Ceramic Tile Durability - Does the thickness of a porcelain floor tile affect its durability?

Technically the thicker the ceramic tile, the greater the breaking strength (that is, the less likely it will break). Although the 5/16" thick porcelain tile is very strong and durable, and it's suitable for most residential and commercial applications. Good Luck! Updated: October 18th 2006 Ceramic Tile Behind a Stove - I want to put ceramic tile behind a wood burner. Will this hold up under a lot of heat? Ceramic tile behind a woodstove works very well as long as it's installed correctly over the right type of substrate. In the production process, ceramic tile is baked in huge ovens at 1200 to 2000 degrees so it can withstand heat. It's important, though, that the tile is attached to a surface that's not affected by heat. It's best to use a concrete substrate like a mortar bed or a cementitious backer unit. Make sure you use a cementitious adhesive such as a thin-set mortar adhesive for bonding the tile to the substrate and not mastic. Good Luck! Updated: October 18th 2006 Ceramic ...  more

Answer - Technically the thicker the ceramic tile, the greater the breaking strength (that is, the less likely it will break). Although the 5/16" thick porcelain tile is very strong and durable, and it's suitable for most residential and commercial applications. Good Luck!  more