Imitation Wood porcelain floor: pros and cons

11 Jul 2024

The choice of flooring, whether in a home or commercial premises, is a crucial aspect in the interior design and one of the most carefully considered decisions to be made, as it will serve a functional as well as a decorative purpose.

Considering that installing a new floor will entail a considerable investment, it is worth looking for the option that can offer the best long-term performance.
In today's market, there is a wide range of options, but natural wood flooring continues to be the choice par excellence. And no wonder, it is a warm and versatile material that offers great aesthetic results, as well as being sustainable, renewable and environmentally friendly.

All this has led many materials over the years to seek to imitate its beauty and performance. In today's post we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of one of them which, thanks to its durability, versatility and ease of maintenance, has been gaining popularity and making its way into all the decoration magazines in recent years: we are talking about imitation wood porcelain floors.

What is porcelain wood-look flooring?

As its name suggests, wood-look porcelain flooring refers to tiles that recre ate the appearance of natural wood and have been manufactured at high temperatures, using minerals such as quartz or feldspar and advanced firing techniques. The result is a material that is highly resistant to impact, totally impermeable and can be used for cladding and paving surfaces both indoors and outdoors.

Although it is essentially a pressed ceramic floor, the nature of its manufacture means that it presents some differences with respect to it that will provide greater resistance and durability compared to traditional stoneware floors.

To achieve finishes such as imitation wood, porcelain floors have one or more layers of enamel on top, which allows for a wide range of finishes and designs. However, we must keep in mind that as they are deliberately and mechanically designed elements, all the pieces will be a copy of each other, losing the unique essence of natural wood floors.

What are the advantages of wood-look porcelain flooring?

As we have been saying, the qualities of this type of flooring have made it an increasingly popular option. These are some of the reasons:

· Durability and wear resistance. This is the main advantage of ceramic floors compared to other materials. Unlike natural wood, wood-look porcelain flooring is resistant not only to knocks but also to scratches and, above all, to wear and tear. Their manufacturing method provides them a high resistance to extreme temperatures, both cold and heat, as well as to abrasion, scratching or excess humidity. This makes them ideal for high traffic areas.

· Easy maintenance and cleaning. This is another of the great advantages of this type of flooring. Unlike natural wood, they do not require polishing, waxing or special treatments. In addition, they can be easily cleaned with basic household cleaning products, as it is difficult to damage its surface. However, remember that oily or especially soapy products are not recommended as they can cre ate a slippery layer.

· Moisture resistant. In this type of flooring, water absorption is practically nil, which means that they can be installed without any problem in rooms with a greater presence of humidity, such as the kitchen, the bathroom or terraces and gardens.

· Ideal for radiant heating. This type of floor has a high thermal conductivity value, which allows excellent performance of the heat system that is not achieved with the combination of other types of materials. This, added to the rest of its excellent characteristics, makes it an ideal solution to accompany radiant heating.

What are the disadvantages of wood-look porcelain flooring?

We know that porcelain floors are resistant and easy to maintain, but despite their many advantages and benefits, it is important to bear in mind some drawbacks that are worth considering.

· A more complex installation. The great strength of porcelain flooring, as well as its rigidity and weight, could become a problem when making cuts in the tiles or adapting their size to the corners of each room.

· The feel to the touch. Although the finish of imitation porcelain floors may be reminiscent of wood, what they can never match is the natural warmth of treading on floors made of this material. If you are a lover of authenticity and what you are looking for is a floor that brings warmth to all your rooms, wood floors are the smartest option.

· Price. Although at first glance their cost may seem lower than that of natural wood, the price of imitation porcelain floors is higher than that of traditional stoneware tiles, so you will be paying a high supplement for this aesthetic issue.
In conclusion, the biggest disadvantage of porcelain wood-look floors will always be that they are not wood at all. They are an ideal choice for rooms where durability and easy maintenance are of particular interest. What is clear is that, although the finish is apparently similar, they can never offer the same warmth, versatility and evolution over time as natural wood floors.