Tile Water Absorption Rate

In our previous post about the differences between ceramic and porcelain tile, we briefly touched upon this concept. The water absorption rate of a tile is a way to quantify the water resistance of that particular model of tile in a standardized, objective way. The test works like this:

Five small fragments of a tile—usually just a few inches square and taken from the centers of the full-sized tiles—are baked in a lab oven until their weight no longer changes. Fragments are used to increase the amount of exposed porous surface area of the tile, while the baking process assures the testers that there is absolutely no residual moisture in the pores of the tile.

After baking, the starting weight of each fragment is recorded. The tile fragments are then boiled in water for five hours and then left to soak in water for another 24 hours. Once that time is up, the fragments are weighed again. The finished weight is compared to the starting weight and expressed as a percentage; that percentage is the tile’s water absorption rate.

The lower the water absorption rate, the more resistant to moisture a tile is. This is also one of the key defining characteristics of porcelain tile in comparison to ceramic tile. In order to be officially classified and sold as porcelain tile, The Tile Council of North America mandates that the product must be at or below a 0.5% water absorption rate. Ceramic tiles, in contrast, are not bound by any industry standards for water resistance. While some ceramic tiles do get down to just above a 0.5% water absorption rate, most are in the low single digits, but others can get up into the double digits. So while most ceramic tile still offers good water resistance, porcelain tile will be the better solution for areas that see high levels of water exposure. Interested in the finer details of the testing process? Read more in this article from the TCNA.

PEI Rating

This is a term you’ll probably encounter on your tile shopping journey in a list of technical specifications for a particular tile model. Established by the Porcelain Enamel Institute, a trade organization that supports the development and use of porcelain across many industries, the PEI rating of a surface describes the hardness of a porcelain glaze. The harder the glaze, the more resistant to surface wear that tile is, and the better suited it will be for high-traffic areas of a home or business.

The PEI scale comprises 6 classes that fall on a scale of 0 to 5. At the low end would be completely unglazed tiles, with the high end reserved for the tiles with the toughest surface glaze. The most common household tiles will usually have a PEI rating of 3 or 4. Lower ratings don’t automatically designate a lower-quality tile, just one that shouldn’t be used in areas seeing lots of foot traffic. For instance, some high-end tiles may be designed to be used exclusively as a strong visual element on walls or backsplashes and simply were not constructed to deal with lots of wear.

Through Body vs Color Body

This term is used to describe the visual similarity between the surface glaze of a tile and its interior construction.  A “through-body” tile will have a consistent tone throughout the thickness of the tile, all the way through the visible surface. Most porcelain tiles have a through-body construction, while most ceramic tiles typically will not. Ceramic tile is usually crafted with a method known as “color-body,” in which the surface design or glaze are a different shade than the rest of the tile body. Imagine each tile as a piece of cake. The through-body tile would be a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, while the color-body tile would be a white vanilla cake with chocolate frosting.

What does this mean in practical applications? In daily use, there won’t be any noticeable difference between the two types of tiles. The major benefit of through-body only becomes apparent when the surface is chipped. If we go back to the cake example, imagine running a finger through the frosting of the chocolate cake. The results of your sneaking a taste probably won’t be visible except under close inspection. Now do the same thing with the vanilla cake, and the white dough underneath will likely alert the rest of your party that you’ve sampled the sweets. In the same way, a chip on the surface of a through-body tile will be much harder to notice from a typical viewing distance than a chip on a color-body tile.

If you expect your floors to need to endure abnormally high traffic or situations that may lead to chips, it may be a good idea to seek out products with a through-body construction while you’re tile shopping.

These were just three of the many mystifying terms you might encounter while perusing flooring products online. Whether you’re just beginning to consider what type of floors you might want to have installed in your home, or you’re already deep in the tile shopping process, Empire Today® is always here to help. From our award-winning customer service team to our free in-home consultations, Empire® is dedicated to helping you find the best floors for your home with as little hassle as possible.

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Solid Hardwood Flooring

This option may appear a bit obvious. If you want the natural wood look, why not go with the real thing? Today’s solid hardwood flooring brings an unmistakable rich look.

Solid hardwood is milled from a single piece of wood and you can pick from a variety of natural wood species like oak, maple, cherry, hickory and plenty of others. You can go for a hand-scraped look and some people even like the natural changes in hardwood as it wears and is exposed to the elements. And once a hardwood floor looks like it needs some sprucing up, you can sand and refinish it, in some cases multiple times.

Chateau Solid Hardwood. Color: Cabernet

Engineered Hardwood Flooring

Busy households often appreciate the durability and natural look of engineered hardwood floors. This option is actually made with a real hardwood surface but has a uniquely engineered core to prevent it from expanding with temperature and moisture changes. It can be installed on a variety of different subfloor types, too.

Engineered hardwood flooring comes in wire-brushed, distressed or hand-scraped finishes and is versatile enough to add classic or contemporary touches to just about any space in a house.

Because of its durable construction, engineered hardwood is a popular option for areas of the home that can see heavy traffic. Engineered hardwood can stand up to the punishment and moisture in these parts of the home. While some are designed to handle extreme moisture, a lot of people stop short of putting them in bathrooms.

Whether you love a classic hickory or oak, or a muted gray for contemporary cool settings, you can rest assured, an engineered hardwood flooring option is available to you.

Encore Engineered Hardwood. Color: Gunstock

Laminate Flooring

If you’re looking for some amazing wood looks that are budget-friendly, wood laminate may be the choice for you! Like engineered wood, laminate offers a variety of plank widths with great stain, scratch and fade resistance.

With wood laminate, you can find hand-scraped textures, traditional oak, Brazilian Cherry and other popular colors and styles. There are even some 100% waterproof options available too! With so many styles, it’s easy to add sophistication to a den or study with an aged oak or enliven a living room with a contemporary ash gray. Only your imagination can stop you as far as real wood look options on this one.

Ellington Laminate Wood. Color: Huntington

Vinyl Plank Flooring

For many people looking for a very realistic wood look, but who are on a budget, vinyl plank floors have been the answer. Today’s vinyl plank floors come in a wide range of unique grain patterns, colors and textures.

This super durable option will get you the wood beauty any room wants with tremendous stain and water resistance, even having 100% waterproof options. Busy families love how they can add a natural look to a kitchen space and not need to worry about the floor being able to handle a large spill. Some options also come with unique backings that dampen noise in a room and some people also appreciate a vinyl plank’s softness compared to hardwood for added comfort.

Studio Reserve Vinyl Plank. Color: Canyon

Vinyl Tile Flooring

To many people’s surprise, vinyl tile floors are another budget-friendly way to add a realistic wood aesthetic to a room. Dark and light gray and greige shadings are sometimes used to add an industrial or farmhouse look to a space, and certain homeowners really love that unique creative touch of having a grout line with a wood-look tile.

Vinyl tile is great at resisting stains and water, so busy households love it in kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms, but you don’t need to limit yourself to those areas of the home.

Canal Pier Vinyl Tile. Color: Farmhouse Linen

Sheet Vinyl Flooring

You can still enjoy the scuff, stain and scratch resistance of vinyl sheet flooring and a natural wood look, too! Today’s designs can look like you just had a fresh wood floor installed in your home. When looking down at the floor, the wood can look so real, the eye can be tricked into seeing actual wood plank seams and a wood grain look.

Today’s vinyl sheet flooring can give the look of real hardwood and it’s still as budget-friendly as ever, and very easy to clean.

Wood-Look Porcelain Tile

When you think of porcelain tile, the first rooms that may come to mind are the bathroom or the kitchen. However, wood-look porcelain tile means you can add ceramics to other spaces such as the living room. What makes this wood look so special? Well, you get the beauty of hardwood with the high durability and easy maintenance of porcelain tile, giving you the best of both worlds.

Timber Falls Porcelain Tile. Color: Apache

Many people will start with the idea of transforming one space in their home, then they realize that the wood look they fell in love with actually looks great in other rooms. With so many great options, you don’t have to stick to just one type, style, or color. Assess each room and pick the flooring that’s best for those specific needs.

The post Wood-Look Flooring Types & Ideas appeared first on Empire Today Blog.

Wood Look Porcelain Tile: An Affordable Alternative to Natural Hardwood

While hardwood has the quintessential wood look, it comes at a much higher price point. While many may opt for laminate or vinyl plank flooring instead, don’t pass up on tile! Porcelain tile has evolved from the typical ceramic look and is now available in a realistic hardwood style. With its tough build and natural wood look, porcelain tile can give you the best of both worlds for less.

Practical, Durable Flooring for Any Room

Wood look porcelain tile doesn’t just offer a modern wood look for less—it’s extremely durable and functional, too!

Durability for All of Life’s Challenges
Porcelain tile’s hard, dense construction gives it a high durability that can stand strong when faced with pressure and wear and tear.  In addition to being able to face heavy pressure, porcelain tile is commonly scratch-resistant. This makes it a great flooring option for pets. Of course, you should still clip their claws, but having scratch-resistant flooring makes keeping your floors flawless even easier.

Beautiful Wood Looks All Day, Every Day
Another feature porcelain tile naturally possesses is stain resistance. Because it can repel liquids, it’s harder for stains to seep down below its surface. Not only can this flooring help prevent your coffee spill from sticking around, but routine cleaning is easier. Other wood look options don’t mix well with water. However, with wood look porcelain tile, a wet mop won’t damage your floors and wiping up stains can be simple. Every flooring type has cleaning dos and don’ts, but all you need is a soft broom or a mop—cleaning porcelain is as easy as it gets.

Water Resistant Attributes
Wood looks aren’t recommended for rooms prone to moisture. Why? Moisture can very quickly warp and buckle hardwood and laminate flooring. Wood look porcelain tile, however, is inherently water-resistant. That modern wood look in your kitchen or bathroom you’ve been dreaming of just became a real possibility!

Tile is Perfect for Warm Climates

Live in a warmer climate? High temperatures, UV rays, and humidity can mean buckling and warping on traditional wood in the long term if you’re not careful. That’s not really the case with tile. Built to deal with all of the above, tile remains cooler under your feet than other traditional home floors. It’s no surprise that wood look tile is extremely popular in the southwestern states.

Wood Look Porcelain Tile is Fit for Every Room

Tile is a popular option in moisture-prone rooms such as bathrooms, kitchens, and basements. Wood look porcelain tile is no different. However, this flooring isn’t limited to those rooms. Because of its realistic wood look and high durability, it can even be used in common areas such as the living room or master bedroom.

Forest Lane: A Wood Look Porcelain Tile That’ll Last

Porcelain tile is already a great flooring option, but Empire Today’s Forest Lane takes wood look porcelain tile to the next level. Not only does it have a natural hand-scraped detail to give it a realistic wood look, it’s stain, water, and slip resistant! With the durability of tile and the sophisticated look of hardwood, Forest Lane is a perfect flooring for any room.

It’s easy to see why wood look porcelain tile remains a staple this summer. To get modern floors that’ll last in your home, Schedule a FREE Estimate with us today!

The post Wood Look Porcelain Tile Isn’t Just a Trend, It’s Here to Stay appeared first on Empire Today Blog.