Differences between red and white body tiles

Discover what separates the two types of ceramics

Did you know that tiles can be made with both white and red body? In this article we will take a closer look at the characteristics of each of these materials. The most relevant difference between white body and red body lies in the clays and sands used in their manufacture, which lead to differences in their properties and characteristics.

Resistance. The difference in the clays used to make them also means a notable difference in their strength. White body porcelain tiles are much stronger, less porous and more resistant than red body porcelain tiles.
This means that they can also vary in their use: projects that require greater robustness require the use of porcelain tiles.

Use. Depending on the intended use of a tile, we will end up selecting one material or another. For example, porcelain collections are perfect for exteriors, especially those with extreme temperatures, and also for places where there is a lot of transit of people, such as a shop or an airport.
Gres, on the other hand, is more suitable for indoor spaces with moderate traffic.

Cost. Due to its technical performance, variety of sizes and finishes, porcelain tiles have a higher cost than red body tiles. Gres, on the other hand, has a lower cost and an excellent quality-price ratio for projects that do not require as much resistance nor large sizes.

Sizes. Here we can find several differences, as everything depends on whether we are talking about flooring or cladding. In general, red body tiles will be smaller than porcelain tiles and we can find square pieces for flooring and rectangular pieces and small sizes for wall tiles.
Porcelain tiles, on the other hand, are usually larger in size and are even available in sizes of more than one metre, perfect for large architectural and interior design projects.

Finishes. We can also find notable differences, as porcelain is available in a wider variety of finishes than red body. One example is polished, which gives a great realism to collections that reproduce the subtle elegance of marble. In addition, porcelain collections can be rectified (without bevelled edges) while red body tiles have much more visible edges.

Laying. If there are differences in the manufacture, design and finishes, there are also differences when laying the two materials. Porcelain floor tiles are always more complex to lay and require more experience, especially when they are large tiles with a rectified finish, with practically no joints.

Despite all these differences, red body and white body are two sister materials that can coexist without any problem in the same space. Choosing one or the other will depend on the needs and reality of each project.

Despite all these differences, red body and white body are two sister materials that can coexist without any problem in the same space. Choosing one or the other will depend on the needs and reality of each project.