What gentlemen want versus what ladies want
Everybody has his or her own opinion and taste on the type of tiles they would like in their house. There are so many different kinds of porcelain, and there is so much variation in each type, and so this is what accommodates for the disputes to start between partners, that each want a completely different porcelain tile, because there are so many different options available on the market for customers to choose from.
Porcelain versus ceramics
The use of porcelain tiles in homes, whether it is the hallway, living room, kitchen, bathrooms or even bedrooms, in addition to the outdoor patio, garden, pathway and driveways, has been on a significant rise in recent decades, and this is of course for many reasons. Porcelain is very similar to ceramics, and it is in fact derived from the ceramic family, however, the clay used in porcelain differs from that used in ceramics, as of course there are different types of clay found in different places within nature. Consequently, the additional materials that are mixed in with the clay when making the mix are also different in porcelain mix compared to those in ceramics mix, and so this leads to a few variations in the production method of each one as well. As a result porcelain does have more desirable characteristics to use as flooring or wall cladding in homes and offices than ceramics.
Porcelain’s liquid absorption
One of the ways that porcelain’s production differs from that of ceramics is that porcelain is fired at a significantly higher temperature compared to ceramics, and so therefore there are barely any pores on the surface of the porcelain, as there are no gas bubbles left within the stone. Resultingly, the liquid absorption rate of porcelain is below 0.5%, which is very insignificant compared to the absorption rate of around 2-3% in ceramics. In turn, this makes porcelain tiles much less prone to any staining, as barely any liquids can slip through the surface and decolourise the tile when spilt on top, and so this also makes porcelain much more suitable for use in the outdoors under extreme weather conditions, and for use in damp rooms such as wet rooms, bathrooms and even kitchens.
Variation in the colours of porcelain
There is a wider range of different materials that can be added into the porcelain mix compared to the ceramic mix, due to the composition of the actual clay used in porcelain, and so as a result, there is a much wider spectrum of colours and patterns that can be achieved digitally and glazed onto the porcelain tile. Porcelain is therefore amongst the most beautiful materials to look at and to use as wall cladding or flooring for the house. Porcelain can replicate the exact patterns and vein movements of natural marble (which tends to cost around double the price of porcelain), yet porcelain can integrate these naturally occurring patterns into very exotic and exquisite colours, in order to suit the different people’s preferences and styles.
Different finishes in porcelain
Porcelain tiles come in numerous amounts of various finishes, which makes them suitable for everyday use in any part of the house or office, most commonly being the polished glaze, which is very elegant and reflects light in order to boast off its stunning colours and patterns. Porcelain can also come in a smooth matt finish, in order to look more conservative, yet it does not compromise on any design or colour aspect, as it still looks as glorious as the polished tiles. In addition to those, there are the textured tiles, which have a very natural feel to them, and they are extremely slip resistant, making them extremely fit for their role as floor tiles in wet rooms, patios and driveways.
General preference of men
Many studies of trends and patterns within the market indicate that men usually tend to go for striking coloured porcelain tiles with a busy design in a polished glaze. Busy designs means that generally speaking, men lean mostly towards onyx tiles, and busy Calacatta type porcelain tiles, but with very conservative and plain colours such as Grey or Black…men do not tend to be very creative with designs and they do not explore any exotic colours.
General preference of women
On the other hand, women are generally shown to prefer quite simple tiles with not much design in them, such as simple Calacatta colours or even some Carrara colours. Even though women tend to go for matt finished tiles, because they care more about the flooring being slip resistant, they wish to go for brighter and more unique colours that lighten up the room rather than very common Grey and Black porcelain tiles.