Image courtesy of Tile Magazine[/caption]Last week we introduced you to a porcelain tile that mimicked hardwood. Today. we'll tell you a little more about this popular trend: wood- and stone-look ceramic tile.Tile Magazine explains in their recent Trend Report, "With the technologies that are available today in tile production, the durability and ease of maintenance of ceramic, cost effectiveness and the green factor, it is no wonder why the appeal of these tiles has grown so big."How does it work?“With the expansion of digital printing technology inside the porcelain industry, printing design details, such as stone veins and wood grains, are now applicable to uneven surfaces. Nowadays, once natural stones and natural wood products are scanned into the system, digital printers can reproduce an almost exact replica of the natural product on a porcelain tile surface.â€Ease of maintenance is one of the driving factors behind the wood and stone-look tiles. Resealing and re-staining is no longer required after several years of use and because ceramic tile is twice as strong as granite, the floors will wear much better than natural wood and stone in high traffic areas.Source: TILE Magazine
