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Hardwood flooring is among the best flooring options you can have. It is also the only flooring solution that increases the home’s resale value.
However, it is also among the most expensive options out there, so we tend to look for similar styles in other materials.
Tile is one of the hardiest flooring solutions and has come a long way from small white squares.
Now, tile comes in planks, various shapes and even different textures.
Wood-look tile is a cheaper alternative to hardwood and it has some surprising benefits over the natural wood flooring. This article will examine tile flooring and review the best wood-look tile brands.
Best Wood-Look Tiling Brands
There are a lot of brands out there that make tile look like wood. When only the best will do, though, we have the following list.
Vitromex – Mexico Based Tile Company
Florim USA – North America’s Largest Tile Manufacturer
Merola – Home Depot Exclusive New Jersey Company
Dal-Tile – A Division of Mohawk Flooring
Marazzi USA – Italian Based Premium Tile Company
Why You Want Tile That Looks Like Wood
There are a lot of benefits to a tile floor. In fact, we have an entire section dedicated to the advantages and disadvantages of the flooring solution below the reviews.
Tile floors, though, are rugged and durable. They can be installed in any room of the home, including and especially wet areas like bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms and basements.
The fact that you can get patterns, designs and textures, including hardwood mimicked look and feel is only more of a good thing. With their affordable pricing, general availability and real resemblance to hardwood, these tiles are an ideal solution for your home.
Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Wood Look Tile
Before you can head out and buy a few boxes of these tiles, you need to know what you are actually looking for. With so many differences and options between brands, styles and their product lines, it can get confusing.
Below, we offer you a brief overview of various factors you need to consider before making your purchase.
Material
Tile flooring generally comes in two types, porcelain or ceramic. While the differences aren’t that vast, they are important. Because these differences are important we have detailed the two materials further below in greater detail.
What you should know for your initial choice making is that ceramic is cheaper while porcelain is generally denser with higher moisture resistance.
You will also need to know about the PEI scale. This is a hardness scale that measures the durability and scratch resistance of ceramic and porcelain.
Installation
While tile flooring can be a DIY project, it is a much better option for a professional install with these tiles. There is a lot of knowledge needed, such as moisture barriers, cement board sub flooring, repairs and setting times and much more.
Along with these installation steps and their knowledge base, you also need to understand how the tiles are installed, and how long it can take to set up properly (in some cases this can exceed a month). Because of this it is highly recommended that you get professional tile setters to install your new flooring.
Location
Where you install the floor will also play a role in your decision. Tiles can go in virtually any room of your home, and even outside. Because it is waterproof and durable, it makes a great addition to wet areas such as kitchens and bathrooms.
However, it may not be the best choice for living rooms, hallways or high traffic areas because the tiles can crack or break making repairs and replacement difficult. Tile also stays colder, which can make for cold feet in winter morning trying to get out of bed.
Cleaning and Maintenance
Tiles are fairly easy to clean with a broom and mop, usually that is all that is needed to maintain the look and cleanliness of the floor for many years.
Most vacuums work well on tile, and here are some of the best choices.
Some tiles, though, may need special care based on brand, installation type or even location. As long as you understand what is needed to care for these floors before you buy, you will be a step ahead.
When cleaning grout using a steam mop may be quite helpful.
Availability
Accidents do happen and tiles can break, crack or the grout can wear out making for loose tiles. However, because they can last so long it may be impossible to find an exact replacement.
It is wise to purchase more tile than you need when you do the initial install so you have matching tiles when it does come time for repairs.
Warranty
Tile floors aren’t known for their warranty periods. In most cases the warranty will only be for a year or two at most. This also usually only covers the tiles from date of purchase to date of installation.
Once the tiles are installed the warranties generally end, leaving you on your own if something were to happen. This is another reason for professional installation, where labor and install warranties can extend to 5 years or more.
Price
Tile isn’t the most expensive flooring out there. However, it isn’t the cheapest, either. The durability and life expectancy of a tile floor, though, can easily surpass 75 years. You will get your money’s worth out of a tile floor.
Having the budget for the installation up front will be the hardest part. Make sure you understand all the costs involved with the wood-look tiles and that everything fits within your budget before you commit to the new floor.
5 Best Brands for Wood-Look Tile Flooring
Below we review and compare the 5 best brands for wood-look tile. Each one is detailed for you to help you pick a brand that will work best in your home. Scroll through and find your next wood-look tile brand.
Vitromex is a company that started in Mexico and has since grown to one of the largest world-wide tile production companies out there.
Their quality ceramic and porcelain tiles have a wide range of applications and uses.
For wood-look tiles, they offer quite a variety and have over 10 color options in each style to choose from. With over 8 styles, that equates to over 80 combinations you have to get the ideal look, color and décor match possible.
While they still maintain the same Mexico-based production plants, their distribution center in Texas is one of the largest in the country.
Through this center, you can get tiles locally in a matter of days, if they aren’t already there waiting for you.
When looking for wood-look tile, there are natural woods such as mahogany, pine and oak.
However, you can find a little more expression with lines up like the Amazonian or Navio lines which include rare colors and patterns to suit your needs.
Pros Cons A lot of color and style options More expensive than other options on this list Free flooring samples provided Can be difficult to find a deal in the Northwest states Tile Council of North America and ANSI compliant Some options may be unavailable in all areas Offers range of recycled material use (8 to 30%)
If you want to go more green for your flooring, Florim USA might be your answer. They offer tiles for walls and floors that use up to 40% recycled material.
They also have quite a selection, from the Vintage line with rustic and farmhouse style to the more sleek and modern Rex line, you are bound to find a style and color that suits your needs.
With over 35 colors throughout 6 different lineups, there is a tile for you here.
Unlike Vitromex, Florim is based in the USA (Tennessee, to be exact) and is one of North America’s largest tile companies.
They distribute through several stores and dealers across the country, so you will always be able to find what you need.
Pros Cons USA based company Some tile lines aren’t as durable as you may need Budget-friendly pricing options Higher maintenance than other options More color options than most other companies Various tile sizes from 6-inches to 48-inches
Shopping through Home Depot is not uncommon for flooring. LifeProof, for example, is a great product line and is sold exclusively through the Home Depot. Merola is similar.
Based out of New Jersey and New York, the retail line (New Jersey) sells their tiles through Home Depot exclusively.
The good side is that there is most likely a Home Depot near you, and if not, you can always shop online and have it shipped to your door.
When it comes to options, though, Merola is hard to beat. With 20 options in over 60 colors, there is bound to be a style and color combination that fits your exact needs.
The downside here is that Merola is also one of the most expensive, non-premium brands around.
You get what you pay for here, though and once the flooring is installed, your investment should last decades. You also have the Home Depot to back your purchase, with labor and install options available through the store (in most areas).
Pros Cons Most style and color options to choose from Most expensive non-premium brand Readily available through Home Depot Some stores may not offer full line up Widest range of sizes of most brands Installation and labor options from the store can be included in purchase
Dal-Tile is one of the many companies that fall under the Dal-Tile, Mohawk brand. This brand also includes the Italian based Marazzi brand found on this list. Dal-Tile, though, is one of the original companies under the Mohawk umbrella and they have the resources and options you need.
Highly durable, all of Dal-Tile’s options are rated 3 or higher on the PEI hardness scale. Suitable for all wet area locations as well as high-traffic areas,
Dal-Tile is kid and pet friendly and easy to clean or maintain.
Because Dal-Tile is based in Dallas, Texas, you can find them online through almost every site that sells flooring such as WayFair or even Amazon. You will also find the tiles in Home Depot, Lowe’s and Mernard’s.
With 17 different wood-look lines that range in sizes and colors that top out around 75 varieties, you won’t be disappointed. The hardest part will be deciding which shade or color range will look the best in your home.
Pros Cons Readily available throughout the country Prices have a wide range from low to high Multiple style options to choose from Some styles may not be available in your area Texas based company High quality, durable tiles
Marazzi USA is now a part of the Mohawk and Dal-Tile company. This Italian based tile producer still maintains their heritage and distribution in Italy, though.
They are one of the top 3 premium brands in the world and may arguably be the best in the premium category.
The price is a lot higher for Marazzi than with almost any other brand, though, and that can put a lot of people off. If you are searching for wood-look tile instead of hardwood because of the price, Marazzi may not be for you.
What they do offer though, is exceptional quality, hand crafted design and an attention to detail rarely seen in the tile manufacturing business. With this attention to detail, you get fine crafted tiles ranging from small 2-inch mosaics to 3-foot planks.
Whatever it is you are after Marazzi most likely has the tile to match.
Pros Cons Hand crafted colors and designs Most expensive premium brand tiles Eco-friendly production May not be available at all in every part of the country Highest quality standards in the industry More than 100 color options
Pros and Cons of Wood Grain Tile Floors
Tile has a lot of benefits, but like any flooring option there are downsides, too. Let’s take a closer look at both the good and the bad of this flooring solution.
Advantages
The good side has a lot to offer. Tile is inexpensive, durable and long-lasting. What else can we say? Quite a bit, actually.
Low Cost. Wood-look tile can replicate any hardwood look and some textures. Unlike natural hardwood, though, the price stays the same across the lines. A lower cost for the same look is always a bonus.
Waterproof. Tile is a great choice for a lot of floors including wet areas like basements, mudrooms, bathrooms and more. Because tile can hold up to humidity, moisture and even some flooding , it makes a better flooring option in these areas than hardwood.
Durability. Even though porcelain and ceramic are prone to cracks and breaking, they are still more durable and scratch resistant than almost every other flooring type.
Versatility. Wood-look tile can be made to look like any type of wood, and some brands will even customize a color option for you. Tiles also come in a wide variety of lengths and widths allowing you near endless install possibilities.
Anti-allergen. Tile is mostly mold, mildew and pet dander resistant. Some textured tiles can hide water or moisture for bacteria to grow, but regular cleaning will avoid this.
Green flooring option. Wood-look tile is actually recyclable. It is also produced without VOCs, which can be harmful to the ozone and your health.
Disadvantages
Now for the bad. As we mentioned earlier, no flooring is all good, there will always be a trade off between the pros and cons of any floor.
Here are the downsides to tile floors.
Not a DIY installation. Even knowing how to lay grout and tile , there is a lot more to the installation of a new tile floor than most homeowners can handle. Subflooring must be in perfect condition, treated, moisture barriers need to be considered, installed and treated. Professional installation can get pricey but it is highly recommended.
Not overly comfortable. Tile is hard, it is unforgiving and underfoot, there is no bend. If you install the flooring in a bathroom, your knees may not like it when it is time for your kid’s bath.
Tile is cold. Unlike other types of flooring, tile retains no heat. Colder climates and winter months almost anywhere will see tile floors as painful and cold. Subfloor radiant heating is an option, but must be installed prior to the tile, adding to the overall cost.
Slippery when wet. Tile is generally smooth and can cause slipping hazards with sock feet, bare feet or pet paws. Especially if the tile or your feet are wet, falls can happen easily. The solution is to buy a textured tile that is grooved or hand-scraped for added traction, but even then, it is still slippery.
Porcelain Vs. Ceramic Tiles
When it comes to tile type you have two basic options, ceramic or porcelain.
Ceramic tiles are budget-friendly and cost between 20 and 50% less than porcelain. However, they aren’t as hardy as porcelain and can crack or break much easier.
For those on a tighter budget, ceramic may be your only option. They are still durable and meet all the conditions we’ve outlined in this article. Though, for the money, you are better suited choosing porcelain.
Porcelain tiles come in two groups, known as color-body or through-body, the makeup of the tiles is slightly different.
Through-body maintains the color of the tile throughout the entire tile. Color-body uses a higher glaze for a better sheen or shine, but won’t look the same if the tile is chipped.
Porcelain tiles also fall between 0 and 5 on the PEI hardness rating scale. When searching for your new porcelain tiles, you need to understand this rating system. The Porcelain Enamel Institute grades tile hardness based on the number of revolutions on an abrasive machine the tile can withstand.
In short, the tile is placed in the machine and an abrasive wheel rotates, rubbing the tile until it shows wear. Once wear is seen, the revolutions are counted (between 150 to over 2000) and the tile is given a rating of 0 to 5.
For floors, 0 to 2 ratings should be avoided. These are generally meant for wall applications or extremely light foot traffic. A rating of 4 or 5 is best for high traffic areas or for homes with pets and children as they are more durable and longer lasting.
FAQ for Tile That Looks Like Wood
Below, we answer some of the more commonly asked questions about wood-look tile. If you have any other questions or concerns please use the comment section below the article.
Q. Will wood-look tile floors get cold in the winter?
Yes, they will. Tile doesn’t retain any heat and will almost always be colder than other floor types. However, because of the construction, tile is capable of radiant heating underneath which can offset the cold during the winter.
Q. What is the best wood-look tile brand?
There are several brands to choose from and any of the top 5 brands from this list will suit your needs. There are other brands, as well which you may be interested in such as Porcelanosa, LifeProof tile, DuraCeramic and Tesoro.
Q. Which is better wood-look tile or wood grain luxury vinyl planks?
A lot will depend on your flooring needs. If you are installing in wet areas such as a basement, mudroom or laundry room, tile is a better option. For living areas, kitchens and hallways, though, you may enjoy the give and comfort of LVP much more.
Q. How expensive is wood-look tile?
Wood-look tile is a fairly cheap flooring solution, but you must also consider installation costs. In general, though it varies by brand, style, amount and of course labor costs in your region, you can expect to pay between $5 and $12 per square foot, installed.
Q. Do I require professional installation for my tile floor?
It isn’t a requirement to have tile flooring professionally installed, though it is highly recommended. Tile requires specific subfloor types, sealants, grouting and spacing to function properly. If you aren’t aware of these requirements or have the knowledge to perform a precision DIY install, a professional is needed for the project.
Conclusion
Finding the best wood-look tile brands can be a hassle. This article provided you with a buyer’s guide to help you understand what to look for when shopping for new tiles. We also covered the 5 best wood-look tile brands to help get you started.
Regardless which brand you go with, you are sure to be happy with your new floor. The waterproof, durable and long-lasting tiles are easy to clean and can look like new for over 20 years.
