So you’ve been looking at some beautiful art tiles that would look lovely in your kitchen. The question is, are they suitable for a kitchen backsplash? Some gorgeous tiles look as if they might absorb water and other liquids, which means they would stain easily. Nobody wants that problem for their kitchen backsplash!
Will kitchen backsplash tiles absorb water? Yes, no, and maybe! It all depends on what tiles you choose.
The terms vitreous and nonvitreous are used to indicate the density and porosity of a tile. These characteristics determine how likely a tile is to absorb water. Tile manufacturers rate tiles in four categories.