Although they look quite similar, there are some differences between the two materials. They share a similar manufacturing process, in which both of them are made of a special type of clay and water, then hardened in an oven. However, the two materials have different levels of porosity, which reflects how much they absorb water. For example, porcelain typically absorbs less water than ceramic, whether it’s regular or fireclay. On the other hand, porcelain is not as durable as ceramic or fireclay. The main difference between fireclay and porcelain is the size of clay particles before molding and heating in the oven. In some cases, fireclay and ceramic particles are mixed together, creating fireclay ceramic, which has higher durability than normal ceramic without being too expensive.