All "tile", whether porcelain/ ceramic/ natural stone, requires grout. You do not want grout on the surface of a countertop.

I have not heard of a porcelain counter for the kitchen. I do have a one piece porcelain/ceramic top by Kohler in my bathroom that I love...If it is a tile, like Chiflipper said, you will have grout lines (crumb catchers) etc. and I do not think this is a desired counter-top material for very many.

I have considered porcelain countertop for an island - the size of the slab is such that it can be done in. one piece. However - porcelain can chip (drop a cast iron skillet on it?) and is not as easily fixed as stone.

I am a fabricator. We have done kitchens in porcelain slabs. Steep learning curve for the fabricator. If your fabricator has a lot of experience with the material I wouldn't be afraid of it.

Our fabricator refused to work with porcelain, so we’re going with 1.2cm Silestone instead. Make sure your fabricator is able and willing before becoming too married to the idea!

A few threads here in the forums at Houzz feature finished kitchens with large porcelain slabs. Due to the large size, it's common to see them crack during fabrication or installation, though, so prepare for potential heartbreak. If successfully installed, they do well with abrasion and heat resistance. An alternate material with a better installation success rate is Polycor's ultra-thin 1 cm slabs made of real marble and granite but which are heavily resined and supported with an integrated backing for strength and flexibility. These have been used successfully in many projects, but you will be dealing with the same resin-type issues you'd get with quartz such as color changes in light and heat sensitivity.

Search the board for Neolith. You will find a number of threads outlining the problems people have had with porcelain slab materials. Porcelain requires very specific training and care and it is not an easy material for the fabricators to deal with.

thanks everyone! We decided to go with quartz for the above reasons. I really appreciate all the insights!

Maybe look into corian if you prefer something that isn’t trying to be something else?

I feel the same way as Junk*Salvation. the quartz design options did not wow me and now I am hearing about problems with staining and heat sensitivities and fading from light!!!

The porcelain that I saw was beautiful! Granite is so dark and I want to lighten up my kitchen. I will look at the corian as suggested above!

we saw magnifica porcelain slabs at the international Builders show today. It looked absolutely fantastic. If we can find a fabricator who will work with it, I would absolutely consider it.

Hi Dana! I have porcelain countertops and an island that’s 10ft. Absolutely love the look. I don’t know where you live, but my fabricator was Amazing! Rey is the owner from @antonsantistone on Instagram. Email is: antonsantistone@gmail.com
Good luck!

amybhargava

Hi, Have you had any corner chipping problems?

Hi Dana! I have porcelain countertops and a 10 feet island. Absolutely love the look. I don’t know where you live, but my fabricator was Amazing!

Hi Camila. As of now, no. My fabricator was outstanding. Couldn’t be happier with how my kitchen turned out.

It isn't the skill of the fabricator so much as it is the technique used to miter corners that leads to chipping over time. The edges of the miter are very thin. Epoxy is the only strengthening agent. Corner chipping with mitered porcelain edges is common, given enough time and use.

@amybhargava what porcelain brand are these? pretty!

The porcelain countertops look beautiful, but I'm having a hard time finding reviews that mention the experience of actually using them (other than eating, drinking, and chopping on them). I intend to do a lot of baking/pastry making/bread making on a large porcelain island. Does anyone have experience working pastry on porcelain, or tempering chocolate on porcelain? I would love to hear from you.

I am following this subject. I am also interested in having a porcelain countertop. (Definitely not porcelain tiles) It seems very durable but the issue is with the making and installation of it. If doesn't crack in the process, the countertop would be fabulous.

If you want a working countertop for pastry, try Beleza soapstone or Danby marble. Porcelain could see some wear on the sheen of the finish layer if a lot of abrasion was involved over time, and if the corners were mitered, you could end up with premature chipping from an accidental rolling pin tap to the porcelain at the right angle. Porcelain looks pretty right now, but its usefulness in a heavily-used kitchen is still not quite there in terms of the technology and installation methods to guarantee longevity.

can anyone give some feedback on your porcelain counters nkw that you have been usinf them?