Because they don't absorb moisture, they are also very clean and don't let mold and mildew grow. This is why they are a popular choice for kitchens, bathrooms, and other places where cleanliness is very important. They don't need any sealing, unlike full-body tiles, which makes them a very low-maintenance flooring option.
Double-Charge Tile
Double-charge tiles, which are also called double-loaded tiles, are a smart new idea in the making of vitrified tile manufacturing that prioritizes durability and cost-effectiveness. This type of tile is becoming less common as digital glazed tiles take over production lines, but they are still worth considering for flooring projects on a budget.
Composition
The double-charge manufacturing process starts with putting two layers of raw materials under a lot of pressure and then firing them together in a kiln. The base layer is a normal clay mix that gives the tile body most of its weight and strength. The top layer, which is usually 3 to 4 millimeters thick, is made of a fine mix of clay and color pigments.
This top layer makes the tile's pattern and color stand out while using less pigment than a full-body tile. It also makes the surface design and wear layer. The end product is a strong tile that can handle a lot of foot traffic and costs less to make.
Appearance and Durability
The top layer of a double-charge tile is very thick, usually between 3 and 4 millimeters. This gives the tile an impressive wear layer that can withstand significant foot traffic. From the side, you can see the line between the two fused tile layers. Double-charge tiles don't have the detailed digital prints that glazed tiles do, but they do have subtle patterns, speckled designs, or solid colors made by mixing different colored powders in the top layer. Their appearance is generally more uniform and less prone to showing wear, similar to full-body tiles, because the color and pattern run through the significant top layer. This makes them highly resistant to abrasion and suitable for commercial applications where a durable and consistent appearance is required without the premium cost of full-body tiles.
Maintenance and Stain Resistance
The surface of double-charge tiles is hard and vitrified, which makes them naturally resistant to stains, scratches, and spills. Because of their low porosity, liquids don't easily seep in, which makes cleaning easy. Regularly sweeping and mopping them with a mild detergent every now and then are usually enough.
One practical advantage about double-charge tile is that they don't need to be sealed like unglazed full-body tiles do. Their strong top layer makes them last a long time without needing extra care, so they're a smart, fuss-free choice for places that need strong flooring at a good price.
Soluble-Salt Tile
Soluble-salt tiles are still the most popular for residential and light commercial projects that need to look good and be affordable. They look shiny and are much cheaper than high-end tiles, but they have their pros and cons.
Composition
Soluble-salt tiles are unique because the design is put into the tile's surface before firing. A design template is put on top of the unfired tile body, and then a solution with water-soluble metallic salts is sprayed on top of it, similar to how screen printing works. This liquid solution penetrates the substrate and infiltrates approximately 1 to 2 millimeters into the clay body. When the kiln is very hot, these salts react and melt, forming a strong, pre-determined pattern that becomes a permanent part of the tile's surface. Standard porcelain typically forms the tile body, providing a foundation for the added design.
Appearance and Durability
The surface of soluble-salt tiles is usually polished, which gives them a sleek, shiny look that enhances their simple yet elegant patterns. They are often used to mimic light marble or soft stone, which is ideal for living rooms, bedrooms, hallways, and light commercial spaces.
Because the pattern only goes through a thin layer, heavy wear and scratches can eventually dull the surface or wear away the design in areas with a lot of foot traffic. For this reason, soluble-salt tiles are better for places with light to moderate foot traffic than for busy commercial areas.
Maintenance and Stain Resistance
One reason people like to use soluble-salt tiles in budget builds is that they have a polished finish, which helps keep them clean and stain-free. Their surface is fairly smooth, so they stay clean and shiny with regular sweeping and mopping.
Soluble-salt tiles, on the other hand, may be more porous than fully vitrified or glazed tiles and may soak up moisture or stains over time, especially if the polished surface wears down. In places where spills are likely, it's best to use a surface sealant to protect against stains. You should also reapply it every so often to keep the surface looking shiny and strong.
Installation and Maintenance Tips
- Professional installation: If you want the best results, hire a professional to install your tiles, especially if they are large or outside.
- Regular cleaning: To get rid of dirt that can scratch the surface, sweep or vacuum often.
- Use neutral cleaners: Use cleaners that aren't acidic or abrasive, as these can dull or damage the tile
- Grout care: To keep it from changing color, clean the grout lines often and seal them.
- Address spills quickly: Porcelain doesn't stain easily, but cleaning up spills right away keeps your floor clean.
Why Source Porcelain Tiles from China?
China is still a major player in tile production for a number of reasons:
- Cost-Effectiveness: The cost of production can be much lower than in many other countries, so prices are often competitive.
- Vast Manufacturing Capacity: China can meet large volume demands because it has hundreds of suppliers and produces a lot of goods every day (some exceeding 25,000 square meters).
- Advances in technology: Chinese manufacturers are continually investing in advanced machinery and digital printing technologies, which lets them make a wide range of designs, sizes, and finishes that are on par with the best in the world.
- Diverse Product Range: China has an unmatched selection of products, from full-body technical tiles for heavy commercial use to intricately digitally printed glazed tiles for home decor.
Key Tile Production Regions
It's important to know the main production centers when thinking about sourcing:
- Foshan, Guangdong: Often called the "tile capital of the world," Foshan is the undisputed epicenter of ceramic and porcelain tile production in China. It is home to hundreds of manufacturers, from big companies to small.
- Zibo, Shandong: Known for affordable glazed polished tiles.
- Fujian and Jiangxi Provinces: These provinces also have growing tile industries, which often get cheaper land and energy.
Finding Reliable Chinese Tile Suppliers
Finding the right partner is essential when dealing with thousands of suppliers. Here are some of the proven methods:
- Online B2B Marketplaces: Many Chinese tile suppliers can be found on sites like Alibaba.com and Made-in-China.com. These platforms protect buyers by letting them filter results, verify suppliers (for example, "Audited Supplier" or "Diamond Member"), and offer trade assurance services.
- Trade Fairs: Going to significant trade fairs in China is a great way to meet manufacturers, check the quality of their products, and make deals. Some of the most important fairs are:
- The Canton Fair, also known as the China Import and Export Fair, is a big trade show that happens several times a year in Guangzhou. It has a lot of different products, including building materials.
- The Ceramics China Fair is a trade show just for ceramics that takes place in Foshan
- Rooftile China: This is another event that focuses on roofing tiles, but it is also important for the tile industry as a whole.
- Sourcing Agents: Employing a local sourcing agent in China can be very helpful for people who are new to importing or who want to expedite the process. These experts serve as go-betweens, managing everything from logistics to quality control inspections at different production stages, price negotiating, and supplier identification. They can ensure more seamless transactions by bridging cultural and linguistic divides.
Factors to consider when Sourcing from China
- Prioritize Sampling: Always ask for samples before placing a large order. This enables you to carefully examine the product's overall suitability, texture, color consistency, and quality. You can see a greater variety of products in the showrooms of numerous suppliers in China.
- Quality Certifications: Check to see if suppliers possess the necessary ISO (International Organization for Standardization), CE (Conformité Européenne), and CCC (China Compulsory Certification) certifications. These show international safety abd quality standards are being followed.
- Anti-Slip Properties: Ask about the anti-slip qualities and pertinent ratings (such as the R-value for slip resistance) of floor tiles in particular.
- Packaging Requirements: Due to their inherent fragility, tiles require special packaging. To reduce breakage during transit, talk to appropriate custom packaging that includes strong crates, protective foam, and corner protectors. Collaborate with logistics companies that specialize in managing breakable items.
- Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ): Chinese manufacturers frequently have minimum order quantities, or MOQs. For direct factory orders in particular, be ready for these requirements.
- Communication: It is cruicial to communicate effectively. To ensure clear and timely commuication, be mindful of potential language barriers, and think about employing bilingual sourcing agent.
- Lead Times and Delays: Chinese suppliers have to deal with a lot of orders. Set clear deadlines and timelines from the start. To keep things on track, it's important to follow up regularly.
- Incoterms: Learn the International Commercial Terms (Incoterms), such as FOB (Free On Board) or CIF (Cost, Insurance, and Freight), which clearly outline the buyer and seller's obligations regarding shipping costs and risks.
Quality Control for Chinese Tile Imports:
Strong quality control cannot be compromised.
- Pre-production Samples: Give the go-ahead for samples before mass production starts.
- During-Production Inspection (DPI): Conduct inspections while production is underway to find problems before they happen.
- Pre-shipment Inspection (PSI): This is the last important check that needs to be done before the tiles are loaded onto the truck. It means checking the quantity, product specifications, packaging, and overall quality against standards that everyone agrees on.
- Factory Visits: If possible, visiting the factory gives you a better grasp of the working conditions, quality control procedures, and capabilities of the manufacturer.
Logistics and Shipping
- Sea Freight: This is the most common and cost-effective way to ship a bulk of tiles because of their weight and size. Depending on the destination, transit times can be anywhere from 7 to 45 days.
- Air Freight: It's a lot faster (3–7 days), but it's also a lot more expensive and only works for samples or small, urgent orders.
- Container Loading: When loading a container, make sure that the heavier boxes are at the bottom, the weight is evenly distributed, the packages are tightly packed, and the right bracing (like airbags, strapping bands, or wooden bracing) is used to keep everything from moving and getting damaged during shipping.
- Documentation: Prepare the important papers, like the commercial invoice, packing list, Bill of Lading, Certificate of Origin, and any product test reports or certifications that are needed.
Sourcing porcelain tiles from China can have several benefits, both in terms of price and selection. Businesses and homeowners can confidently import stunning and durable porcelain tiles to enhance their projects by comprehending the manufacturing landscape, using strategic sourcing techniques, placing a high priority on strict quality control, and efficiently managing logistics.
Porcelain Tile Trends
Before diving into the technical differences between tile types, it’s worth exploring the hottest porcelain tile trends for 2025:
- Indoors to outdoors: Seamlessly extend your living space by using the same tile design inside and out, perfect for patios, kitchens, and open-plan living.
- Large-format tiles: Oversized tiles (like 24x24 inches) create a modern, expansive feel, reducing grout lines and making small rooms appear larger.
- Glossy and high-gloss finishes: Polished porcelain tiles add a touch of luxury and are trending in bathrooms, kitchens, and entryways.
- Natural stone and concrete looks: Mimic the beauty of marble, limestone, or industrial concrete with the durability and easy care of porcelain.
- Bold colors and patterns: From botanical greens to striking blue-and-white combinations, color is making a comeback in tile design.
Conclusion
It's important to make an informed choice that strikes a balance between durability, maintenance, and design versatility when selecting porcelain tiles for your residential and commercial projects. Each type offers unique benefits catered to particular needs and budgets, ranging from the durable, through-body strength of full-body porcelain tiles to the intricate, digitally printed surfaces of glazed tiles (colored-body or white body) and the usable durability of double-charge and soluble salt options. By being aware of these variations, you can choose flooring that will look excellent and function well for many years to come.
As we've explored, porcelain tile's journey goes beyond simple choice. Making the most of your investment depends on a number of factors, including the impact on the environment, following installation best practices, providing care and maintenance, and staying up to date with the newest design trends. And if you navigate the market with careful consideration for supplier reliability, quality control, and efficient logistics, sourcing porcelain tiles from China remains a highly strategic choice for those looking for a wide range of options and competitive pricing.
In the end, the flooring you choose establishes the framework for your space, defining its personality and impacting its durability. You're creating a long-lasting, aesthetically pleasing, and useful space that will be remembered if you know the subtleties of porcelain tiles and approach your choice with a clear vision.