When it comes to flooring, wood is one of the first options that come to mind. After all, it’s traditional, it’s functional, and it’s intrinsically beautiful. Yet, the main things it’s not? It’s not sustainable and it’s not all that durable. Think about the wood floors you’ve encountered: How many scratches could you count on one panel? What about watermarks? The proof is in the pudding. The best part is that with technology, comes even better options. One of those is wood look porcelain tiles.
The World of Wood-Looks, An Overview
Wood look porcelain tiles are ever-evolving. They are no longer just simple, wood tone pieces, but they incorporate grain effects and notch-like appearances.
It all comes down to the advancements in printing. Thanks to these, the porcelain bodies can mimic realistic surfaces. Think rich, grainy movement across the body of a porcelain tile with grooves that you can actually feel. Or, polished finishes that create a rich atmosphere thanks to their shining palettes. Whether you’re decorating with a Farmhouse Chic design or a Transitional Modern one, you can find a wood-look tile that matches the desired aesthetic.
What’s more, aside from their unique bodies, they also come in myriad sizes now too. Once it was only common to find the standard 6×48 sizing for this type; however, there’s now pieces as large as 18×36!
So, as you can see, it’s a pretty diverse world for wood tiles.
The Various Finishes
When it comes to finishes, there are several different ones that you should acquaint yourself with. The reason is simple, some may appeal to you more than others. Which is normal, after all, we all have unique tastes and plans for design! So knowing the details is key in deciding the tile.
Browse an overview of the current options available below.
Natural: A natural finish is the closest thing to real wood. The body of the tile has a 3-dimensional texture that when you trace it with your fingers, mimics the lines as though it was actually fresh-cut wood.
Matte: A matte finish is next in line to the natural finish. While it doesn’t have all the texturing that a natural finish has, it does still have a realistic feel to it thanks to the almost raw feeling.
Polished: Far from natural, but still with its perks, polished is the creme-de-la-creme of porcelain wood-looks. Why? It has the look of real wood, but the shine only a tile can have. Which means the result is elegance in an organic way.
Learn The Lay Of The Land
When it comes to choosing the ideal tile, another area to consider aside from the finish is the lay pattern. For those unfamiliar, lay pattern is the way that you can style the tile in your space. Some tiles are traditional plank looking pieces; while others are a tad bit fancier thanks to the way they are cut.
Let’s go through the main types together:
Traditional Plank: This is what comes to mind when you think of wood flooring. A simple, rectangular piece that comes in various color options. It’s a classic and for a reason, simplicity at its finest turns great design. This style, while traditional, comes in a multitude of sizes. Here are the most common ones: 20”, 30”, 40” in length and 6”, 8” and 12” in width.
Chevron: The chevron tile is a twist on tradition thanks to its unique body shape. It forms a zig-zagging pattern that creates movement in any space. This style of tile can be found in the following sizes: 8”x32”, 8”x40”, and 8”x48”
Now that you’re familiarized with the world of wood look porcelain, let’s go ahead and show you some of our latest collections! After all, you’re probably ready to shop, right?