Ceramic tile is formed with the help of clays and other natural materials. During the formation process, the special clays are mined from the earth, shaped, coloured and then fired in kilns. Traditional ceramic tile can be naturally coloured and left unglazed like terra cotta, or they can have coloured or highly designed surfaces which can be glazed (finished with a glass surface) either in a high gloss or matte finish. Most ceramic tile has either a red or white body colouration underneath the glazed, coloured top layer.

Porcelain tile is an advanced form of ceramic tile and widely popular among home-owners. These tiles are composed of fine porcelain clays and fired at much higher temperatures than ceramic tiles. Due to this process porcelain tile become denser, less porous, much harder and less prone to moisture and stain absorption than ceramic tiles. For these reasons, most porcelain tiles work well for both indoor and outdoor installations. Porcelain tiles are also harder to cut due to their hardness and density.

Unglazed porcelain tile is homogeneous in terms of its through-body colouration. The colour goes all the way through from top to bottom, so scratches or dings are less obvious and contain better slip-resistance. Glazed porcelain tiles may or may not have the same colouration from top to bottom because of the top glazed layer. Glazed porcelain tiles assist seal the microscopic pores therefore are easier to maintain than unglazed tiles. Because porcelain can be prepared to resemble stone, it is sometimes a better alternative than Mother Nature’s natural products simply because it’s less porous and less prone to cracking.

On the contrary, not all ceramic or porcelain tiles are ideal for all residential and non-residential areas. Tile products generally are wear-rated from low to high. A large number of manufacturers worldwide do meet international standards. Because all tiles are not rated for taking floor traffic, it's essential for consumers to choose a tile appropriate for their project.

Regardless of whether you select ceramic tile or porcelain tile for your decorating project you will find both types of tiles offer a variety of shapes and sizes in field tiles as well as some border and accent tiles. This will help you to obtain an almost unlimited amount of decorating options by mixing and matching different field tile sizes and shapes along with borders and accent tiles to really add pizzazz and charm to your decoration.

Rectified tile requires to be explained, because it is becoming more famous. Rectified tile is usually described incorrectly and is confusing for tile buyers; it is simply tile that has been grinded or sawed after firing to achieve a more exact tile size. A huge variety of tiles will vary slightly in size after being fired (both porcelain tiles and ceramic tiles it is up to 1.5% variation). By grinding or sawing the tiles after firing the manufacturer hopes to minimize the size variations from tile to tile. Although, at this time there are no set ANSI standards set for what the minimum variations are allowed for rectified tiles, it is strictly up to the tile manufacturer.