What are wood effect tiles?

Category: Choosing your tiles

Looking for the best way to bring a natural look into your home? Interior designers would suggest using wood effect tiles. These tiles have strikingly lifelike designs, they have knots and crinkles and some even have white-washed planks.

Why tile instead of wood?

Tiles are more durable than the natural wood and they don’t mark as easily. They are more environmentally friendly, as no trees have been cut to make them and are ideal for underfloor heating.

If you would like to keep up to date with the latest interior design trends, then don’t forget the so called ‘reclaimed wood tiles’ that give you both ‘wood look’ and ‘texture’. The textured, wood effect design means that they have slightly multi-levelled, uneven surface creating a vintage appearance.

Are they cold?

One of the main concerns that people have when considering wood effect tiles is that the floor will be cold, in comparison to real wood; but this is not the case.

Firstly, tile is denser than other materials that are used commonly in flooring, such as carpet, wood, laminate or vinyl; therefore, it transmits heat far more effectively than any of materials mentioned.

If you want to avoid a cold floor – don’t mix tile with stone. The latter is the cold one.

As wood effect tiles are usually porcelain, they are compatible with the underfloor heating and as they are solid, they are much better conductors than wood. This makes them a far more efficient option than engineered wood flooring.