BLOG - Natural Stone v’s unglazed v’s glazed tiles

Advantages

Disadvantages

• Harder, more robust tiles. Much more scratch-resistant.
• Smaller grout joints.
• Polished types are far less slippery when wet. Matt and textured finishes are generally slip-rated (anti-slip).
• Colour Consistency
• Most surface types are generally easy to clean.
• Great for both walls and floors in all areas, including exterior

• May need to be sealed prior to use.
• Nearly always rectified which are much less forgiving of substrates that are not level. A level substrate is important with these tiles to ensure an excellent finished look. If your floor is not level, it would be best to investigate some floor preparation prior to deciding on these tiles.
• Good quality porcelain can be relatively expensive to buy. Beware of more inexpensive types (especially in polished finishes).

Advantages

Disadvantages

• As it is a natural product, stone is the only product with a wide variety of pattern/colour in each piece. For a natural look, nothing beats it. Looks great next to timbers and other natural products.
• Most types have surfaces that offer some slip-resistance.
• Never goes out of style - marbles, travertines, sandstones and granites have been consistently used as a finishing product since the Egyptians and Romans!
• Great for both walls and floors if the appropriate type is used.
• Interior and exterior use.

• Each type of stone has different properties and care must be taken to ensure that the type you have is appropriate for the situation.
• Inconsistent colour, pattern and sizing. Even stone taken from the same quarry at the same time will look different in each piece.
• All stone will need sealing.
• Due to high porosity, some are prone to grow moulds in permanently damp areas.
• Stone with rougher surface textures can be difficult to clean. Some types will need to be laid with larger grout joints (due to inconsistent sizing), sometimes up to 10mm, and this can be difficult to clean also.

Advantages

Disadvantages

• Consistent size, colour and pattern (if all purchased in the same shade/batch).
• Ceramics with pressed edges are much more forgiving of substrates that are not completely flat or level.
• Glazed surface prevents staining. Never need sealing.
• Pressed edges are generally easier for the DIY person to lay.
• Often less expensive to buy.
• Larger range of colours, patterns, surfaces and sizes.
• Most are easy to clean.
• Use for wall and floor, internal and external (ensure that you have the appropriate type for your application).

• Disadvantages - All glazed ceramics (excluding exterior finishes) are slippery when wet. The higher the gloss, the more slippery they will be.
• When chipped or cracked, these marks can be very evident.
• Glazes will scratch/mark more easily (especially high gloss)
• Matching tiles in different sizes may show distinct colour variation.
• Sizing is not as precise in the pressed edge styles (may be 1-2mm variation in size) e.g. a 200mm tile may only actually measure 198mm.

Advantages

Disadvantages

• Gives a rustic-style look due to variation in size. Great for old Tuscan-villa style looks.
• Naturally anti-slip.
• Can be used on wall & floor.

• Porous, needs to be sealed. (Some is pre-sealed, but will need re-sealing in the future)
• Size & shape variation.
• Colour variation.
• Can be difficult to clean, especially if stained.