Faience and porcelain: what is the difference?

Both earthenware and porcelain are demanded materials for the production of dishes. Without preliminary preparation and knowledge of the features of these materials, it will be difficult to distinguish them from each other. Therefore, before selecting dishes, you should familiarize yourself with the characteristics of such products.

Such a strong similarity between faience and porcelain is explained by the fact that clay is the main material for their manufacture. Other components are added to it during production: mineral and organic. Each material has its own elements, so the composition is still different.

Faience is a subspecies of ceramics that is made from fired clay. Silicate, white clay, quartz are also added to it. The resulting product has small pores, it is quite brittle.

The range of products is very wide: you can easily purchase salad bowls, plates, tea pairs, napkin holders, large dishes and much more. Dishes are not too expensive, because their production is relatively easy.

There are several advantages of faience:

• acceptable price;
• opacity;
• strength.

There are several disadvantages:

• does not accept heat;
• through time it begins to crack, and the cracks are tiny;
• with improper care, the glaze will crack and “creep”.

As for porcelain, here we will observe the same composition, but the proportions will be different: unlike faience, porcelain contains less clay. Products made of such a material are durable, they have no pores, and transparency can be observed. Of course, the dishes will be much more expensive than faience, since porcelain is more difficult to obtain.

Let's note some advantages:

• sophisticated and elegant appearance;
• quality;
• full environmental friendliness of products;
• excellent thermal conductivity.

Among the cons:

• high price;
• the need for careful care;
• low shock resistance.

The first step in making both materials is preparing the ingredients. To make faience, water and then sand are added to the clay and kaolin mixture. After filtering the mixture, it is exposed to filters, put in a pulp and left for some time in a cool room. Then the mass goes to the second pulp. During the production of porcelain, the ingredients are also mixed, after which they are treated with several types of mixers. Then they are filtered, filtered and left in cool. After the required time, the mixture is sent under the press.

At the second stage of making faience, the masters have to give the mass a shape, and then burn it. Porcelain is given shape thanks to gypsum, followed by thorough drying. And only after drying porcelain is fired, using special ovens for this, the temperature in which should be strictly controlled.

The third step is the same for both varieties. They are covered with glaze, painted and decorated. For painting faience, ready-made stencils are usually used; porcelain can be painted manually.

Products made from materials such as earthenware and porcelain are very beautiful. Despite the external similarity, they differ from each other in physical characteristics and production technology. Consider the difference between the materials, and compare them.

• More than 85% of faience is clay, which is why products pass water so well. In porcelain, clay is much smaller, most of the composition is occupied by minor components, such as feldspar, white clay, etc. Similar characteristics are due to the fact that porcelain can resemble glass.
• In the manufacture of porcelain fired at very high temperatures, for faience these figures will be much lower.
• Porcelain does not absorb moisture at all, but faience does not differ in this quality due to the fact that most of it again consists of clay.
• Porcelain is transparent, glassy, ​​light penetrates through it, but the second material described has absolutely no transparency.
• If you knock on the dishes, then the china will emit a clean melodic ringing, while products from faience will respond with a dull sound.
• Porcelain does not age, it is eternal, but cracks resembling craquelure form on the surface of earthenware models. Nevertheless, this does not affect the value, since over time such a pattern cannot be avoided.
• Porcelain dishes will be easier if you compare exactly the same objects from both materials.
• Porcelain, usually white, is painted. If you come across a product of a different color, then this is most likely faience.
• Porcelain dishes will be few, but still stronger than their "competitor", in addition, it will be thinner.

It is impossible to unequivocally answer the question of which dishes will be better. It is worth focusing on your own preferences and budget. If you want beautiful dishes for daily use, it is better, of course, to give preference to faience, because if necessary, broken plates and cups can be easily and inexpensively replaced.

Aesthetes and lovers of everything delicate can recommend porcelain dishes. With proper care, it is possible to keep it in the family for several generations, in addition, such products are appropriate for any holiday, they create a feeling of luxury, wealth.At the same time, earthenware products retain heat longer, they are inherent in a variety of colors, which gives more opportunities if you have a modern type of interior.

Be sure to study the different manufacturers, compare the models that they produce. Both earthenware and porcelain must have high-quality glaze, otherwise it may begin to absorb water and odors. In addition, careful selection is also important because genuine materials are often replaced with fakes. To buy the original and not be disappointed in the materials forever, it is recommended to take note of a few rules.

• When purchasing dishes from porcelain, you should ask the seller for quality certificates. This is the first step to making the right choice.
• Hit a cup or plate with a spoon. A glass jingle will notify you that porcelain is in front of you. Also, it will not be superfluous to check the dishes in the light - this will help determine the authenticity, because only porcelain shines through.
• Remember that real china will not be cheap. If you are offered products at a price lower than everywhere, these are definitely dishonest sellers.

As for faience, it is almost never faked, because dishes from this material are recognizable everywhere. They can give faience for porcelain, but not the other way around. In addition, the production technology of this material is simple and fast, so putting up fakes on the market is pointless.

It is no secret that any dishes will maintain an aesthetic appearance only with proper care. The materials described here are no exception. Both types of products do not like too hot water temperatures, as well as their differences. Therefore, you have to wash the dishes only in cool water, while you should forget about powder products and hard sponges. Use only mild soapy water or mild dishwashing liquid.

Sometimes, even with the most careful care, porcelain can darken. But this can be easily dealt with if you wipe the product with water with a small amount of soda or use citric acid. This will whiten the surface, returning it to its original appearance.

Wiping cups and plates should be done immediately, natural drying will cause ugly stains and additional time for subsequent polishing. If this is a service that you use every six months, put the dishes in a box, wrapping each item with paper. The box should be located separately from the rest, boxes should not be placed on it, other containers should not be.

Faience is allowed to be heated in the microwave, but the dishes should be perfect, without cracks and chips. Exposure to the stove should be short. For porcelain, such heating is prohibited.

Both types of products can be washed in a dishwasher, but only in a delicate mode and at a distance from each other. But in general, experts advise nevertheless to give preference to hand washing.

Differences of quality porcelain from fake in the next video.