Digital advances today allow us to recreate the grain and texture of wood in other materials of greater lightness, resistance or versatility. This has caused many of us to consider imitation wood flooring as an alternative for our homes, thus making it one of the most demanded materials for housing projects.
What materials are we talking about when referring to these imitation wood floors? When we talk about imitation wood floors, we generally talk about vinyl floors or ceramic floors, two very different proposals but both interesting.
Vinyl flooring
Vinyl floors are currently the most demanded for interior renovations. These plastic floors that are manufactured from polyvinyl chloride are resistant to water and are currently equipped with surface treatments to achieve greater resistance to abrasion, resistance to chemical agents, fireproofing, non-slip characteristics, or improvements in aesthetic appearance.
Porcelanosa vinyl
Its design increases the lightness of floors and its warm colors based on wood add warmth to the space. What's more, its installation does not require any work, which allows us to transform our home without complications. Some can be installed using the gluing method, however, quality ones generally have a floating system through the Lock or click system.
They are suitable floors for a great variety of uses and with a wide reliability and longevity. Especially interesting for busiest and punished areas where the wood may require more maintenance. Those of low-medium quality suffer damage if a pointed, abrasive and very hot object comes into contact with them, hence it is necessary to bet on quality vinyls in spaces that require it.
Advantages over wood
- Resistant to water and humidity. They can be installed in bathrooms and kitchens.
- Long-lived if they are of quality.
- Simple installation, on the current ground.
- They provide a remarkable reduction of footfall noise.
- Very easy daily cleaning. Only periodically should a deep cleaning be done to regain its shine.
- Hygienic. They reduce the accumulation of dust or the dreaded mites.
- Although these floors are generally cheaper, it should be taken into account that a high-quality vinyl floor can be as expensive or more than its laminate counterpart.
Ceramic or stoneware floors
Stoneware is the generic term for a ceramic paste, made up of clays, degreasing materials, such as silica and fluxes, such as feldspar. It is one of the most demanded materials today, porcelain stoneware being one of the higher quality alternatives, as it reduces the porosity of the material compared to non-porcelain stoneware.
Marazzi porcelain stoneware
By reducing porosity, it increases resistance to humidity, making it possible to install these imitation wood floors. both indoors and outdoors. But they also improve other characteristics, such as its resistance to abrasion and its resistance to breakage. Compared to other materials, porcelain stoneware resists higher static and dynamic loads, becoming a great alternative in spaces with a lot of traffic.
This type of stoneware is also capable of accurately recreate the grain and texture of wood thanks to digital and technological advances. The material allows us, therefore, to transfer the warmth of this to spaces such as bathrooms, kitchens, terraces or perches.
Advantages over wood
- It is very strong and durable.
- Present a great resistance to humidity, being able to be placed both indoors and outdoors.
- Even in difficult spaces its maintenance is simple.
- it's very easy to clean. Being a slightly porous material, it traps little dirt.
- As a pavement it adheres well to cements and other types of materials, because its installation is relatively simple.
- They are ideal as a complement to the radiant heating. Porcelain stoneware has a high thermal conductivity value which allows an excellent performance of the heating system.
There are many factors that must be taken into account when it comes to choose the type of floor for your home. Asking ourselves what use we are going to give the space and what temperature and humidity conditions it will withstand and respecting our budget will help us make better decisions.