Should I install woodlike tile throughout the house?

4 years ago

We recently had a roof leak, and we're having to replace the dark wood floors we have in the entry way, living room, dining room and hallways (basically everywhere on the first floor of the house except for the kitchen and the bathroom). Our kitchen (which is adjacent to the living room and is semi-open concept) is currently a lighter off-white tile with lighter cabinets.

I'm looking into replacing the current wood with wood-like tile because it will scratch less and be easier to clean

My question: Should we get the wood-like tile throughout the house (including the kitchen) or leave the kitchen and bathroom with the lighter tile floors?

Featured Answer

itsourcasa

4 years ago

We just had over 2,000 sq feet of wood look tile installed in our home. We're in South Florida so there weren't many other options that I would consider. I am not a fan of laminate or LVP so it was either real wood or porcelain tile... and in south FL with a pool, humidity, etc we decided on tile. People on here say the tile planks are going out of style but it's just not true. It's durable, has a great texture (isn't shiny), elongates the home if you run it the right way, and has that look of warmth on the floor instead of the usual cold square builder grade tile that is all over down here. Many will also say it'll never pass as real wood and I agree but who is trying to pass it off as real wood? It's not even close lol. But it looks amazing for what it is! I like a seamless floor throughout so I'd do that whatever option you choose.

We are in the middle of our reno so the floors are very dusty and some parts are covered but here are a few pics:

Comments (6)

PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
4 years ago
IMo wood look tile is on it’s way out IMO wood floors are just as easy to care for ans much easier on your knees and backs
Jennifer Hogan
4 years ago
If I were doing wood look tile through the rest of the first floor I would continue it into the kitchen and bath.

I will also say that I lived with tile floors through out the living spaces in my last home. Lived there for 20 years. Loved the ease of cleaning and loved the look. Hate living with the joint pain caused by years of walking on such a hard surface. I opted for LVT and area carpets in my next home. If you do go with tile get anti fatigue mats for in front of the stove, sink and prep areas and wear good cushioned shoes. Don't go barefoot or stocking footed. The impact is no different than it is for factory workers who stand on concrete all day.
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I appreciate all the advice. As I mentioned, the floor is completely covered right now so I can't take any photos. And it's covered for a reason, so I don't want to pull all the cardboard off just to take some photos. When the time comes to pull it off and address this, if I'm still unsure about what to do I'll post photos and would appreciate your input. Even though there's no definitive answer, lots of great advice and things to think about and weigh. One thing I'm still not clear on is how much of a mess this is going to make. I know to start their going to have to break some tiles up. But once they get a few tiles out can they pry the rest of the tiles off in one piece or will they have to bust everything up to get it off? And if they remove the tile, will the float below be damaged to the point it has to be redone or can they just patch up some trouble spots where there is a lot of damage? The aftermath is part of the decision for me. If it's possible to cleanly remove the tiles without making a giant mess or destroying the float then I will most likely have them start over using a leveling system. If this is a major demo job with a ton of mess and dust then I'd be less inclined to go through with that.
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Sina Sadeddin Architectural Design
4 years ago
Wood-look tile is definitely not as popular these days. The issue is that they just don't look like real wood. Real hardwood not only is easy to walk on, easy to take care of (a big leak would ruin any flooring material BTW), and it adds value to your home.

If you're set on the wood-look tile, yes run it in every room on the main floor, but not the bathroom.
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Oak & Broad
4 years ago
juliepandya80 , skip to LVP then back to real wood floors to save time. The wood look tile has been replaced by LVP and now people are realizing how much value and beauty comes from real wood and not plastic.
kristaj
4 years ago
If you are interested in wood look tile, you should check out this blog. This couple used it extensively in their home.
This article also links to many more articles about the tile if you scroll down through it.
If you do decide to do it, then yes, continue it throughout all rooms for continuity.

https://www.chrislovesjulia.com/faux-wood-tile-the-after-photos/

BTW, I do agree though, that LVP is a great flooring choice and very popular now.
We installed it in our home and so far we have been very happy with it.

Should I install woodlike tile throughout the house?

itsourcasa

Comments (6)

Patricia Colwell Consulting

Jennifer Hogan

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