Porcelain stoneware: which one should you choose? A useful guide to making your selection

A stoneware covering for your home or commercial premises is the ideal solution for many reasons, including elegance, easy care and resistance.

But to choose the best porcelain stoneware for your needs you must first of all make sure you’re well informed about this material and the benefits it offers, as well as learning to assess its characteristics in relation to your daily needs.

So let’s take a look together at how to choose the ideal porcelain stoneware depending on your taste, the needs of your spaces and the many options available.

Defining porcelain stoneware

Porcelain stoneware is a specific type of ceramic material created by pressing selected minerals and firing them at high temperature. This process gives stoneware outstanding performance characteristics: the result is an innovative, resistant tile suitable for coverings of all kinds, both indoors and outdoors.

One of its most popular qualities is its ability to accurately imitate natural materials such as stone, wood and marble, although with major advantages in terms of durability and care. Resistant to stains, scratches and daily wear and tear, porcelain stoneware is an attractive, practical solution for any location.

What are the characteristics of a good porcelain stoneware?

Porcelain stoneware is a versatile material, highly suitable for any location, but when choosing it’s important to consider the different characteristics that make it appropriate for specific uses.

Resistance to breakage and abrasion, together with the ability to withstand mould and stains, are fundamental for ensuring a long covering lifetime. What’s more, as it’s so easy to clean, porcelain stoneware is an excellent option both for commercial premises and for homes.

Another factor to be considered is the material’s ability to resist the absorption of water and damp, which could cause tile failure over the long term.

A good porcelain stoneware combines all these technical qualities with a beautiful appearance, to offer you a stylish choice for your floor and wall coverings.

Types of porcelain stoneware: guidelines for choosing

There are different types of porcelain stoneware, each of them able to create unique, individual moods in the various rooms of the home, or in commercial locations. Choosing the right type of stoneware can completely transform an interior, so it’s important to consider the various options available:

Apart from the type of effect, it is also important to consider tiles’ finish and size. Finishes may be matt or glossy, while sizes vary from large slabs, for a modern, minimalist look, down to the smallest or mosaic tiles, ideal for ornamental details or the most classical design schemes.

Hexagon tiles, for example, are an original solution for adding dynamism to an interior: you could opt for them for a rustic-style kitchen or a small bathroom and be creative with light colors and fascinating geometrical patterns.

Outdoor stoneware: choosing the right tiles

When selecting stoneware tiles for outdoor places a special focus on resistance and durability is required. It’s essential to choose tiles that can withstand changes in the weather without any kind of deterioration. Ragno offers a vast range of option that guarantee continuity of appearance between indoors and outdoors, combining them in a single, unified environment. For outdoor areas like terraces or gardens, the advice is always to choose extra-thick tiles for even greater strength and stability.

One excellent option is raised paving, which facilitates water drainage and simultaneously conceals wiring or piping, while the underlying space is easily accessible for any maintenance needs.

Choosing the ideal stoneware for your requirements

As we’ve said, selecting the ideal porcelain stoneware depends on a combination of aesthetic and functional factors, which should reflect every individual’s personal needs and lifestyle.

Before choosing, carefully assess where the stoneware is going to be installed and the stresses it will be exposed to. For example, in high-traffic areas like corridors or commercial premises it’s preferable to opt for an easy-maintenance stoneware with high resistance to abrasion.

What’s more, stoneware’s color and texture can significantly influence a room’s mood. Pale colors and large sizes can make an interior look brighter and larger, while dark shades or textured tiles can convey an impression of intimacy and warmth.

Factors to consider when choosing porcelain stoneware

Choosing the right porcelain stoneware is crucial for ensuring that the end result is the perfect combination of style and function. To sum up, the key points to consider when choosing include:

To conclude, porcelain stoneware isn’t just a practical choice, as it embodies the ability to meet all aesthetic and functional needs in a single tile.

For a more detailed exploration of all this innovative material’s potentials, check out the Ragno Ceramiche collections, with ideas and inspirations for transforming your space.