Porcelain, that emerged from the tile scene – especially from factories in Spain, Italy and Tennessee – are oversized slabs that look like granite, marble, wood, linen or just about any other natural material you could want – with none of their maintenance issues or usage restrictions. Like competitive quartz and solid surface (e.g., Corian) materials, porcelain slab tops are nonporous, so they’re a safe and healthy option for food preparation. Unlike those other two materials, however, porcelain can be installed outside and is both heat- and frost-tolerant for homes across the country.

“One of the best things about porcelain is that it can be used everywhere,”. “It is ideal for kitchens and bathrooms with its stain, heat and water resistance. It is also perfect for outdoor applications and eliminates the worry of sun damage, as it is completely UV resistant. Large format tiles have been very popular for both kitchen and bath and our installers are happy when we specify the product.”

Porcelain, while extremely durable once installed, is very fragile during the fabricating process and can easily be chipped or cracked, which also makes finding an experienced fabricator highly important.” All fabricators and installers here at STA Granite Solutions are factory trained in the cutting and handling of porcelain slabs.

There are some production limitations at the moment, though. “Complex edge profiles (like ogee) are not possible in ceramics or porcelain, as they are in stone. Only eased (square) edges are possible.”

Special features

You can clad walls, cabinetry, furniture and other surfaces in porcelain slab to extend its style, durability and livability to the rest of your space. You can also create an integral sink, which many designers are doing in kitchens and bathrooms for their look and ease of use.

More recently, a few manufacturers have started offering integrated induction burners into their porcelain slab countertops. These can be custom placed in the particular areas of the

Porcelain is an extremely hard surface that isn’t prone to the etching, staining and other damage that daily household life can inflict on natural marble, but it can be manufactured with comparable beauty, thanks to ink jet production technologies. Unlike marble (or granite), however, each porcelain slab is uniform, so you don’t have to take time off from work to visit a stone yard to choose your remodeling project’s slabs. If you’re opting for a marble look – which is one of the most popular porcelain styles in use for both kitchens and bathrooms right now – you’ll be able to continue a vein across a wide wall or cabinet bank with bookmatched slabs for a traditional upscale look.

Costs and challenges

“The costs of porcelain countertops are comparable to that of quartz, but typically come in slightly higher because of their fragile nature when handling and rather difficult fabricating process,”. Another cost contributor is the sometime scarcity of local skill and expertise. Not including special features, porcelain slab countertops can range from $60 to $100 per square foot. “Because porcelain countertops are still fairly new to the U.S. market, finding a fabricator that has experience with the product can prove to be difficult.

counter where a homeowner wants to cook, creating the sleekest cooking surface imaginable.

Anytime we can have a seamless, low maintenance installation for a client, it is appreciated. Gone are the days of cleaning grout with a toothbrush. You’d probably agree!

Resale Value

Having porcelain countertops can give your home increased value. Many people have equipped their houses with these types of materials to increase their value and sell them at a better price in less time, so, it's like a value-added investment.