Love the look of hardwood floors? Hardwood is a classic flooring choice because of it’s timeless beauty which is why it’s a common choice amongst homeowners. However, for many hardwood floors just isn’t in the budget. Before you count out other wood alternatives here are five reasons porcelain wood tile is a great substitute.

1.Porcelain Wood Tiles Can Go Virtually Everywhere
Unlike hardwood floors porcelain wood tiles can be installed in any area of the home. Hardwood isn’t durable in places that are exposed to repeated moisture such as the bathroom, basement or even the kitchen area. You’ll be able to get the luxurious look of wood in your bathroom and finished basement with porcelain wood because it’s not affected by drips and best of all it stays mildew free.

1. Design Flexibility
   Want the look of cherry or oak floors? Porcelain wood tiles are manufactured to mimic any wood grain. There are literally hundreds of wood tile patterns and colors on the market that you can select from. You can purchase porcelain wood tiles that accent the hues used within the space. They are also versatile because you can install them on the floor or walls.

If you desire the look of white, gray or blond wood washes than your best bet is to lean towards porcelain wood tiles. Such wood washes are rare and difficult to find since it isn’t often cultivated.

1. Durability
   Although, hardwood can last for decades it does require refinishing every so often to retain its beauty. Porcelain wood tiles can be durable. Unlike hardwood, porcelain tile is virtually scratch proof which makes it ideal for homes with small children and pets. Since tiles are impermeable you won’t have to worry about water damage in minor weather conditions.

2. Easy Maintenance
   You can’t just use any cleaning product on hardwood floors because it’s susceptible to damage. Fortunately, porcelain doesn’t require any specialized cleaning product to retain its beauty. When spills occur it won’t stain the material and it can easy be wiped clean with a soap and water mixture. Inexpensive floor cleaners can be used on porcelain tiles.

Have you ever painted a room and realized that your results slightly varied from the in-store color sample? Well, you can also expect shade variation in ceramic and porcelain tile products. Often, when people see variations in their tile products they assume it’s a defect but it’s actually a result of the manufacturing process.

What Exactly Does Shade Variation Mean?
Shade variation affects the porcelain or ceramic tile that you’re considering purchasing. Advances in technology has allowed for tiles to be printed in all types of patterns and colors. Therefore, you can expect some slight variation is some of your printed tiles. During the production of ceramic and porcelain tiles you’ll notice that there isn’t just a variation in color but it can slightly alter in texture and shade. However, shade variation only occurs towards unpolished tile.

How does shade variation occur? Well, during the production process, natural clay elements are taken and fired at high temperatures and depending on the baking conditions and the materials it can generate slight variations in each batch. It’s similar to baking cookies. All the cookies will look the same but you can expect small changes in each batch.

For some tile designs, shade variation is done purposely. These days, most tile products will come with a shade variation rating.

Understanding Shade Variation Rating
In 2001 the Ceramic Tile Distributor Association (CTDA) developed a shade variation rating system. When shopping for ceramic or porcelain tiles it’s important to see what rating a tile product has so you can know what type of results to expect. Here is a breakdown of the CTDA rating system:

V1- Uniform Appearance
A tile product with a V1 rating you can expect very minimal variation between each tile.

V2 – Slight Variation
There will be some clearly distinguishable differences between each batch.

V3- Moderate Variation
A ceramic or porcelain tile with a V3 rating will vary significantly.

V4 – Substantial Variation
Products with a V4 rating will have random color differences in each tile. One tile might be saturated with a different shade of colors than the previous tile in the batch.

Although, tiles are one of the world’s oldest building materials it’s still just as relevant to modern design as it was centuries ago. Whether you’ve settled on a bold ceramic tiles for a space or subtle laminate subway tiles selecting the right size is important to achieve the desired look. Over the past few years, tile sizes have increased dramatically. From 4×4 to 8×12 you can purchase tiles in virtually any size. So what size should you choose?

Basic Tile Size Guidelines
While there are standard shapes and sizes of tiles as you will see most manufacturers create tiles with dimensions that are tailored to their inhouse design. Sometimes the sizes are unique and you probably won’t be able to find it anywhere else. That’s why it can be challenging to determine what the ideal tile size should be for a space. However, there are some general rules to picking out the perfect tile size for a space that you should consider.

Small rooms
Often, design experts recommend using larger scaled tiles in small rooms. Large format tiles in a small space will visually expand the area making it seem bigger than it actually is. This is because larger tiles allow for fewer grout lines breaking up the flow of the floor. However, if the room is tiny than floor tiles larger than 18 inches will overwhelm the space.

Long Room
What about a long, rectangular shaped space? Installing plank style, large tiles on galley-like rooms creates depth, makes the room appear wider and spacious.

Texture
If you desire to create interest and texture than you might want to opt for small mosaic tiles. With smaller tiles there will be more grout lines but the space will flow smooth since small shaped mosaic tiles can be easily fitted in corners and around fixtures. In this way, small tiles are similar to carpet and it can really create a proportionate and harmonized look.

Defining A Space
If you really want to define a space whether big or small you can use smaller sized tiles to create an accent or border around large format tiles.

Selecting the right size tile is largely dependent on the desired look that you’re seeking to achieve!