Which tile type has a smooth surface, is denser, and has an impervious body with absorption less than 0.5%?

• A. Unglazed ceramic
• B. Glazed porcelain
• C. Ceramic mosaic
• D. Quarry tile

Answer: (B)

Porcelain tile fits this description because it is crafted to be very dense and nonporous. The body is fired at a high temperature, resulting in a tight, impervious structure, and a glaze provides a smooth, even surface. The combination yields an absorption rate under 0.5%, which is the hallmark of porcelain tiles. Unglazed ceramic lacks a glaze and is typically more porous with a rougher surface, so it doesn’t meet the smooth-surface and impervious criteria. Ceramic mosaic and quarry tile can be ceramic in composition as well, but they don’t guarantee the same dense, low-absorption body as porcelain; mosaic tiles, in particular, vary in material, and quarry tile is usually unglazed and rough, not the same level of smoothness or imperviousness as glazed porcelain.