Porcelain, one of the worlds most popular types of flooring is a highly durable and stain resistant product which receives its name from the Italian word “Porcellana”(cowrie shell) because of its resemblance to the translucent surface of the shell. Porcelain tiles are available in a wide variety of colours, textures and shapes and commonly mirror natural stone surfaces.
Porcelain is a ceramic material created by heating varieties of clay and other natural materials in a kiln to temperatures reaching 1,450°C, producing vitreous, or glassy qualities such as translucence and low porosity. Usually white or off-white, porcelain comes in both glazed and unglazed varieties. Properties associated with porcelain include, toughness, whiteness, translucency and a high resistance to chemical attack, thermal shock and liquid staining.
Porcelain tiles are available in a natural, polished or glazed finish and cleaning methods differ for each type of porcelain tile flooring. Because porcelain tile is fire-hardened and quite hard, it can be cleaned at pressures up to 1,300 PSI if the grout is in good condition.