If you have a new house or want to give it a makeover, with a modern or classic style, whether in Spain or abroad, wood effect floors will always be one of the main options.
Wood has been one of the most popular floorings used by architects and interior designers. Because the colours and warmth of wood transmit pleasant sensations and make the domestic space cosy and elegant.
However, it is a particularly delicate finish, subject to wear over time, abrasion caused by frequent foot traffic and slow but constant corrosion due to humidity and chemical agents in cleaning products.
The porcelain stoneware floor finish
One of the wood-effect floors is obtained by manufacturing compact porcelain stoneware ceramics, so that the walkable surface of the tiles reproduces the colours, shades and texture of real wood.
In other words, porcelain stoneware is obtained from a mixture of clay and feldspar, fired in an oven at very high temperatures, to obtain a non-porous and waterproof vitrifying layer that makes the tile extremely water-repellent and highly resistant. Its manufacturing process results in wood textured floors that are characterized by their refined elegance.
Composed exclusively of natural raw materials, free of plastic materials and harmful substances, porcelain stoneware guarantees colour fastness to light, is non-absorbent, resistant to chemical products, stains, wear, abrasion and any external stress. In addition, it is an ecological and economical coating, designed to resist scratches, shocks, water and flames.
Characteristics that define porcelain stoneware
In fact, it is a non-deformable, water-repellent, fire-retardant and silent material, perfect for paving any room in the house, including balconies and terraces. Unlike the long and hard work required to create a quality wooden floor, the installation of a wood-effect floor, made with square or rectangular porcelain stoneware tiles, is very simple and does not require any maintenance.
The wide variety of textures, colours, formats, decorations and thicknesses and the high technical performance allow the use of porcelain stoneware tiles in various interior and exterior spaces, ranging from residential buildings to commercial areas and public buildings.
As a curiosity, porcelain stoneware slabs are also the ideal option for application on facades, and can also be used as cladding for developments of large surfaces with vertical, inclined or curved walls.
Porcelain stoneware is ideal for a home with home automation technology
Porcelain stoneware can be laid dry, by immersion. In this way it is possible to create an intelligent floor that integrates sensors and control modules under the installation plan of a house equipped with home automation technology, full of innovations and functional for the reduction of energy consumption.
The dry installation system for porcelain stoneware floors represents a fast, technically complete and aesthetically refined installation solution, capable of communicating with the home automation system to create a smart home. Wiring and electrification are also done simply and elegantly through variable cable trays and electrical boxes that can be flexibly installed under the ceramic slab.
Laminate, another type of wood effect flooring
A valid alternative to porcelain stoneware is laminate flooring, also known as one of the most popular wood-effect floors. In this case, the slabs are made from pressed wood fibres mixed with powerful resins. The laminate is laid floating, that is, it dries without glue, then it is finished with a protective varnish that makes it waterproof and resistant to abrasion.
Characteristics that define the laminate
What distinguishes it from solid wood floors is above all its resistance to water, shocks and abrasion. Highly recommended also because it does not require masonry interventions in its installation and, over time, it does not require special treatments.
Choosing this type of flooring is a way to reduce time and save labour, since its installation is very simple and the raw material for laminate flooring costs much less than the price of a square meter of wood.
In this way it is possible to obtain a qualitatively high aesthetic effect, keeping the purchase and installation costs low for a suitable solution even for tighter budgets.
And the fact is that the qualitative aspect should not be underestimated, since it is often difficult to distinguish a solid wood floor from a wood-effect laminate floor, but the latter stand out for being much more resistant and durable than the former.
Laminate flooring has a very low environmental impact in its manufacturing process. In other words, it does not harm the environment and does not emit harmful substances. In addition, it can be completely recycled.
Wood effect flooring for interiors in PVC
The new trend in wood effect flooring is PVC coverings. It is a super insulating thermoplastic material, warm in winter and cool in summer. Therefore, comfortable to walk on even with bare feet.
Characteristics that define PVC flooring
This type of flooring is characterized by being extremely resistant to wear and moisture, and also offers excellent value for money.
The aesthetic impact of these wood-effect PVC floors is very realistic and, at the same time, they guarantee perfect resistance to water and wear, also presenting a certain flexibility and, in some cases, acoustic absorption properties. So, they are also perfect for bathrooms and kitchens, since, unlike wood, they require much less maintenance.
Another very important and characteristic aspect of PVC floors is that related to recycling. Like laminate, vinyl is fully recyclable and its production process has very low emissions.
Do you need more info? Contact us without obligation. We use the materials that best suit each of our projects. You can visit some of them on our YouTube channel.
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