Wood effect porcelain tiles

[TheBelmont]

I can’t have real wood due to clumsy and somewhat negligent family members 😁but like the wood look. We have some upscale wood laminate which is starting to look a bit tatty after 10 years so need to replace. Have considered Amtico/Karndean but also keen on getting underfloor heating and been recommended porcelain tiles. The wood effect ones look really great in the photos online….but am sceptical! Does anyone have them? Do they look realistic? Are they slippy? I can’t quite get my head around them…I’ve ordered some samples online by while I’m waiting for them to arrive….any views (or anyone willing to share photos of theirs?)

I've got samples of them for a few clients
Some are very good, others look a bit naff
Clients liked them but one ended up with stone effect porcelain instead and another went for LVT.
They usually have a riven finish so slight texture and that makes them less slippy.
I have riven finish porcelain tiles (stone pattern) and they are fab, hard wearing, easy to clean and mine are not slippery even when sopping wet (mine are inside and outside on the patio so get to try this out in the rain)

We have mid/ dark oak looking ceramic floor tiles in our bathroom - similar colour to the oak beams (ancient wood framed house) and they look fine, are non slip and easy to keep clean. All the tiles are the same, but there are lighter and darker shades in the wood effect and the tiles are textured. The tiler suggested using browny grey grout ( rather than white) . He did an excellent job and I’m pleased with it and it’s stayed looking good.(6 years so far).

Forgot to say we also have underfloor heating- only in the bathroom ( specific for bathrooms) and it’s fabulous! Tiles might be cold for bare feet without it. We are economising on the central heating but at least the bathroom is warm!

Ok…I think I’m definitely leaning towards the porcelain floor tiles after reading these comments…will order some non-wood effect samples too. I def nicely don’t want the shiny polished type…it looks lovely but impractical for us as a family I think.
Are there some suppliers superior to others? Any recommendations?

Recommend Quorn Stone in Leicestershire, they have beautiful tiles. We have both wood effect and stone effect tiles from them. They also have a showroom in Hertfordshire.

I don’t have them but a friend does in her huge kitchen diner. They look amazing! She has underfloor heating so it’s not chilly. She has dogs and young children so they’ve easy to keep clean plus very hard wearing.

Meant to say - they’re from Topps Tiles

I have porcelain wood effect tiles in the bathroom. I wanted something hard wearing and to be able to use my steam mop. They are a very pale colour wood effect and I love them. The only negative (other than the cold, not relevant for underfloor heating) is having to occasionally scrub the grout on the high traffic zone (think I have done this twice in 2 years) as it starts to go a bit mucky over time. Although FYI we don't wear shoes in the house. If this is for a an area where you will be having dogs, kids, outside shoes etc you may need to give the grout a scrub more often. If you can't be bothered with that then I wouldn't get them personally.

We have luxury vinyl in the kitchen and it still looks nice but is easier to clean (similar colour).

I have them in our big open plan kitchen. They are great and many people are surprised they aren’t wood. Ours are these I think we have the colour in the pics with the grey sofa.

Two things to look for:

1. Large size “planks”. The larger the planks, the less grout. The grout gets grubby over time and gives them away as being tiles rather than wood iyswim.

2. A lot of differently patterned tiles in each pack (there is a technical term for this, I can’t remember what it is but tile shops will know). Basically you don’t want the same patterned plank multiple times near each other.

And then when you get them laid:

1. get the tiler to use thin grout lines

2. match the grout colour to the tiles as well as possible - no white or grey grout. Ours is Ardex gentle dawn which was the right pale brown/greige colour.

3. get them to mix up the tile patterns so you don’t have two matching next to each other

4. ask them to stagger the tiles randomly rather than in a precise repeated layout

All this will help it look more like actual wood IMHO.

Oh yes, I would definitely only get them with underfloor hearing.

I have wood effect tiles in my bathroom. They came from Fired Earth. I definitely recommend seeing them in person before buying so that you can touch them and see how good a copy of wood they are. Mine are great for not being slippy when wet. The other bathroom hasn't been changed since we bought it and has smooth tiles that are lethal when wet so we need to use a lot of mats.

We have them in the (small) family bathroom, and I like them in there although they don't pass for wood. Debating what to go for in a new living room and not sure if I want fake wood, or whether to just go with tiles iykwim. Reading with interest.

I have them with underfloor heating , they are textured and not slippy at all , I got them from plumbase who get them from The Yorkshire tile company . I absolutely love them . I'll see if I can find a link for you . I think they were called Manhattan

@TheBelmont these are them , I have the natural ones . They do look like wood too

Thanks everyone!! Great tips @minipie. I’m impatient for my samples to arrive now!