Porcelain and ceramic tile are often spoken of interchangeably when tile is mentioned. However, there are differences that you will want to consider if you are thinking of choosing this flooring option.
For instance, ceramic tiles are not fired at temperatures nearly as high as porcelain tiles are. For this reason, they are not as dense and therefore, not as water resistant, nor as durable as porcelain.
Porcelain tile is often the same color throughout the entire tile since a higher quality of clay is used in its making. Ceramic, on the other hand, uses a neutral inner color underneath a vibrant glaze coating. This means that if you chip or crack a porcelain floor, it won't show nearly as easily as ceramic will.
Finally, a major difference between porcelain and ceramic is that you will definitely want to have porcelain installed by a professional. The chances of having one crack or break are high when installing, and this can cause many problems for someone who doesn't know exactly what they're doing.