Vitrified Tiles — Types, Prices and How to Choose
Buyers in India, the Gulf and across Africa ask for vitrified tiles, not porcelain — the same product under the name the trade actually uses. What matters is that "vitrified" covers four quite different products at quite different prices, and choosing between them is the whole decision.
- All four vitrified types produced under one roof
- Shade-matched batch production for large projects
- Direct from the factory in Morbi — no trading margin
What vitrification actually does
Vitrification is the process of firing a clay body containing silica and feldspar until those minerals melt and fuse the whole mass into something glass-like. The word comes from vitreum, glass. A properly vitrified tile has almost no open porosity left: water absorption falls below 0.5 per cent, and the tile becomes both far stronger and effectively impervious.
That is the same threshold the European standards use to define porcelain, which is why the two words describe the same product. A supplier quoting "vitrified" and one quoting "porcelain" are, if both are honest about the absorption figure, offering you the same class of tile.
Where it gets commercially interesting is the surface. Every vitrified tile has this dense body, but manufacturers finish it four different ways, and the choice changes the price per square metre by a factor of two or more. The sections below set out what each one buys you.
The four types
Full Body Vitrified
Premium · heaviest traffic
Colour through the whole thickness. Nothing can wear through because there is nothing underneath. Specified for airports, malls and public staircases. Solid and granite-effect colours only.
Full Body Vitrified ›Double Charged Vitrified
Mid · heavy traffic
A 3-4 mm pigmented layer pressed onto the body. Around twenty times thicker than a printed glaze, at roughly two-thirds the price of full body. The commercial workhorse.
Double Charged Vitrified ›GVT — Glazed Vitrified
Value · design-led
Digital printing under a matt or textured glaze. Every marble, wood, stone and cement look, with real slip resistance. Right for homes, shops and hotels.
GVT — Glazed Vitrified ›PGVT — Polished Glazed
Value · high gloss
The same printed tile, polished to a mirror gloss. The brightest floor available and the most popular finish for living rooms and lobbies.
PGVT — Polished Glazed ›Side by side
| Full Body | Double Charged | GVT | PGVT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decorative depth | Full thickness | 3-4 mm | Under 1 mm | Under 1 mm |
| Design range | Limited | Limited | Very wide | Very wide |
| Traffic suited to | Very heavy | Heavy | Moderate | Light |
| Surface | Matt / unglazed | Polished or matt | Matt / textured | High gloss |
| Slip resistance | Good to excellent | Moderate | Good | Poor when wet |
| Outdoor use | Yes | Limited | Yes, textured | No |
| Relative price | Highest | Middle | Low | Low |
Choosing in four questions
- How heavy is the traffic? Public building or commercial floor, specify full body or double charged. House, shop or hotel room, GVT and PGVT are ample.
- Will it get wet? Bathroom, kitchen, balcony, poolside or external step — a textured GVT or a full body anti-skid. Never a polished tile.
- Does the look drive the job? If the client wants marble veining or timber grain, only GVT and PGVT will deliver it. A full body tile cannot be printed that way.
- What is the budget per square metre? Full body costs roughly half again what GVT costs. On a large floor that difference is real money, and on a domestic floor it buys durability nobody will ever use.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between vitrified and porcelain tiles?
None of substance. Both describe a tile fired until the body is dense and glass-like, with water absorption below 0.5 per cent. Vitrified is the term used in India, the Gulf and much of Africa; porcelain is the European and American term for the same class of tile.
Which vitrified tile is best for a home?
GVT or PGVT for most rooms — the design range is far wider and domestic traffic will never wear the surface. Use full body for the staircase, which takes the heaviest wear in a house, and a textured GVT or full body anti-skid for balconies and bathrooms.
Why are double charged tiles cheaper than full body?
Because the expensive pigmented material only goes into the top 3 to 4 mm rather than through the whole tile. The base body underneath is plain. That makes them significantly cheaper per square metre while still giving a decorative layer many times deeper than a glaze.
Do vitrified tiles scratch?
Any tile scratches under enough abrasion. The difference is whether the scratch shows. On full body the exposed material is the same colour, so it does not. On a polished PGVT a scratch catches the light and is obvious, which is why gloss floors are a poor idea in entrances where grit gets walked in.
What size vitrified tiles do you export?
From 200x1200 mm planks up to 1200x2400 mm slabs, with 600x600 and 600x1200 mm the highest-volume sizes. Custom formats are produced to OEM order.
Get vitrified tile pricing per square metre
Tell us the type, size and volume. We will quote ex-works and delivered, and send shade samples before you commit to a container.
Browse the full range
Buying Guides
- Tile Buying Guide
- Full Body vs GVT Tiles
- Step & Riser Tiles Guide
- GVT vs PGVT
- Tile Size Guide
- Laminate Guide
- Porcelain vs Ceramic Tiles
- What Are Vitrified Tiles
- Types of Tiles
- Tile Thickness Guide
- Glossy vs Matte Tiles
- How to Clean Tile Floors
- How to Remove Tile Stains
- How to Fix Cracked Tiles
- How to Clean Marble Floors
- Bathroom Size Guide
- Powder Room Guide