Wood Tile is Hot?!
Porcelain wood tile is hot. What? Well… the answer is the wood look in the tile plank shape is a HOT style. The most common wood look planks are 6” to 8” wide, and most are 39” to 48” long. The reason for the wood looking tiles gaining popularity starts with the fact that the tile industry has advanced significantly in the ability to make very realistic wood looking tiles in the last few years. Back in the late 1990’s (Yes, I am an old timer), the tile had color screens added to it. Some tiles would have one screen. Some tiles would have several screens. But, there was no more than a few different looking combinations, and if you looked closely, you could see the small dots, that made up the screens. Even if you did not look close, the tiles just did not look realistic. The wood tile designs look especially bad when the multi-screen approach was used. The marble looking tile was an easier style to copy. Thus, the 1990’s had lots of stone looking tiles that looked pretty nice.
Why Now? Why Tile?
Wood Tile Example – Ascot Wood Series
Now, we have laser ink jet technology that allows the tile manufacturers to scan real wood planks and make very realistic 3D looking copies of these wood planks. Since this is all done on a computer, they can create wood colors that do not really exist and make changes to the porcelain tiles to make them look as good or even better than an actual piece of wood.
Now, let’s talk about durability. Porcelain wood planks are not going to show wear like real wood. Your wonderful dog or cat can’t damage or alter the look of the porcelain wood tile at all. Ever. With proper installation, the tile should last 40 to 60 years. Water damage? No Way, wood plank tiles can be installed on your shower walls, a foyer that gets water and mud dragged through, sunrooms, kitchen floors, kitchen back splashes, bathroom floors, anywhere! So, as I started saying, Porcelain wood tiles are hot. It is my belief that the ability to make good looking wood tiles has caught up with the need for good looking wood tiles. I do not see any reason that this style will change.
Going Green With Wood Tile
Many tile manufacturers like Arpa and Panaria are taking the old ceramic tile and recycling the old tile into new, beautiful tile, by grinding up the old tile and mixing it into the clay of the new tile. Also, as I live on this planet with you, I prefer to see more trees left as trees and not chopped down for wood floors.
If you have any questions about this or any thing else related to tile and marble, Atlas is here to help! Call us or come visit our store. We are located on Richie Hwy in Arnold, Maryland across from the Severna Park Golf Center. You can also submit an inquiry on our website.
Cheers
John Childs, Owner
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