Wood look Tile vs Real Wood
Tile flooring comes in many shapes, sizes and textures these days, and a wood look is no exception.
Wood tile planks are a big seller today. With manufactures printing a high definition wood look on tile textured to simulate wood, even savvy homeowners can be fooled.
Which one is the tile?
In addition to that realistic look, you do not have the traditional problems of real wood floors. Wear and tear is a non issue. You are not going to see fading, gouges, wear patterns on high traffic areas, and you won’t have to sand and reseal them. If you spill water on your floor, you’ve got nothing to worry about. Its tile. It isn’t going to warp on you if you leave it sit too long.
Now, with everything positive, you’re probably wondering what the downside is. Truth is, depending on the tile, they can get pretty expensive. They do a great job of helping keep your home cool in the summer, but in the winter, they may not be so comfortable to walk on bare foot, especially in a cooler climate. Tile flooring can be unforgiving. If you drop a glass or plate, chances are better than not that they are going to shatter. They can also be uncomfortable to stand on for long periods of time.
Pros:
- Gorgeous look – Self explanatory. These tiles look great.
- Durability – Tiles can take quite a bit more of a beating than a wood floor.
- Longevity – You don’t have to worry about wear patterns on high travel areas, sanding, and refinishing every few years. Tiles are not going to fade.
- Plenty of options – Manufactures are releasing a huge variety of sizes, colors and finishes.
Cons:
- Installation can be tricky – The installer needs to be aware of how to use the proper width of grout, and find a matching color to the tile to really bring that wood look out, other wise it will be pretty obvious the floor is actually tile.
- Its a hard surface – If you drop something fragile on it – it will break. Standing on it for long periods of time can be uncomfortable.
- Tile doesn’t retain heat – Walking around on tile flooring in the winter barefoot can be fairly uncomfortable.
- Repairing a damaged tile can be tricky later down the road – Generally, installers will leave you with extra tiles after an installation for repairs later down the road, but eventually they might run out. If they do, trying to find a matching tile can be extremely hard, or even impossible as finding a matching dye lot can be like finding a needle in a haystack.
