Porcelain

What Are Porcelain And Porcelain Countertops?

Porcelain is a material that is composed of materials like kaolinite (China clay,) metal oxides, and silica. These materials are mixed up at a degree of 2642°F (1450°C), giving the porcelain its durability and colors. Thanks to this mixture, porcelain can be used in various rooms for different purposes.

However, the most common way of porcelain usage is porcelain countertops. Thanks to the mixture of porcelain, these countertops are some of the toughest and most aesthetic countertops you can find on the market. Porcelain countertops get their natural look thanks to the pigmented glazes inside them. These glazes enable the porcelain to look like quartz or granite without being quarried or mined.

Advantages Of Porcelain Countertops

Porcelain countertops, like granite and quartz countertops, can perform at the highest levels in your kitchens and bathrooms:

• Thanks to being heat glazed at 2642°F, they are non-porous and do not require sealing. So, you don’t need to worry about the extra maintenance cost of the sealing process.
• Porcelain countertops are green for people that are sensitive to environmentally friendly materials. The old porcelain kitchen countertops can be recycled and used in high-quality porcelain slabs.
• Withstanding heat is not a problem for these countertops. So, there is no need to worry if a hot pan is put directly onto the countertop.
• Their durability against scratches is comparable to that of quartz or granite countertops. However, while holding ceramic knives, you should be careful using your porcelain kitchen countertop as a cutting board. You have a high chance of encountering scratches, so use a cutting board if you have ceramic knives.
• If your porcelain countertop is exposed to direct sunlight, you don’t need to worry about fading colors or designs. They have excellent resistance against UV lights and can also be used in outdoor areas.
• Unlike granite or quartz countertops, porcelain slabs do not come in huge sizes. This thinness enables them to be installed directly onto the countertops without uninstalling the previous one.
• In terms of cleaning, they do not require detailed cleaning processes. Using a simple wet cloth will suffice. However, you must avoid using abrasive wipers or cloths to prevent scratches and reduce brightness.
• Even though porcelain countertops require a decent amount of money, they outperform their prices. So, their cost is not an disadvantage but actually an advantage. They also are cheaper than granite, marble, and quartz countertops.

Disadvantages Of Porcelain Countertops

• Edge Styles: The availability of different shapes of porcelain slabs is limited because of porcelain’s characteristics. The typical shapes of mitered and square, and rectangle are available. However, if you want more complex shapes such as ogee or beveled are not available for porcelain countertops.
• Chips and Cracks: The manufacturing of porcelain countertops requires very delicate work. They can be chipped and cracked while being manufactured. This can create problems for people who are looking for custom-made countertops. Also, when they encounter blunt force such as a hammer or meat cleaver, they can crack easily because of the compact structure. However, in terms of carrying heavy objects, they are durable.

Different Styles Of Porcelain Countertops

Because of their pigmented glazes, you can have your porcelain countertop in many different patterns, designs, and colors. The look can be astounding in terms of naturality and resolution depending on the brand’s quality.

One of the most popular styles for porcelain countertops is the marble look. You can have unique options based on your wishes, although you can choose a wood grain, stainless steel, concrete, or rusted steel as the style.

Porcelain Countertops vs. Quartz Countertops

Porcelain countertops are often compared to quartz countertops because of their popularity. Here you can find the essential points between these countertops.

1.Similarities of Porcelain Countertops and Quartz

a.Neither requires sealing, and both are non-porous. So, you do not need to worry about bacteria or germs while selecting between the two.

b.Both are manufactured materials, and their appearances can be changed accordingly to your desires. So, in terms of unique colors and designs, both offer a wide variety for different tastes.

c.In terms of durability, they are durable and will not create any problems while resisting heavy weights. However, porcelain countertops are very fragile upon installation and can crack easily; quartz countertops are more durable than porcelain in the installation process.

d.The cleaning processes of the two are very similar. Regular cleaning with a sponge or cloth and a detergent that is not too abrasive is enough.

2.Differences between Porcelain Countertops and Quartz

a.Quartz countertops are better in terms of edge options. They offer more shapes than porcelain countertops that can be applied to different rooms and areas.

b.In the installation period, quartz countertops require installation directly on the cabinetry and require uninstallation of the previous one. However, porcelain kitchen countertops can be installed directly on the cabinetry.

c.While the overall price tag of the two types overlaps mostly, the difference between the highest quality porcelain countertops and quartz is enormous.

d.Even though both are manufactured at high degrees, porcelain countertops have excellent heat resistance, but quartz countertops do not because of the pigments and polymers inside the quartz countertops.