Porcelaine tiles versus large glossy ceramic

[Tizzy]

I've only ever had earthy looking terracotta tile, so my experience with tiles is very limited. We are renovating our own home for a completely different look. I can get large porcelaine tiles at a special price of $28.95 a sqm (usually $66 sqm) but I'm told they cost a lot more to actually lay them than the ceramic. Does anyone have a porcelaine floor and can tell me the pros and cons?

I love the look of the "no grout" but I understand the tiles show every footprint so you have to clean them all the time.

Also, it has been suggested to me that you can get a similar look with large high gloss ceramic tiles with the squared off edges (not the rounded edges) and then tiler can lay them with minimal gaps. What do you think? Anyone done this, because it would be much cheaper.

Any tile advice would be very much appreciated as I need to make this decision soon.

ps: I forgot to add, the porcelaine tiles at the special price need to be sealed apparently!! Is that bad? They are already very shiny but need another coating once laid.

 

[James Allen]

You can have a look at this discussion as it will answer mot of your questions

http://www.renovateforum.com/showthread.php?t=72144&highlight=ceramic+tiles

For the price you are paying the tiles will prob not be very good quality, I would go for ceramic or glazed porcelin with a rectified edge if thats that look you want. The thing worth remebering about wanting a groutless look is that you surface must be perfectly flat, most tilers charge more for laying porcelin and some outright won't do it. You will also need to pay close attention that the tilers puts in expansion gaps as with only 1-1.5mm spacings the tiles may crack under the slightest amount of movement.

 

[Tizzy]

Thanks James, I appreciate your help.

I might have to register to find the thread though, because the link isn't working.

 

[James Allen]

Try it now I fixed the link

 

[Tizzy]

Thanks James, I found another link to a tile forum also. I'm totally freaked about porcelaine now!! They sound like a nightmare to lay. I'll see what WWForums say.

 

[units4me]

I've personally laid porcelain tiles at home and in IPs and they are really no more difficult to work than a ceramic tile.
I cut them with a diamond blade disc, setup in my Triton workbench. Three or four passes and a beautiful clean cut. And they look very nice once laid compare to an equiv priced ceramic.
Hard to drill though.

 

[Tizzy]

Did you place them edge to edge without a gap Units4me ? I love the look but my surface will not be absolutely level. Did you lay the tiles on cement or a sheeting of some sort? Were the tiles you bought particularly expensive/ better quality than the type I'm buying at the lower end of the market ($28.50 sqm)? The average seems to be $66-$100 sqm . Sorry for all the questions

 

[units4me]

Yes, tiles were laid on cement sheet on floor/wall and even some on plasterboard too. I did have a small gap between the tiles, i think 1 mm, looks OK almost as good as no gap.

I've bought porcelain tiles for abt $15/m2, $28/m2 and abt $90/m2. The cheaper ones dont really seem to be inferior quality (i could be wrong), seems you pay more for the really nice styles and colors.

Would be a no brainer for me next time, PPOR or an IP, porcelain for me.