Handmade Ceramic Tiles: Durability, Porosity, and Style

Learn what porosity really means and how to choose tiles that won't stain, fade, or disappoint

Why Your Handmade Ceramic Tiles Will Stain (Or Won't)

You've found the perfect handmade ceramic tiles. The color is gorgeous. The texture is authentic. The price point feels right. But here's what the artist doesn't tell you: those beautiful tiles could stain within months, or they could stay pristine for 20 years. The difference has nothing to do with how well you clean them.

It comes down to porosity, a hidden property that determines how much liquid your tiles absorb. Two tiles that look virtually identical can have completely different absorption rates. In a kitchen backsplash, high-porosity tiles soak up cooking oil. In a shower, they trap mineral deposits and stay damp. In a fireplace, they perform flawlessly.

This guide explains what porosity is, how to test for it before you buy, and how to choose the right tile for each room in your home. We'll show you exactly what the trade professionals know, so you can avoid expensive mistakes and select handmade tiles that perform as beautifully as they look.

What Porosity Actually Means (And Why It Matters)

Porosity is simply the volume of tiny air pockets inside the fired clay. Think of your tile as a sponge: some are dense sponges with small holes; others are loose and porous with large gaps throughout.

When clay fires in a kiln, water evaporates and leaves behind air pockets called pores. Low-porosity tiles have fewer, smaller pores. High-porosity tiles have more pores that connect all the way to the surface, allowing liquids to penetrate.

The culprit is open pores, not closed ones. An open pore creates a direct pathway for water, oil, and pigments to soak into the clay body. Once inside, these liquids become trapped and stain the tile from within. Closed pores are sealed air pockets with no surface pathway, so they don't absorb anything.

What Controls Porosity

Two factors determine how porous your tile will be: the clay recipe and the kiln temperature.

At Zellaro, we select our clay bodies specifically for the performance we want. We use dense stoneware clays when durability matters. For decorative applications where moisture isn't a factor, we choose earthenware clays that fire to higher porosity, giving us more artistic flexibility and faster firing times.

Kiln temperature is equally critical. Higher firing temperatures fuse clay particles tighter, reducing porosity dramatically. Our shower tiles fire to 2300 degrees Fahrenheit. Our fireplace accent tiles fire lower, around 2000 degrees, creating the artistic texture clients love while maintaining performance for dry applications.

This is also why handmade tiles vary batch to batch. A small kiln has temperature zones. Tiles near the heat reach higher temperatures than those in cooler corners. This creates natural variation in porosity within a single batch, and it's why we carefully monitor and test each production run.

The Water Drop Test: Your DIY Professional Evaluation

Before you commit to buying handmade ceramic tiles, use this simple test to understand their actual absorption rate. Professionals use this exact method.

How to Test Porosity Like a Tile Expert

1. Get an unglazed surface.
Place a single drop of distilled water on the unglazed back of the tile. If the entire tile is glazed, ask the supplier for an unglazed sample or test on a small unglazed corner.

2. Watch the absorption clock.
Time how long it takes for the water drop to disappear completely into the tile.

3. Read the results.
Absorbed in under 10 seconds? High porosity (above 3%). Takes 10–30 seconds? Moderate porosity (1.5–3%). Takes 30+ seconds or sits on the surface? Low porosity (below 1.5%).

4. Test multiple tiles.
Test at least 5 tiles from the same batch. If absorption times vary widely, porosity is inconsistent within the batch.

5. Feel the weight.
Pick up several tiles. Heavier tiles usually indicate denser firing (lower porosity). Lighter tiles may indicate higher porosity.

6. Inspect the back.
Look at the unglazed back in bright light. Smooth and dense backs indicate low porosity. Rough, pitted backs with visible holes indicate high porosity.

This test takes five minutes and tells you more than any marketing claim. Use it every time you're considering handmade tiles for a wet or high-use area.

Do Handmade Ceramic Tiles Stain? A Room-by-Room Guide

Porosity matters in some rooms far more than others. Here's where to prioritize low-porosity tiles and where you have flexibility.

Shower Walls and Wet Rooms: Go Low-Porosity

Bathrooms are where porosity becomes a real problem. Daily water exposure, humidity, temperature fluctuations, and mineral-rich water create perfect conditions for staining and efflorescence (white mineral deposits). High-porosity tiles in showers trap moisture that never fully dries, leading to mold growth and mineral buildup within months.

Use vitreous or semi-vitreous tiles (see our standards table below). Pair them with non-porous epoxy grout, and add a ventilation fan. This system prevents the grout-tile junction staining that plagues so many bathroom renovations.

Kitchen Backsplashes: Moderate Porosity Plus Sealing

Oil splashes, heat exposure, and cleaning chemicals are your kitchen tile concerns. Semi-vitreous handmade tiles work here because oil staining is visible but manageable with proper sealing and maintenance.

Have your tiles sealed professionally after installation, then reseal every 2–3 years. Test the seal yearly with a water droplet. If it absorbs quickly, it's time to reseal. This ongoing maintenance is realistic if you're committed to it; otherwise, invest in lower-porosity tiles that require less sealing.

Fireplace Feature Walls: High Porosity Is Fine

Decorative, low-moisture applications are where high-porosity handmade tiles shine. A fireplace feature wall gets virtually no water exposure and minimal cleaning. High-porosity non-vitreous tiles are perfect here because they allow artists maximum creative freedom while maintaining reliable performance in a dry environment.

This is where artisan character really shows. Unglazed, heavily textured, and decorative tiles work beautifully. Check out our fireplace feature wall collection for inspiration.

Floors: Low to Moderate Porosity

Floors accumulate dirt that embeds in porous surfaces, making them difficult to clean. Choose vitreous or semi-vitreous tiles for any floor space. Sealing extends their life significantly.

Understanding Tile Standards

The ceramic tile industry uses a standardized classification system (ANSI A137.1) to communicate porosity and performance. Here's the breakdown:

Any reputable handmade tile producer should tell you where their tiles fall on this scale. If they can't, that's a warning sign. At Zellaro, we publish absorption ratings for every collection because we stand behind our work.

Maintaining Your Handmade Tiles Based on Porosity

Maintenance requirements scale directly with porosity. Low-porosity tiles demand almost nothing beyond regular cleaning. High-porosity tiles require planning.

Safe Cleaning for Any Tile

Avoid acidic cleaners (vinegar, lemon juice, bathroom cleaners with acid) and harsh abrasives. These degrade grout and accelerate sealer breakdown. Use warm water and mild dish soap for routine cleaning. For stubborn residue, a soft brush works best.

Sealing Schedules

Semi-vitreous tiles benefit from penetrating sealers that soak into the clay body and fill pores. Have them sealed 2–4 weeks after installation once grout fully cures. Retest annually with a water drop. If the drop absorbs in under 30 seconds, it is time to reseal.

Grout matters as much as tiles. In wet areas, use epoxy grout (non-porous) instead of cement-based grout. Epoxy costs more upfront but eliminates grout staining almost entirely.

Prevention Is Everything

Oil stains, mineral deposits, and mold growth are nearly impossible to remove once they penetrate porous clay. Prevention through proper selection, sealing, and cleaning is far more practical than attempting removal later.

Why Handmade Tiles Vary (And That's a Good Thing)

In our Zellaro tile-firing workshops, every batch is slightly unique. We fire at lower temperatures in some batches for artistic character, higher temperatures in others for durability. Tiles near kiln heat zones reach different temperatures than those in cooler corners. Some tiles absorb water in 1.5 seconds; others in 2.8 seconds. Same batch, visible variation.

This is not a defect. It's evidence of real handmade production. Industrial machinery produces identical tiles. Authentic artisan work produces controlled variation that reflects the maker's careful attention and the natural materials involved.

Expect and celebrate subtle differences in color, texture, and density. If variation is extreme (some tiles visibly lighter, dramatically different weights), quality control has slipped. But modest variation is the artisan fingerprint you're paying for.

Getting Your Tiles Home Safely

Before you order, understand your delivery options. If you're concerned about tile condition during shipping, learn more about shipping versus local pickup options so you can minimize risk and ensure your tiles arrive in perfect condition. 

FAQs

What is a handmade tile?

A handmade tile is formed and finished by hand rather than fully automated machinery.
It shows natural variation in texture, color, and surface because of artisanal production methods.

What is better, ceramic or porcelain tile?

Porcelain offers lower water absorption and higher density, which improves durability in wet areas.
Ceramic provides more design flexibility and usually costs less, making it ideal for decorative spaces.

What are handmade tiles called?

Handmade tiles are often called artisan tiles or handcrafted ceramic tiles.
Some producers also label them as traditional or small-batch fired tiles depending on the process.

Final Thoughts on Handmade Ceramic Tiles 

Durability and appearance depend on how the clay body manages moisture within its structure, so selection should always match real site conditions. Understanding absorption behavior helps prevent staining, simplifies maintenance, and extends service life across kitchens, bathrooms, and living spaces. 

Start by evaluating your installation area, then compare tile ratings, and request samples before making a final decision.

Explore curated selections at Shop stocked tiles or reach out for guidance on specifications and availability.

For questions, contact info@zellarotile.com or call (786) 698-0756.
Team support can help match material choices to wet areas, floors, and decorative applications so projects perform as intended over time. Send project details and receive tailored recommendations based on use case, finish preference, and maintenance expectations.