Wood Effect Floor Tiles are a Great Alternative in your Home

A beautiful floor can completely transform a home and if you are considering splashing out on a new floor then it’s important to know exactly what options are available to you, before you take the plunge and spend that hard earned cash. Hardwood flooring is a beautiful luxury to have in the home but it does come with many disadvantages if you’re not willing, or simple don’t have the time to put in the effort of upkeep. A great alternative to wood flooring are cost-effective wood effect tiles. Wood effect tiles can be used anywhere in the home that you would traditionally use wooden flooring and are particularly good for the kitchen and bathroom. Understanding the benefits of tiling over wood flooring is the best way to decide if they’re the right choice for you.

Wood vs. Tiles, what’s the Difference?

Wood effect tiling will never be exactly the same as real wood flooring but that doesn’t mean it isn’t any good. Wood effect tiles can have a similar texture and identical colouring to real wood so that without closer inspection, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.

One of the main reasons that wood effect tiles are a popular choice over their real wood counterparts is the price. Real wood flooring is incredibly expensive to buy as it isn’t a cheap material to manufacture. Tiling, however, normally comes from a much cheaper source: clay. This cuts initial costs by a whole bundle and means that you have more money left over to spend on the rest of your home.

Wood flooring also requires a lot more groundwork and upkeep than wood effect tiles. Although you have to prepare for tiling, the preparation for wooden flooring is much more difficult and often needs to be done by a professional if you’re not a keen DIY guru. You don’t have to maintain wood flooring but if you choose not to it will become damaged and ruined, and generally leave your floor looking a little worse for wear.  Both wood and wood effect tiles are easy to clean but over time, even with good upkeep, wooden flooring may become dull and less attractive. As tiling is most commonly made from strong clay, it is extremely resistant to everyday wear and tear and tends not to fade over time in the same way that wood can.

The upkeep that comes with real wooden flooring is also costly, meaning that on top of an initial high expense, there are also a number of other expenses to consider. If you choose to opt for wooden floor tiles however, these costs can be significantly lowered. Like all flooring, tiles need to be looked after but if grouted and laid correctly first time, you can enjoy flooring for years and years to come, with very little change in appearance.

If you’re on a budget or just don’t fancy the hassle and upkeep that comes with real wood, then wood effect tiles are a great alternative and with so many different styles to choose from out there, you can be certain that your floors will look fabulous.