Porcelain Tile 'HD' vs. 'Thru Body'

[TJ40]

Looking a the endless Porcelain vs. Epoxy debate. I live in the snowbelt so plenty of salt and grit in the winter.

My question is this - lots of the ceramic tile available cheaply isn't through body - it's basically had the pattern ink-jet printed on the face of the tile. These are typically marked as High Definition or 'HD' tiles.

My local HD has some grey Porcelain PEI 4 tiles with a matte finish suitable for wet/dry areas that would look good for my garage floor but I'm wondering how durable the finish will be??

Should I be worried about wear through the winter with the salt/grit? Would I be better off going epoxy or Polyaspartic?

Any experience out there?

Thanks!!

 

[kd3pc]

even some of the more expensive tiles are only a thin layer of color and once scratched you will see the inner material - usually dark and all but impossible to restore.

Unless you get a quality porcelain tile, and they understand the use you intend for it...

I would go with a quality epoxy and appropriate prep.

 

[Shea]

Appropriately rated porcelain tile (PEI 4 or 5) will stand up to winter abuse without any issue. Many people on this forum have installed porcelain in such climates. Read Dakota's thread below. He provides all kinds of great information for people regarding porcelain.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=212509&highlight=porcelain+garage+floor

 

[Angelfire]

Maybe I got lucky but I got a PEI5, rectified, honed, through body porcelain tile that met all the other specs for under a $1/ft (plus shipping which brought it to about $1.25/ft). Now, in saying this, it was a few years ago so not sure how prevalent TBT is these days. I'm sure there is a demand for it on the commercial side which HD/Lowes/etc...are likely not carrying. I got my tile from Build.com and waited several months before it went on clearance (and all tile does at some point when the mfg decides to change their line). I'd say look into some of the more commercial oriented suppliers to see what you can find.

Either way, I'd still be inclined to put a porcelain tile down vs. epoxy even if it wasn't through body.
Cheers.

Cheers,

 

[black00lightning]

Anglefire, what color grout did you use and what did you use to seal it? How does the grout look like in terms of stains?

 

[Angelfire]

Anglefire, what color grout did you use and what did you use to seal it? How does the grout look like in terms of stains?

I bucked convention a bit and went with a lighter grout. Forget the specific color name offhand but can get it. The floor has only been finished for a couple or so months so I can’t really speak to it’s stain resistance performance just yet. I have spilled a few things here and there and it’s just wiped up like it was never there. I did not seal the grout. I used Fusion Pro which doesn’t require it
Cheers

 

[machsnell]

I bucked convention a bit and went with a lighter grout. Forget the specific color name offhand but can get it. The floor has only been finished for a couple or so months so I can’t really speak to it’s stain resistance performance just yet. I have spilled a few things here and there and it’s just wiped up like it was never there. I did not seal the grout. I used Fusion Pro which doesn’t require it
Cheers

Pics please. You definitely **** for under a buck p sf! Man. I will start watch for sales on build

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[bczygan]

I prefer a nice old concrete floor, stained with spilled oil and misc. other fluids, spattered with paint over spray and littered with lost fasteners.

Never a worry about damaging it in any way.

Bill

 

[Angelfire]

Pics please. You definitely **** for under a buck p sf! Man. I will start watch for sales on build

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Here's my thread on my install: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=388934

Post #41 shows the finished product.

Cheers

 

[Shea]

I prefer a nice old concrete floor, stained with spilled oil and misc. other fluids, spattered with paint over spray and littered with lost fasteners.

Never a worry about damaging it in any way.

Bill

I have a neighbor with a floor just like that and he is proud of the way it looks. He calls it "garage floor americana"!

 

[Nomadness]

Just got home from Menard's and they have Porcelain Tile's for .69 for 12"x12" PEI-4 if anyone is interested,3 colors available. Wonder how much it would cost for other material's needed and labor for install on 1425 sq ft?