In the construction and renovation of swimming pools, the choice of tiles directly affects the durability, maintenance costs, and visual effects of the pool. Ceramic (陶质类 ceramic pool tiles ) and porcelain pool tiles (瓷质泳池砖 porcelain pool tiles ) are the mainstream options, and there are significant differences in performance and applicable scenarios. This article will focus on ** production cost, wear resistance, chlorine corrosion resistance, glaze cracking risk, service life, and aesthetic performance '**7' major dimensions for in-depth comparison to help you make scientific decisions.

## II. In-depth Analysis of Sub-items

'### 1.' Production cost: Ceramic tiles have obvious disadvantages in cost performance

The high cost of porcelain pool tiles stems from ** Complexity of raw materials and processes **：  

'- **' Raw materials ** : Relying on natural clay (such as kaolin), the cost of mining and purification is high, and resources are limited;  

'- **' Process ** : Need to go through “ Bisque firing - Glazing - Secondary firing ” Multiple processes, complex kiln temperature control, energy consumption is 1.5 times that of ceramic tiles;  

'- **' Market demand ** : Due to performance limitations, the market demand is small, and large-scale production is difficult, which further pushes up the unit price  

Ceramic tiles reduce costs through ** Standardized production **：  

'- **' Raw materials ** : Using ordinary clay mixed with feldspar and quartz, the raw materials are easy to obtain and cheap;  

'- **' Process ** : One-time high-temperature firing after dry pressing, high production efficiency, and low energy consumption;  

'- **' Market size ** : Widely used in building decoration, the unit price is significantly advantageous after large-scale production.

At present, with the improvement of consumption awareness and consumption ability, more consumers choose to buy porcelain products. In Guangdong Province, a famous ceramic tile production area in China, the production lines of ceramic products are gradually being eliminated. At present, only some production areas in China are still producing ceramic pool tiles

'### 2.' Wear resistance: Porcelain tiles easily cope with high-traffic scenarios

The wear resistance of swimming pool tiles directly affects the surface aesthetics and safety.  

'- **' Ceramic tiles ** : Mohs hardness is only 3 level (equivalent to calcite), scratches can be left with a light scratch of a key, and the surface is prone to wear and loss of gloss after long-term trampling, especially not suitable for children's pools, public pools and other high-frequency use scenarios.  

'- **' Porcelain tiles ** : Mohs hardness reaches 7 level (close to quartz), through '**PEI IV' wear resistance test ** (can withstand daily 1000 people trampling), even if used in commercial swimming pools for a long time, the surface can still maintain a smooth surface.  

** Actual case ** : A hotel swimming pool uses porcelain tiles 5 years later, the surface wear depth is only 0.02mm , far lower than that of ceramic tiles 0.15mm (Data source: 《Ceramic Tile Wear Resistance Test Standard》 GB/T 3810.6 ).

'### 3.' Chlorine corrosion resistance: Porcelain tiles pass rigorous chemical tests

In pool water ** Sodium hypochlorite ( 20mg/L）**  ) is the main source of corrosion for tiles.  

'- **' Ceramic tiles ** : The glaze is thin and has high porosity, making it easy for chloride ions to penetrate the body, leading to glaze ** Fading, pinholes, peeling ** (as shown in 1 Left). Experiments show that after soaking earthenware tiles in 12 Sodium hypochlorite for days, the surface gloss decreases 30% , and obvious corrosion marks appear locally (according to the "Test for Chemical Resistance of Ceramic Tiles") GB/T 3810.13 ).  

'- **' Porcelain tiles ** : The glaze is dense and fused with the body at high temperature, passing the '**ULA' Chemical corrosion resistance test ** (highest level), soaked in 20mg/L Sodium hypochlorite solution for 45 Days, the surface has no discoloration or cracks, and the gloss retention rate is >95% (as shown in 1 Right).  

'### 4.' Glaze cracking degree: Water absorption determines crack resistance

Glaze cracking is a common problem with swimming pool tiles. The core cause is ** Moisture penetration and temperature changes **：  

'- **' Ceramic tiles ** : Water absorption rate >10% , it is easy to absorb moisture and expand in the pool environment, and the glaze will appear after winter freeze-thaw cycles ** Reticulate cracks ** (as shown in 2 Left). A project case shows that earthenware tiles are at -5℃ to 35℃ Under temperature difference, 1 The glaze cracking rate within a year reaches 15%。  

'- **' Porcelain tiles ** : Water absorption rate ≤0.5% , it is difficult for moisture to penetrate the body, and the glaze and body are formed by high-temperature sintering “ Integrated structure ” , excellent thermal shock resistance (after 100 Times -20℃ to 60℃ There are no cracks in the cycle test), and the risk of glaze cracking is almost zero (as shown in 2 Right).  

  

* Figure 2 : The left shows earthenware tile glaze cracking (reticulate cracks), and the right shows porcelain tiles (intact) *

'### 5.' Service life: Porcelain tiles have significant cost advantages throughout the cycle

The short life of earthenware tiles stems from ** Fast performance degradation **：  

- 5 Surface wear and glaze fading occur around the year;  

- 8-10 Overall replacement is required due to glaze cracking and corrosion in the year, and the comprehensive maintenance cost is as high as the initial investment 2 Times.  

Porcelain tiles rely on ** High durability ** Realize “ One-time investment, long-term benefit ”：  

- 20 No major repairs are required within the year, only regular cleaning is required;  

- A public swimming pool case shows that after a gymnasium used porcelain tiles, 30 Only been in the year 2 The second grout replacement, the total maintenance cost is only that of earthenware tiles 1/3 (Data source: "Swimming Pool Tile Life Assessment Report", 2024 ).

'### 6.' Aesthetic height: Porcelain tiles combine beauty and durability

Earthenware tiles once used ** Variety of colors ** Occupies an advantage, but its ** Poor color stability **：  

- Easy to fade under long-term ultraviolet radiation (such as blue becoming light blue);  

- The gloss of the glaze decreases with use time, 5 The surface is dull after the year.  

Porcelain tiles pass ** Digital inkjet technology ** Achieve breakthrough:  

- Can simulate natural textures such as marble and sandstone, with high color saturation;  

- Glaze adopts “ Nano crystallization ” Treatment, the gloss can reach 90° (close to mirror), and 10 Annual color difference <5% (as shown in 3 ).  

  

* Figure 3 : Porcelain mosaic pool, uniform color and long-lasting as new *

## 3. Applicable Scenarios and Purchase Suggestions

'### 1.' Scenarios where porcelain tiles are preferred

'- **' Commercial pool ** (gymnasium, hotel): high traffic + Chemically corrosive environment, requiring wear-resistant and chlorine-resistant porcelain tiles;  

'- **' Outdoor pool ** : Large temperature difference and strong ultraviolet rays, porcelain tiles have obvious advantages in freeze-thaw resistance and fade resistance;  

'- **' Long-term use needs ** : Villa swimming pool, high-end resort, pursuing “ Once and for all ” of the owners.  

'### 2.' Limited application scenarios of ceramic tiles

'- **' Indoor low-temperature pool ** (constant temperature <25℃ ): Small temperature difference, reduced risk of glaze cracking;  

'- **' Short-term renovation project ** : Temporary swimming pool, exhibition swimming pool, limited budget and high replacement frequency.  

'### 3.' Purchase Guide to Avoid Pitfalls

'- **' Check water absorption ** : Back water drop test, 5 No penetration in minutes is porcelain tile (water absorption rate ≤0.5% );  

'- **' Check certification ** : Ask the merchant to provide ULA level chlorine corrosion resistance report, 3C certification (mandatory for porcelain tiles);  

'- **' Sample test ** : Use a key to scratch the glaze, no scratches are qualified porcelain tiles (Mohs hardness ≥7 level).

## 4. Conclusion: Porcelain tiles are the optimal solution for most scenarios

Overall, porcelain pool tiles are superior to ceramic tiles in ** durability, maintenance cost, and long-term aesthetics ** , especially suitable for those pursuing “ High cost performance + Low maintenance ” owners and project parties. Ceramic tiles are only recommended for use in specific low-load scenarios.  

When choosing tiles, it is recommended to combine ** Usage frequency, budget cycle, environmental conditions ** These three factors, if necessary, consult a professional pool designer to make the tiles both “ Safety barrier ” , and become “ Visual highlight ”。  

If you need more technical parameters or case references, you can contact us to obtain the "Pool Tile Selection Manual" to help your pool project achieve “ Performance and aesthetics win-win ”。  

(Note: Some data in this article are quoted from the "National Standard for Ceramic Tiles" GB/T 4100-2015 , "International Swimming Federation (FINA) Pool Facility Specifications")