Sintered stone and porcelain slabs are made in much the same way: mineral powders are pressed and fired at high temperature until they fuse. There is no standard that defines "sintered stone" as a separate material, so the name alone tells you little.
Some sellers use "sintered stone" for thick, full-body slabs made for worktops, and "porcelain slab" for thinner, printed slabs for floors and walls. Others use the two names for the same product.
What "sintering" means
Sintering is the process of fusing powder into a solid with heat, without fully melting it. Every porcelain tile is sintered. So the phrase "sintered stone" describes the process, not a different material.
What does differ between products is the raw material mix, the body type, the thickness and the surface. These are the things to compare.
How the products are usually positioned
- Sintered stone is often sold as a worktop and furniture material, in 12 mm or thicker, with a full or colour-matched body.
- Porcelain slabs are often sold for floors, walls and cladding, in 6 to 9 mm, with a printed glaze on a standard body.
- Both can be made in very large sizes, such as 1600x3200 mm.
- Both should have water absorption of 0.5% or less if they are true porcelain bodies.
Labels are not rules
These are tendencies, not rules. A thick porcelain slab with a full body can perform the same as a product sold as sintered stone. Our guide on full-body porcelain slabs explains the body types.
Why the difference from engineered stone matters
Sintered stone and porcelain are often confused with engineered stone, also called quartz. Engineered stone is crushed stone bound with resin. Porcelain and sintered stone contain no resin.
The difference has legal weight in some markets. Australia has banned the manufacture, supply, processing and installation of engineered stone benchtops, panels and slabs since 1 July 2024, and their import from 1 January 2025. According to Safe Work Australia, the ban does not apply to sintered stone or porcelain products that contain no resin. Processing them still carries work health and safety duties where they contain crystalline silica. Check the current rules before you import into Australia.
How to compare two offers
Ignore the label and ask each seller for the same facts:
- Water absorption to ISO 10545-3, which should be 0.5% or less.
- Breaking strength and modulus of rupture to ISO 10545-4, for the exact thickness offered.
- Body type, shown on a cut sample.
- Whether the product contains any resin or polymer binder, stated in writing.
- Stain and chemical resistance to ISO 10545-14 and ISO 10545-13 if it is for worktops.
Same results, same product
If two products match on these points, they will perform alike, whatever they are called. Our guide on reading a lab certificate helps you check the reports.
Next step
We compare slab offers on body, thickness and test results rather than names, and have lots tested where needed. To review slab options for worktops, book a free sourcing review.