Wood-effect porcelain stoneware: features and benefits

Throughout the history of mankind, wood has played the role of a reliable, environmentally friendly material. The abundance of modern options does not exclude the use of wood in housing construction, finishing work and furniture manufacturing. In an effort to obtain a material that can combine the natural beauty of wood and the strength and durability of stone, it was possible to create porcelain stoneware.

The features and advantages of porcelain stoneware are associated with the manufacturing technology of this material.

Porcelain stoneware is produced from natural raw materials:

• Some types of clay;
• Feldspar;
• Silica sand sifted to medium fractions;
• Various minerals as colorants.

This mixture, after a complex processing process, turns into a material that is superior in its properties to some natural stones. Porcelain stoneware products are most often produced in the form of tiles of various sizes, textures and colors.

The mixture is processed using a special technology, then ground into powder. After intensive mixing, it turns into a homogeneous substance with a uniform color, then it is subjected to two-stage pressing at high pressure.

At the first stage, the material of the required shapes and sizes is obtained, at the second stage, the required amount of pigment is applied, which gives porcelain stoneware the natural look of wood. It lasts for a long time without losing its original shade.

To obtain wood-like porcelain stoneware, the material is fired in ovens at 1300 degrees. The molten mixture, mixing, enters into internal reactions and forms a completely new material. The resulting porcelain stoneware floor tiles are then polished, undergo quality control, and only after that they go on sale.

Such products have a number of features:

• Their homogeneous structure without voids, cracks and foreign inclusions;
• Do not pass or absorb moisture;
• Withstand any temperature;
• Durable and wear-resistant;
• Wood-effect porcelain stoneware tiles can be decorated with any pattern;
• Porcelain stoneware under parquet retains its properties much longer than natural parquet.

The technology for the production of porcelain stoneware allows you to get different options for tiles, including wood imitation:

• Polished porcelain stoneware - its surface is treated to a mirror finish. The polishing process is long and expensive, but the unsurpassed shine and original texture justify all the costs. But polishing can open small pores and it will be necessary to take measures so that they are not filled with dyes and impurities;
• Technical porcelain stoneware is similar to natural granite. Plates from it serve for many years, it can be used in places with a large flow of people;

• Glazed - beautiful and durable, but its surface is less wear-resistant.
• Matt porcelain stoneware - unpolished material;

• Structured. A relief surface is formed by a special technology. So you can imitate wooden parquet, aged wood, form the desired decor. Can be decorated for fabric, leather, with interesting relief patterns and coated with other decorative materials;
• Satin has a shiny, soft surface.Such tiles are used for decorative purposes;

• Lappated - with a double texture, semi-matt, semi-polished. Translated from Italian means "ground in". This is the know-how from Italian manufacturers. It is widely used in crowded places;
• Double backfill. With this technology, the top layer of 3 mm is made of materials that determine the color, and the main layer is made of unpainted material.

When starting to renovate an apartment, you should imagine in advance the color scheme of the room space and take into account the possibilities of using porcelain stoneware. Upon completion of the renovation, the floor, walls and ceiling should look like a single design solution. Manufacturers are trying to produce whole collections in which tiles of different purpose are well combined with each other. When buying wood-like porcelain stoneware, special attention should be paid to its tone and caliber in order to avoid inconsistencies with the conceived design.

The color of the individual components of the room, in combination with the tone of the entire interior, can affect not only the general appearance, but also the psychological state of a person. The color of wood-effect porcelain stoneware parts can make the room darker or lighter, bring lightness or make the situation heavier, and change the space of the room.

There are several colors for different types of wood:

• Larch. Light tones from light to rich, aged;
• Ash. Rich texture of dense solid wood, tones - from freshly cut planks to old parquet;
• Oak. The most beautiful dark shades, from a young cut to a thickened dark tone;
• Beech. Porcelain stoneware under this tree is made in the form of boards of different shapes, different shades, from which mosaic floors and walls are often assembled.

Porcelain stoneware is produced in tiles of different sizes, square or rectangular. In addition to standard dimensions, any other shapes and sizes can be obtained using waterjet cutting.

The size range is very wide. Elements can be of the following dimensions: 20 x 60.30 x 30, 45 x 45, as well as 15 x 15, 30 x 45, 15 x 60, 15 x 90, 120 x 40, 20 x 120,120 x 30, 40 x 40 cm For facades, tiles of 120x360 cm are used. Samples of 5 x 5 cm can be purchased for mosaic laying.

The main criterion when choosing porcelain stoneware tiles for wood should be the quality of the product. The cost of any batch of this material is quite high, and some collections are available only for a circle of people who are not accustomed to counting the cost of beautiful things. In any case, we must try to protect ourselves from low-quality goods and counterfeits.

The product must be purchased from reliable sellers who work with trusted dealers. There must be documentation confirming the quality of the goods, addresses and contacts of the brands represented. Refer to experienced professionals when selecting the entire collection.

Inspection of the end cut of the tile should show the color over the entire depth. The marker mark can be easily washed off the tile with water, since porcelain stoneware has no pores and microcracks. High-quality tiles will not crack or break even if dropped and do not allow moisture to pass through.

The demand for these and other similar materials has increased significantly, as has the number of enterprises that have mastered the production of these products. As it should have, manufacturers appeared who started the production of similar products using lighter and cheaper technology. Such tiles do not meet the requirements for strength and durability, so the choice must be careful and careful.

In many countries, a high-quality technology for the production of porcelain stoneware has been mastered; many well-known manufacturers present excellent samples of this product to the market.

Among them, there are Russian companies that can successfully compete with foreign in the production of wood-like porcelain stoneware in terms of strength and durability, yielding only in external criteria. Brand manufacturers give wood-like porcelain tiles the look of larch, oak, ash. Quality products ensure reliability, durability and beauty.

Of the European countries that have achieved the greatest success in the production of very high-quality wood-like porcelain stoneware, Spain and Italy should be distinguished. Manufacturers from these countries follow world standards. All stages of complex technology, control of raw materials, adherence to heat treatment regimes are carried out rigorously and require high costs. Therefore, their products are valued much higher than many others.

The price of a tile is influenced not only by the brand that produces it, but also by many other factors. The quality of the drawing on the surface increases the price of the tiles. A well-known stained wood made in Italy is more expensive than the same product without a pattern.

Belarusian porcelain stoneware, according to reviews, is not inferior in strength to Italian, and its application in places of residence of a large number of people is much more profitable than buying any foreign products. For reputable companies and wealthy apartments, of course, graceful Spanish polished porcelain stoneware with a rich pattern under an expensive wood is more suitable.

Wood-effect porcelain stoneware in the bathroom can surprise your guests. An interesting effect is produced by Terragres Allen tiles, which are made with a matte anti-slip surface. The beauty of expensive wood is very subtly conveyed here.

The decor from porcelain stoneware in the style of a British pub or an old port tavern will be appropriate for a kitchen or dining room in a country house, cafe, bar. Lovers of original simplicity often use this style.

Arlington tiles are modern, laconic and elegant. Elegant decor with the right geometry can become the center of attention in the interior of the house. This option looks good in the hallway.

For the patchwork style, tiles from Italon are used. This porcelain stoneware is widely used in the bathroom, as a kitchen apron, when zoning, it creates a good atmosphere in many domestic and commercial spaces.

Palace or inlaid parquet made of porcelain stoneware makes it possible to perform a variety of techniques. The set of ornaments is almost unlimited, up to complex mosaics in an artistic style.

Artists, designers, decorators create truly palace ensembles, using the fantastic possibilities of wood imitation stone and its combinations.

You can also use porcelain stoneware in the bathroom. By placing the tiles diagonally, you can achieve a stunning effect of expanding the space. And in order to maximize the height of the ceilings and the length of the walls, it is recommended to use white tiles.

Tile is an excellent finishing material that successfully replaces wood. The richness of styles, a huge selection of colors and shades, profiles and sizes, the possibility of mechanical cutting put this material in a promising range in construction and decoration. The demand for porcelain stoneware slabs will only increase, decorating all new apartments, houses and mansions.

For an overview of wood look porcelain tiles, see the next video.