Floor Tiles: Are porcelain tiles glazed?

The majority of porcelain tiles are glazed, unless they are polished porcelain in which case they are not glazed.

How can I tell which other floor tiles are glazed? All ceramic tiles, regardless of whether they have a matt, satin or shiny gloss finish will be glazed and of course non-polished porcelain floor tiles.

Are there any other unglazed floor tiles?  Yes, all floor tiles made from a natural stone will also be unglazed – such as terracotta floor tiles, granite floor tiles, quarry tiles, limestone, basalt, quartz, slate, travertine and marble floor tiles.

Do I need to do anything different if fitting a non glazed floor tile? Any non-glazed floor tiles and natural stone tiles will most likely require sealing after fitting using an impregnator, such as HG Impregnator or the HG Marble Impregnator .

You can do a quick marker pen test to check whether you need to use an impregnator on the tiles.  Simply draw on the floor tile with a marker pen, let it dry and then try and wipe it off.

For a glazed tile the mark will completely wipe off leaving no trace whatsoever, any unglazed tiles will leave a mark below the surface which cannot be removed, these tiles need sealing.

If in doubt, ask your local tile shop – any independent retailer will be able to tell you this information, along with details about aftercare and maintenance of your floor tiles.