The Magic Of The Faux Wood Tile

In India, whenever one thinks of flooring options, the first one that comes to mind is tile. Stones such as marble, granite, kadappah are also popular. Some homes may even support the idea of having a wooden flooring, but this often becomes an expensive option. Therefore we often seen pockets of wooden flooring; where only a specific area is covered in wooden flooring, while the rest remain s tile or stone.  From its natural appearance and warmth underfoot, wood is beautiful and timeless, often associated with luxury homes, and swanky studio apartments in the plush neighborhoods of our Metros . But should it be bound only there?  Someone in a household will love the natural beauty of wood and someone else will argue that tile is the most logical choice, considering it is cheaper, and more readily available. Which leads us to the single most important question, is there a middle ground material option for the masses? Something that combines the economic practicality of the commonplace tile with the grandeur of luxurious wood?

Indeed. Faux wood tile is a ceramic or porcelain tile that imitates real wood. And of course being tile, it’s cheaper, easy-to-install,  and most importantly, it looks just like wood! Wooden flooring has always been known to be a luxury commodity - an option only the rich can afford, while the rest of the world ‘make does’ with simple, and more cost-effective  tiling.  But the price is not the  only issue that people have with real hardwood flooring. Maintenance is an equally important factor.

As we all know, the biggest disadvantage of hardwood flooring is that it can easily get scratched from furniture and everyday foot traffic. Faux wood tile, on the contrary, is much more scratchproof. Less scratching leads to less wear-and-tear, which leads to less repair. Compared to hardwood floors that require refinishing, resealing or restaining on a regular basis, faux wood tile is almost maintenance free. Since faux wood tile is actually ceramic or porcelain tile, cleaning and maintenance processes are the same as that of regular tile flooring - with tile cleaners and detergent solutions as simple, cost-effective and easy-to-understand techniques.

The biggest concern that people have with regular wooden flooring is the fact that it can’t be used in moisture-prone areas, such as bathrooms, kitchens and toilets. While the idea of a wooden flooring in a bathroom might seem lovely, unfortunately, wood and water don’t mix. In fact, wet areas are where faux wood tile comes into play, as tiles have a higher resistance to water - not corroding or rotting over, as wood would have. 

The other ugly truth about hardwood flooring is that it’s prone to termite attack, a problem that wooden flooring faces everywhere in this world. Pests are an architectural hindrance, and lead to a variety of  problems, rotting floors only being the tip of the iceberg. What’s worse, once your floors have termite problems, the only way to fix it is to tear it all up and replace it with new flooring. Instead of opting for termite-resistant wood, just go with faux tile, which won’t be susceptible to any pests, and in  turn save you the hassles of spending any more money than you already have. 

Faux wood tile now comes in a variety of colors and textures, offering homeowners limitless design possibilities. Because of the new inkjet technology, you can even use finishes you couldn't find in the wood flooring market - offering a whole range of endless possibilities, for the individual tile option to be as user specific as possible. Just because faux wood tile has so many advantages over hardwood flooring, it doesn’t mean it will cost more than its solid wood counterpart.  Because it doesn’t require any special upkeep, like refinishing, you will surely save more money in the long run. Conclusively, one can say that Faux wood tile is a perfect combination of wood and tile, offering not only good looks, but functional benefits.  A versatile flooring material that be used indoors or outdoors, with the beauty of luxury hardwood, and the price of ordinary tile- faux Wood tile is here to stay, and ‘floor’ us away.