Natural stone tiles are available in a wide variety of materials, colors, thicknesses and size. Depending on usage, most natural stone will have to be sealed in some manner. If left untreated all natural stone will eventually absorb liquids and dirt and become marked or discolored. With natural stone maintenance is always required. Most natural tiles are not formatted and will have variances in their thickness. Porcelain tile is five times stronger than natural stone and thus significantly reduces the risk of breakage.
Porcelain tiles on the other hand are virtually maintenance free. They are always formatted and never absorb liquids or dirt. However not all porcelain tiles are created equal, so it is important that you choose the right tile. Spanish and Italian manufacturers are the most reliable. Porcelain is very sturdy and hard wearing, as opposed to natural stone which is softer and can be more brittle. Porcelain tile, like natural stone can vary from batch to batch in shade, so it is important to use tiles from the same batch when installing.
If you consider the initial cost of porcelain tiles, plus installation and maintenance over a fifteen year period, the cost is approximately $10.85 a square foot, as opposed to $16.23 a square foot for granite and $47.91 a square foot for marble! In addition porcelain tile requires only a thin set installation, whereas marble and other natural stone require a mud set installation which increases the cost by approximately $2.00 a square foot.
