The ceramic versus glass mosaic tile debate is as old as the rivalry between Melbourne and Sydney. While arguing the superiority of Melbourne or Sydney might be a fool’s errand, taking time to understand the advantages and disadvantages of ceramic and glass tiles could help you make the right decision.
Ceramic tiles are made from natural and abundant raw materials including clay, sand and minerals. Ceramic pool tiles are typically porcelain, which has a very low water absorption rate (≤0.5%) created by higher firing temperatures. Zero water absorption isn’t necessarily a good thing – more on that later.
The main ingredient of glass is sand, also known as silica. Glass tiles are impervious to water.
Ceramic tiles have very low levels of water absorption, and that is a good thing. The reason isthat a small amount of water absorption allows the glue to bond better, while no water absorption can mean less bond strength. This is the reason why glass mosaic tiles require epoxy glue, which can be expensive – and if too little glue is applied at installation, there is an increased risk that the tiles will detach.
