June 1, 2022
10 Reasons Why You Should Choose Wood Effect Porcelain
As direct importers of natural stone for over 27 years, it’s safe to say we love natural stone and its qualities! However, wood-effect and stone-effect porcelain tiles are becoming increasingly popular choices and there are many great reasons to choose porcelain flooring.
Many customers ask if wood effect porcelain is a good choice for a busy, everyday family home – our answer – is yes! Wood effect porcelain is both practical and beautiful. The beauty of porcelain is its engineered strength, easy maintenance, and ability to be used with underfloor heating – unlike natural wood. Available in a variety of shades and patterns, from an authentic oak look to a more contemporary washed effect, wood porcelain suits a range of interiors.
10 Reasons To Choose Wood Effect Porcelain
1. Hardwearing – Porcelain is engineered to be strong and hard-wearing, meaning it doesn’t scratch or dent like natural wood can from chair legs or heels. The print and glaze on a wood effect tile is extremely durable so is also unlikely to chip or fade. This makes it the perfect option for high traffic areas in homes and even for commercial use.
2. Easy maintenance – Wood effect planks are very easy to keep clean with normal hoovering and the occasional mop. Steam mops and most universal floor cleaners can be used with wood porcelain, and they do not require any sealing. The ability to achieve clean grout joints means that daily dirt or dust isn’t trapped between each plank, we also have stain-proof grout options available, especially good for bathrooms.
Rich and warm tones, our Clovelly Old English wood effect porcelain planks replicate the look of wood beautifully. These planks suit a range of interiors such as kitchens, living rooms and bathrooms.
3. Suitable with underfloor heating – We see more and more customers wanting underfloor heating in their projects and it is a frequent question asked if porcelain is suitable for underfloor heating.. Natural wood isn’t suitable for underfloor heating, but wood effect porcelain is perfectly fine, with the correct application. Porcelain is ideal with wet or electric underfloor heating systems because it does not bow and is a great conductor and holder of heat – keeping those feet nice and toasty for longer!
4. Realistic nature – With the porcelain industry growing and expanding comes more state-of-the-art machinery. In turn, this means higher quality printing on the market and a large range of shades and patterns that can be achieved. Whether you are looking for a warm, oak effect floor tile or a contemporary dark wood plank, there are many options.
5. Suitable for floors and walls – The beauty of wood porcelain is that it is very light and thin, this makes it a great option for wall tiles, as well as flooring. The ability to do this, opens up plenty of possibilities and combinations. Read our blog post here for a popular wood effect and stone effect bathroom combination. We recommend opting for a wood look plank that will complement or contrast a stone effect tile – you can then choose the wood for the floor and stone look tiles for contrasting walls or vice versa.
6. Natural grip underfoot – Not only do these floor tile options offer realistic shades and prints, but many also have a subtle texture to replicate natural wood and its grains. This subtle texture provides a natural grip underfoot, making them a practical choice across groundfloors in family homes with pets or young children, as well as bathroom tiles.
7. Rectified, flat and sleek finish – Natural wood can often curl or warp overtime, which results in an uneven level that can be hard to look after and cause problems. All our wood porcelain is rectified, and with the correct installation, a flat and sleek finish can be achieved. With these tiles, grouting can be a close 2-3mm joint, which also minimises grout lines and helps create a true wood-look. A rectified tile is cut after the firing process – during the firing process, the clay mixture can expand at varying rates. To ensure the tiles are dimensionally stable, the tiles are cut afterwards, making the installation process easier and allows for thin grout joins.
8. Options for outside – Many customers love wood effect tiles for inside but would also like the option of laying outside. The Chatsworth wood collection comes in a Grip finish, specifically designed for external use – the perfect option to flow seamlessly from inside, to outside.
9. No fade or discolouration – As mentioned, our curated range of wood effect tiles use the highest quality printing on the market. One major benefit of porcelain over real wood is that it will not fade in sunlight or discolour over time, meaning your floor will keep looking beautiful for years to come! A porcelain print is extremely durable and hardwearing, so will not be bleached from sunlight or fade in colour or pattern.
10. Variety in combinations and options – With our growing range of wood effect porcelain, there is a chance to be creative in combinations and find a shade or pattern that is just what you are looking for. Whether it is a bathroom project, or full house renovation, we hope our collection inspires and shows the different plank sizes, laying formats and shades you can opt for.
