Wood flooring is unparalleled for its timeless quality. It affords any space with warmth, coziness and a sense of sophistication. A wide variety of patterns and designs can also be achieved with this flooring material through the many different species of wood and cuts available. Above all these, wood flooring will never go out of style.
Since natural wood flooring is hard to obtain nowadays as certain wood species are endangered, modern alternatives have been produced to simulate its beauty. Materials such as vinyl and ceramic have been utilized to create the wood flooring look. There is also the engineered or laminated wood, which is processed for better wear protection. These different materials come with their own advantages and disadvantages, so before finalizing your flooring, read on and find out what material is best for your lifestyle and budget.
Solid wood
Solid wood or hard flooring pertains to real wooden planks. Available in unfinished and pre-finished types, it covers a great amount of wood species with different tones, wood grain patterns and figure patterns. The main advantage of solid wood is that it can be re-sanded then refinished many times even after installation. However, installing solid wood requires a wooden sub-floor where it nailed to. It cannot be directly attached to a concrete floor.
When choosing solid wood flooring, pick one that has been treated with anti-insect treatments. As wood tends to shrink over time, it is also advisable to use factory-finished or kiln-dried wood.
Engineered Wood
Although quite expensive, this wood has been processed or “engineered” with better wear protection than natural wood. They also have higher tolerance for scratches and impacts. If ever they are bruised, most engineered wood flooring can be sanded and refinished like real wood as they have a thick wear layer. They are also the best to use in areas prone to spills and moisture, like kitchens, since they have a very high moisture resistance.
Installation of engineered wood is just like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. Their edges are routered with tongue and groove joints, locking together effectively. Hence, most do not require adhesives for installation, although some do require nailing and gluing down. One of its advantages is that it can be installed on top of other flooring materials like ceramic or vinyl, making it unnecessary to dismantle old flooring.
Vinyl
Vinyl tile is the most affordable material that you can use to achieve a wooden flooring look. New designs stimulate planks of light, medium and dark wood tones; others have a built-in parquet or geometric patterns. Since they can easily be cut to size and shape, vinyl tiles are flexible in any room orientation or shape. Apart from ease of installation, vinyl flooring also boasts of a very low maintenance requirement. Cleaning it with a damp cloth and occasional sweeping are all you need to keep it shiny.
Vinyl is relatively thinner and softer than other materials, so it may not be advisable for high-traffic areas. However, if you really intend to use vinyl on high-traffic areas, choose one that has a wood color and pattern throughout the entire thickness of the tile, not those whose pattern is only printed on the top layer. Opting for the former assures you that although it may be prone to scratches, it will still have the same wood color and not black.
Ceramic and porcelain
The latest alternatives to achieving a wooden flooring look are ceramic and porcelain tiles with wood designs. Since ceramic and porcelain tiles are made for use in wet areas, you can easily incorporate them in powder rooms and bathrooms. The wood designs are so creatively crafted that you have to touch and feel one to confirm that it is indeed a ceramic tile. The also come in several wood tones and are typically sized at 15cm x 60 cm.
The hygienic quality of ceramic and porcelain tiles top the list of their advantages. Because they can easily be cleaned and used with sanitary sprays, institutions like hospitals and health centers can get the wooden flooring look without sacrificing hygiene. Aside from this, they are also resistant to all weather conditions, insect attacks and heavy loads. They also require low maintenance as simple mopping can help them looking like new. However, it is the installation that requires proper skills. It is best to hire a professional tile-setter for this job.
Most ceramic or porcelain tiles with wood designs are imported. This makes them more expensive and hard to find.
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