The difference between porcelain and ceramic tiles comes down to density. Porcelain is made from finer clay fired at higher temperatures (around 1200°C), producing a denser tile that absorbs less than 0.5% water — making it stronger, frost-proof and suitable for floors, outdoors and wet areas. Ceramic is softer and more porous, which makes it easier to cut and ideal for walls.
Both are excellent materials. The trick is putting each where it belongs.
They’re cousins, not rivals
Both start life as clay. Porcelain uses more refined kaolin clays, is pressed under greater pressure and fired hotter and longer. The result is vitrification — the tile body becomes glass-like, dense and almost completely waterproof. Technically, a tile only earns the name porcelain if its water absorption is 0.5% or below. Ceramic tiles absorb more (typically 3–10%), which sounds like a flaw but is exactly what makes them light, easy to cut and perfect for vertical surfaces.
After forty-plus years supplying tiles in Brisbane, our honest summary: porcelain for every floor and anything outdoors; ceramic or porcelain for walls, whichever gives you the look you love.
Where porcelain wins
Floors. Porcelain’s hardness resists the scratching of chairs, dogs’ claws, dropped pans and decades of foot traffic. Nearly every floor tile we sell — our stone looks, timber looks, concrete looks and marble looks — is porcelain for this reason.
Outdoors. Water absorption is the whole game outside. A porous tile that soaks up a Brisbane summer storm can harbour mould and, in colder climates, crack. Porcelain doesn’t care. It’s also colourfast under Queensland UV.
Wet areas. Shower floors and pool surrounds demand a body that water can’t penetrate.
Heavy-wear zones. Entries, kitchens, commercial spaces, garages (in the right thickness).
Where ceramic earns its keep
Walls. Splashbacks, bathroom walls and feature walls carry no foot traffic, so porcelain’s toughness is wasted there. Ceramic wall tiles — including the handmade-look, kit kat and decorative styles in our wall tile collection — offer enormous variety, richer glazes, and easier cutting for tilers, which can trim installation cost. Many of the world’s most beautiful decorative tiles are ceramic by design.
Budget-sensitive wall areas. Ceramic typically costs less per square metre, and on a wall it will last just as long as porcelain would.
The specs that actually matter when you’re choosing
Rather than the porcelain/ceramic label alone, check: water absorption (≤0.5% for outdoors and floors is the porcelain standard), slip rating (P ratings under Australian Standard AS 4586 — higher numbers for wet and outdoor areas), rectified edges (machine-squared edges allowing tight 1.5–3mm grout joints for a seamless look), and glazed vs full-bodied (full-bodied porcelain is the same material all the way through, so edge chips are less visible — worth it in commercial settings).
Our staff quote these specs off every tile in the showroom, and our tile information guide covers the terminology in more depth.
Frequently asked questions
Is porcelain better than ceramic?
For floors, outdoors and wet areas — yes, meaningfully. For walls, “better” is whichever tile delivers the look you want; ceramic is often the smarter buy there.
How can I tell if a tile is porcelain?
Check the manufacturer’s specification for water absorption of 0.5% or less. You can’t reliably tell by looking — ask, or check the box.
Are porcelain tiles harder to install?
They’re harder to cut, so tilers may charge slightly more, particularly for large formats. Any experienced tiler handles porcelain daily.
Do porcelain tiles crack easily?
No — porcelain is among the most durable flooring materials available. Cracks almost always come from substrate movement or poor adhesive coverage, not the tile itself.
Still unsure? Bring us the room
Tell our designers what the space is — kids’ bathroom, alfresco, rental kitchen, forever-home ensuite — and we’ll tell you straight what the tile needs to be, then find you the most beautiful version of it. Uptiles Strathpine, 104 Gympie Road, open seven days.