Porcelain tiles are highly durable, scratch-resistant materials that can enhance commercial and residential design projects. Porcelain’s incredible durability and performance attributes make it an ideal choice for indoor and outdoor applications. Its construction and finishes contribute to its durability, scratch resistance, and longevity. This article will examine what makes porcelain scratch-resistant, how it compares to other tile materials, and how specific finishes contribute to its durability.
When evaluating countertop materials, knowing how they’ll hold up to daily demands, wear and tear, and stresses is essential. Some materials, such as porcelain, offer superior durability, making them better options for busy spaces like kitchen counters or bathroom vanities. While some porcelain is designed for flooring applications, for this article, we’ll focus on porcelain tiles designated for surface areas such as kitchen countertops, backsplashes, kitchen islands, shower walls, accent walls, and commercial applications, including reception areas, retail displays, and other wall and countertop surfaces.
Porcelain Tiles vs. Other Types of Tiles — Scratch Resistance
When you want to tile a specific area in your home or business, you have several tile materials to choose from, including ceramic, porcelain, glass, and natural stone. While all these materials are durable and long-lasting, some are better at specific properties such as scratch or water resistance.
If you’re using tile to create a kitchen island or countertop surface, scratch resistance is a crucial consideration. Will the material hold up to food preparation, knives, appliances, pots and pans, utensils, and other objects? Scratch resistance is also important for commercial applications and high-touch areas such as reception desks, worktops, public bathroom countertops, retail cases, and more, as scratches, pits, and etching can damage the stone and ruin its appearance.
The Mohs hardness scale indicates a material’s hardness and its potential to perform against scratches, etching, chipping, and other damage. The Mohs scale ranges from 1 to 10, with 1 being soft (talc) and 10 being the hardest (diamond). So let’s look at some of the tiling materials and how they stand up to scratching, including average Mohs scale ratings.
Ceramic Tile
As we mentioned, Ceramic tiles are primarily scratch resistant, and glazed ceramic tiles are more scratch resistant than unglazed tiles.
Mohs Scale – approximately 7
Porcelain Tile
Porcelain tile is one of the hardest materials available, harder even than natural stones, including granite. Porcelain is inherently scratch resistant and may even be called scratch-proof, though ceramic knives may cause damage.
Mohs Scale – approximately 7-9
Glass Tile
Untreated glass tiles are prone to scratches and chips; however, some manufacturers use an anti-scratch coating to protect the tile.
Mohs Scale – approximately 5.5
Natural Stone Tile
Most natural stone tiles are somewhat scratch resistant. However, stone requires a sealant to maintain its durability against scratches and other damage. Natural stones such as granite and quartzite are much harder than others, including marble and soapstone.
Mohs Scale – Quartzite (7), Granite (6-7), Marble (3), Soapstone (2-3.5)
Please note that while some materials, including porcelain, can stand up to kitchen knives without damage, it’s always best to use a cutting board or protective layer whenever using sharp objects directly on tile surfaces.
Why is porcelain tile a tough scratch-resistant material?
As you can see from the Mohs scales listed above, porcelain is extremely hard, which adds to its durability and scratch resistance. Porcelain is a type of high-quality ceramic that uses more refined clays and minerals than ceramic. Like ceramic, porcelain ingredients are poured into molds, pressed under high pressure, and cured in high-temperature kiln ovens. However, porcelain is cured at higher temperatures than ceramic, making it more compact, dense, durable, and water and heat resistant.
Glazed vs. unglazed porcelain tiles
You may think glaze means glossy, but that’s not true with tiles. Glaze refers to a coating, typically liquid glass or enamel, that protects the tile’s surface. Glazes are applied to the porcelain and then fired in the kiln, infusing the coating into the material. Glazed tiles can be either matte or glossy. Generally speaking, unglazed tile is more scratch resistant; however, glazed tiles may not look as finished or high-end as glazed varieties.
Unglazed tiles offer more traction and slip resistance and are somewhat more resistant to scratching and wear. They are often used as flooring or in outdoor applications or wet environments where traction is essential.
Glazed porcelain is more widely used in interiors, offering walls, backsplashes, and other areas a smooth surface that’s easy to clean. The protective glaze provides better stain and bacteria resistance, making glazed porcelain a better option for kitchen countertops and islands.
Polished vs. unpolished porcelain tiles
Unpolished porcelain tiles have a rougher, more organic texture than polished tiles. Unpolished tiles are not glazed and have a non-slippery, more scratch-resistant surface.
Polished porcelain is ground to a finish like natural stone, often using a diamond disk or wheel to smooth the tile’s surface. Polished porcelain can be glazed or unglazed; polished tiles are slippery and may require more upkeep to maintain their shine. Polished porcelain is less scratch resistant and slightly more expensive than unpolished varieties.
Polished porcelain suits internal and external walls, backsplashes, and other features, whereas unpolished tiles may be better for flooring or outdoor pavers.
How to remove scratches from porcelain tiles
Despite our best efforts, sometimes surfaces get scratched from abrasive wear and tear. If that happens, you can try a few things on your own, or you can call a professional tile refinisher.
Polished vs. unpolished porcelain tiles
Fortunately, minor scratches can be repaired with good results, whether your porcelain is polished or unpolished.
To repair scratches on polished or unpolished porcelain tile, you’ll want to remove any debris and gently clean the area around the scratch with a soft, wet cloth soaked in soapy water. You’ll want to pay special attention to the scratch itself and the ends of the scratch, where dirt or debris may have settled. You’ll then need to dry it with a cloth and let it air dry completely.
Once the area has been cleaned and prepped, there are several tile polishing solutions available you can use, or you can try a do-it-yourself paste using baking soda or white toothpaste to polish the area and fill the scratch.
When polishing, be sure to use circular motions and pay particular attention to the ends of the scratch. Allow the paste to dry, and clean again with a soft cloth.
Polished vs. unpolished porcelain tiles
You can use the same approach to clean and repair scratches on glazed porcelain tiles. Unglazed porcelain tile is less prone to scratching and should remain relatively scratch-free.
Contact us
LX Hausys offers high-quality, large-format porcelain tiles under our new TERACANTO brand. With so many types of porcelain, you may need some assistance finding the most suitable porcelain tile for your project. LX Hausys can help. If you’re a professional designer, use our contact form to reach an expert. Homeowners can also connect using this contact form.