Porcelain Tiles That Look Like Wood!
One of the biggest trends in the tile industry right now is ceramic and porcelain tiles that mimic the look, texture, grain, and colors of wood flooring. Every tile manufacturer now has at least one line of wood tile.
Note: All of the pictures on this page feature porcelain tile flooring, not wood flooring!
Take a look at our line of floating LVT that looks like wood!
The Advantages of Porcelain over Real Wood Floors
Porcelain wood tiles are much more durable than wood flooring. Extremely scratch-resistant, they never need to be refinished. Porcelain tiles are almost completely pore-free, and as such are stain-resistant and can be cleaned with any household cleaner.
They can be installed in wet areas such as showers, in commercial spaces such as restaurants and shopping malls, and freeze/thaw-resistant porcelain wood tiles are suitable for exterior installations such as patios.
If you want that classic wood look in a high-traffic area such an entryway or a kitchen, in a wet area such as a bathroom or steamroom, or if you have a very active household with children or dogs, consider porcelain instead: a scratch-resistant, durable, low-porosity material that will stand the test of time.
In the event of spilled water or burst pipes, porcelain won't warp, discolor, mold, or decay. Ideal for easy-to-clean bathrooms or steamrooms.
Porcelain tiles can be made to look like anything, meaning tile manufacturers can create wood looks that cannot be found in nature (fore example, purple or lime green wood planks) or duplicate the look of exotic woods without the high cost or environmental impact.
A Wide Range of Prices and Quality
Wood-looking tiles can range from $3/sqft to $12/sqft, while wood flooring can range from $2/sqft to $12/sqft. Like natural wood flooring and laminate, wood tiles can vary wildly in quality, durability, color, and appearance: these factors all affect the price point.
Wood tiles come in numerous colors, textures, and tones for every imaginable design style.
Print Quality
Print quality plays a large role in the price point of man-made tiles.
A more sophisticated inking/glazing process will result in natural looking patterning, more realistic and subtle colors, and variation from tile to tile.
A cheaper printing process often results in flat, monochromatic looks, frequent pattern repeats, and discernible dots from low-quality ink-jet printing.
The vast majority of our wood tiles, however, are of a high print quality, resulting in realistic-looking products.
Texture
The physical texture of a wood-looking tile contributes heavily to its level of realism. From hand-scraped texture to saw chatter marks, faux ridges, and knots help to create a convincing look and heightened realism. A more realistic and better designed appearance will lead to a higher price point.
A shiny finish, as with laminate flooring, can create a decidedly fake look. A more matte finish duplicates the way real wood diffuses light.
The added friction from the wood-texturing also creates a safer walking surface, making porcelain wood tiles ideal for bathroom floors, entryways, and patios.
For an example of the latest texture technology, these tiles replicate the look of Shou Sugi Ban, the art of Japanese wood burning, with realistic wood grain and burnt effects.
Glaze Durability: PEI and the MOHS Hardness Scale
Every porcelain or ceramic wood tile has a glaze on the surface. This doesn’t mean they’re shiny, it means that the design you see is printed on the surface and fired at high temperatures to fix it in place.
Tile glazes are tested and assigned a PEI (Porcelain Enamel Institute) abrasion/scratch test rating between 1 (residential wall applications only) and 5 (suitable for high-traffic commercial floors, such as those in airports or shopping malls).
Most wood-porcelains have at least a PEI rating of 3 (suitable for residential floors, walls, and countertops). Almost all of our wood porcelains have a PEI rating of 4 or 5; this means that it will take 15+ years of heavy foot traffic for the pattern/print of the glaze to show wear.
Recently, tile manufacturers have switched to the MOHS Hardness Scale to indicate the scratch resistance of their tile, with 1 being as soft as chalk and 10 being as hard as diamond. Most wood porcelain tiles are between 6 and 9 on the MOHS scale.
Realism
The number-one indicator of quality for wood-looking tiles is how convincing they are. Do these tiles actually look like real wood? The answer is yes, yes they do. Countless customers will approach our in-store wood tile displays and say, "I didn't know you sold wood flooring!"
All of the photos in this post are of wood-looking tiles, not hardwood or laminate floors, and yet most people wouldn't know the difference unless told otherwise (and even then some people don't believe it's not wood).
Some tiles look more realistic than others: a matte vs. shiny finish, a textured vs. flat tile, print quality, pattern variation and repetition, etc. can all affect how believable a wood look is.
And don't think that a realistic look has to come with a hefty price tag; we have an in-stock line of wood-porcelain with convincing knots, grain, and color variation for just $2.99/sqft!
Grout for your Porcelain Tiles
But what about grout, you ask? Many people are hesitant about choosing tile because they've had bad experiences with stained, mildewed or dirty grout.
Fortunately, there are new grout types available that are non-porous, stain-resistant, mildew-resistant, extremely color-consistent, flexible, and easy to clean up and install. Premixed grouts are easy to keep clean, no sealing required, and they are just as low maintenance as your porcelain tiles.
You can install your grout in grout joints as small as 1/8” for a minimal appearance. If you have smaller tiles with precise rectified edges, you may even be able to go down to 1/16” grout lines. Check with your tile manufacturer to see what the recommended grout line size is for your tile.
Most people choose a grout color that matches their porcelain tilesso that it blends in and doesn't draw attention to itself. If you want your pattern to pop, however, consider using a contrasting color.
If you want your floor to look like real wood but with the absolute lowest maintenance required, we recommend grouting your porcelain tiles with a matching (or slightly darker) grout color in a small grout joint with a premixed grout.
See these tiles for yourself!
We have samples of dozens of wood tile lines on display in our showroom. Schedule an appointment to visit our store, see what’s available, and take home some samples!
