Everything You Need to Know About Wooden Tiles Pros & Cons

Can wood ever go out of fashion? At least not in the construction. In any case, nature is seldom out of fashion, especially something as popular as wooden tiles. Hardwood has been a popular choice for flooring and building houses, especially in the colder regions due to its thermal insulation properties.

Modern homes in urban areas can also use wooden wall tiles and wood-look floor tiles to create nature-inspired spaces. However, using wooden tiles does not mean you will need to source a lot of wood.

What are Wooden Wall Tiles?

Modern wooden tiles are wood-like tiles made of ceramic or vitrified bodies. A hard glaze is applied to the surface of the ceramic or vitrified tile and then given the wooden texture digitally.

These tiles can mimic the appearance of several types of natural wood, even with the surface finish of the tile. Ceramic and vitrified wooden wall tiles are more durable than hardwood tiles and offer several advantages.

Types of Wooden Tiles

Ceramic and vitrified wooden tiles are available in three formats – square tiles, rectangular tiles, and planks. Other than the shape you can have four variations in wooden tiles based on surface finish – polished, high-gloss, matt, and wooden texture.

• Square, rectangle, & plank tiles

• Polished, high-gloss, matt and wooden texture

• Single wood type & mixed wood tiles

Wooden plank tiles are the most popular type of wooden tile for floor and wall applications. You can find wooden plank tiles are usually based on a single wood type, though you can buy wood plank tiles based on any wood type. Larger wooden tiles can also feature a mix of wooden blocks in their design.

Where to Use Wooden Tiles?

Wooden tiles are one of those versatile designs that you can use in almost any space and it will look perfectly in place. Here’s a list of spaces you can use different wooden tiles:

• Floor applications:

• High-Gloss & Polished Tiles: Living room, bedroom, 

• Matt & Wooden Texture: Kitchen, bathroom, living room, balcony, bedroom

• Wall Applications:

• Indoor High Gloss/Polished Tiles: Kitchen backsplash, bathroom walls

• Indoor Matt Finish: Living room and bedroom accent walls, bathroom vanity accent wall

• Outdoor Matt Finish: Use planks for full cladding, or decorating specific areas on the wall. Garden wall, front elevation, etc.

Advantages of Wooden Tiles

Ceramic and vitrified wooden tiles offer several advantages to the users. Some of the most anticipated advantages are:

• Affordability

Wooden plank tiles are far more affordable than natural hardwood planks. The price can start around Rs 45 per square foot and go up to Rs 150 per square foot, depending on the surface finish and thickness of the tile.

• Durability

Vitrified tiles are some of the most durable materials in the world. The tiles are almost fully waterproof, and the hard surface can handle foot traffic without scratches.

• Pet & Child Friendly

The vitrified wooden tiles cannot be scratched, broken or chipped by the child playing or a pet scratching the floor. This sturdiness also reduces the chances of pets or kids getting injured from accidentally breaking the tile.

Also, any stain, colours, or children’s creativity on ceramic and vitrified wooden wall tiles can be cleaned easily using a cloth and warm water.

• Environment Friendly

Unlike hardwood tiles, vitrified tiles don’t need the cutting of trees. Unlike hardwood tiles, ceramic and vitrified tiles do not need termite or pest treatment. Thus, installing wooden vitrified tiles does not release harmful chemicals inside your house.

• Recyclable

If broken, you can recycle the wooden vitrified tiles in several ways. Use cement to repair the tile if possible, break the tile into smaller pieces and use it in the garden, or sell the tile pieces for recycling at a tile manufacturer.

Many tile manufacturers, including H&R Johnson, recycle ceramic and vitrified tile waste materials for creating marble and quartz tiles.

• Versatile

Wooden tiles are quite versatile and can be used in a variety of spaces, including outdoor areas. The durability of vitrified tiles allows these tiles to endure harsh weather conditions, and thermal shocks without breaking or chipping.

Wooden tiles have a growing fanbase due to these advantages and easy installation. Since you buy standard-sized, pre-cut, and polished tiles, you can simply install the tile with minimum onsite cutting and adjustment.

Disadvantages of Wooden Tiles

Though vitrified and ceramic tiles leave very little to complain about, you should be cautious about a few aspects of these tiles:

• Tile’s Temperature

If you reside in a place where low temperatures can get uncomfortable, you may want to use a rug or use slippers while moving on this floor. The tiles are less thermal protective than natural wood and will get cold with the ambient temperature.

• Installing Glossy Tiles

Avoid installing glossy or polished tiles on the floor of areas where water is part of the environment, such as outdoors, balconies, bathrooms and kitchen floors.

• Installing Different Patterns

Wood plank tiles can be installed in several different patterns because of their unusual shape. For example, herringbone, classic brick, diagonal basket, double herringbone, square basket, etc. If you want to use any of these patterns better take expert assistance.

Natural Wood Vs Wooden Wall Tiles

Wooden Tiles offer several advantages over hardwood tiles. To summarise these differences here are the unique comparison points:

Hardwood Tiles	Ceramic & Vitrified Wooden Tiles
Requires wood from trees Susceptible to environmental hazards Requires pest and termite treatment May be damaged by exposure to water and other liquid All types of wood are not available everywhere Regular maintenance necessary for long life Most woods are susceptible to fire	Made of clay Not affected by environmental factors No need for polish and pest treatment Waterproof by nature, glaze makes it stain-proof as well Buy any wood texture at your location Nominal maintenance in the form of cleaning and dust removal Unaffected by fire

How to Buy Wooden Wall Tiles?

You can install any type of wooden wall tiles in different spaces within and outside of the house. You can select the tile format, color and texture online and check their availability before visiting the store. You can also connect with experts at brands like H&R Johnson to clear any doubts and queries you may have about using these tiles on the walls of your home.

This process will save a lot of time and effort while giving you a higher chance of securing a good tile design near your house.

What is the Difference Between Ceramic Roof Tiles & Clay Roof Tiles

Clay roof tiles can easily make anyone who has seen and experienced the houses of the 80s and 90s nostalgic. You can still find these tiles in use today in rural areas. However, the proliferation of cement and concrete has almost phased the clay tiles from modern homes.

Clay tiles have several qualities that you would love to incorporate into your modern house. For instance, clay tiles are great at providing temperature resistance to the house. However, clay tiles require higher maintenance as they are prone to chipping and breaking.

Nowadays ceramic roof tiles are posing as a more durable alternative to clay roof tiles. Let us help you understand the basic properties of ceramic and clay roof tiles before comparing the two:

What are Ceramic Roof Tiles?

Ceramic roof tiles contain natural white clay and are manufactured under extreme compression techniques. You can find these tiles in a variety of colours, including white, grey, and even darker shades.

The ceramic coating provides better resistance to heat and harsh climatic conditions. Moreover, ceramic roof tiles come in a variety of colours, so you get a wide range of options to choose from.

What are Clay Roof Tiles?

Clay Roof Tiles are made up of standard moulded clay. The density and hardness of these tiles depend on how much they are heated and at what temperature. These tiles generally come in natural and rusty colours, such as pale white, yellow, orange, brown, etc.

The colour doesn’t fade away easily, but due to harsh climatic conditions, it may lose its original brightness. Though clay roof tiles are the most popular roofing option, there are many disadvantages associated with these tiles.

Ceramic Roof Tiles vs Clay Roof Tiles

Let us understand the difference between ceramic and clay roof tiles based on various important factors:

• Water Absorption

Clay tiles absorb more water as the major substance in these tiles is the standard clay itself. High water absorption can put extra weight on the roof, resulting in early damage. On the other hand, water absorption in ceramic tiles is lesser. Therefore, the chances of failure or crack are higher in the case of clay roof tiles than in ceramic tiles.

• Strength & Durability

As ceramic roof tiles are manufactured under high compressions, they are mechanically stronger. The density of strength of clay tiles depends on at what temperature they are baked. But generally, ceramic tiles are stronger and more durable. 

Ceramic Roof tiles can withstand harsh weather conditions, such as high temperatures, the sun’s UV rays, rainfall, humidity, etc. Clay tiles can crack under extremely cold weather conditions. Moreover, the colour of clay tiles is more likely to fade away with time due to exposure to sunlight, rainfall, etc. But the colour of ceramic tiles is comparatively less affected by these factors. 

• Installation

Ceramic tiles, being lighter than traditional clay roof tiles, are easier to install. These take lesser time for installation, and you can also save on labour costs. On the other hand, clay roof tiles are heavier and comparatively difficult to install.

• Maintenance

Traditional Clay roof tiles are more prone to algae, fungus, and other bacteria, due to which their maintenance becomes quite difficult. Ceramic tiles resist algae and fungus-causing bacteria and hence are easier to maintain. The less water absorption in ceramic tiles also makes their maintenance easy as the chances of wear and tear are lesser.

• Variety

Ceramic tiles are available in different colours and textures. From light shades like pale white and yellow to darker colours, you can find ceramic roof tiles to suit every style. Moreover, you can even find ceramic roof tiles that resemble the look of terracotta tiles. On the other hand, you have fewer colour and design options in the case of clay tiles.

• Heat Resistance

Both ceramic roof tiles and clay roof tiles provide a cooling effect for your home. However, ceramic roof tiles are more durable than clay tiles. Also, ceramic roof tiles are better at handling weather conditions. So, you would not have to replace them as frequently.

Given the features and benefits of ceramic roof tiles over clay tiles you would prefer to have a ceramic tile over your roof than clay tiles. However, ceramic roof tiles usually cost more than clay tiles. Also, another disadvantage of installing these tiles on your roof is that you must have a sloped roof.

You cannot install clay or ceramic roof tiles directly onto a flat roof surface. Since most modern urban homes and commercial buildings have flat roofs, they need an alternative solution.

Cool roof or SRI tiles can provide the same temperature control and weatherproof features.

Cool Roof Tiles for Modern Homes & Buildings

Cool roof or SRI tiles are a modern solution for temperature control and insulation from the sun. These are vitrified tiles with a special glaze on top. The glaze provides an SRI effect to the tile. SRI stands for Solar Reflective Index.

SRI indicates the efficiency of the tile’s surface in reflecting the solar heat falling on it. Although all tiles and materials will reflect some amount of heat, the best SRI tiles can reflect 90% or more heat into the atmosphere. This is represented as an SRI value of 90 for the tile.

Higher the SRI in ceramic tiles, the cooler your roof. India’s leading tile manufacturer H&R Johnson offers cool roof tiles with an SRI value greater than 90.

Unlike ceramic or clay roof tiles, you can install cool roof tiles on both sloped roofs and flat rooftops. These tiles can also be used for outdoor pavements and balconies. The surface of the pavement will provide a comfortable walking temperature regardless of the sunlight.

Choose Tiles for Durable Roofing

With the above comparison, ceramic roof tiles are a better choice. Even with ceramic roof tiles, you must ensure the quality. Make sure that you are choosing roof tiles from trusted brands.

Cool roof tiles with high solar reflectivity are among the best roof tile options available in the market for modern homes. With cool roof tiles, you can maintain a roof to enjoy the outdoor seating space while maintaining a lower ambient temperature inside the house.