In recent years, thanks to modern technology and innovation led by the globe’s most forward-thinking flooring manufacturers, today’s Wood Look Porcelain Tiles are nearly impossible to differentiate from natural wood, except for the fact that these porcelain tiles can be installed virtually anywhere (think outdoors, kitchens, bathrooms).

One thing to realize about wood look porcelain tile is that the installation method can often times differ from the installation of other planks, The reason for this is that many of the longer planks crown in the middle. At first glance, your plank might look flat, but in actuality they are not. There will often times be a bowing effect, which might become an issue when you try to overlap (or offset) the planks.

Selecting the Correct Mortar for your Wood Look Porcelain Tile

With large format tile planks you want to use a medium bed mortar instead of thinset. The thinest bed of mortar that should be used is 1/2″ and in cases where concrete floors are uneven a thicker bed would be required. Yes, this uses more mortar and, yes, these types of mortars are more expensive, but this is not where you should try to save money. If you want your wood look porcelain tiles to stand the test of time you will need to use the correct materials and installation method.

Working with the bow effect of wood look porcelain tile

Many manufacturers and how-to guides will tell you that a full offset (or 50%) will increase the unevenness of your floor. A 50% offset means that the middle of your tile is exactly in line with the grout joint of the next row. This is a uniformed look many people would like, but the American National Standards Specifications for the Installation of Ceramic Titles sets the limit at 33% maximum offset, so that you don’t maximize the amount of unevenness and lippage between tiles.

But what if you really want that 50% offset look, which is popular for a reason – it’s clean and creates order and balance to any room?

There is a company whose wood look porcelain tile line allows this 50% offset, without fear of significant unevenness.

Get the exact look you want with the wood look porcelain of Flaviker

Flaviker – founded in the 1960s – is one of the first companies to make a name for itself in the ceramic flooring industry. They combine cutting-edge technology with aesthetic innovation to continue to push the boundaries of contemporary surfaces, including that of wood look porcelain tiles.

Through endless trials and testing’s, Flaviker has found a way to create the most vast and luxurious line of wood look porcelain tile, while allowing customers to install the planks using 50% offset, a rarity in the wood look porcelain field.

Their installation process is considered one of the easiest and friendliest on the market. Each ceramic tile in their collection has specific installation specifications and, if followed accurately, will provide you with flooring that will maintain its beauty and integrity for many years to come.

Even a professional installer might run into obstacles and issues handling the bowing effect of many wood look porcelain tiles, particularly if you’re hoping to offset your planks by 50%. The Flaviker tile collections give you and your installers the most freedom, and least hassle, in capturing your desired look.

The Urban Wood line from Flaviker is fast becoming one of the company’s most popular collections. This collection is an interpretation of natural wood, with the inclusion of knots, grains, and other natural wood features.

With natural veining and the warmth that is synonymous with wood, Flaviker’s Urban Wood line comes in five colors: Blanco, Grigio, Naturale, Avana, and Antico. And, because it’s Flaviker, you and your installers have far more freedom in how you design your flooring layout than with most other wood look porcelain tiles.

Click Here to view the Dakota Collection.

How to install different flooring tiles – a handbook for you

The Tile Council of North America is a nationally recognized council on how to install different tiles correctly using the correct grout and specifications, based on your tile. If tile is getting installed in your home or office, your installer should have the TCNA handbook – make sure of it.

Within this handbook are production selection guides for ceramic, glass, and stone tiles, as well as guidelines for web areas, information on substrate flatness requirements and much more. In other words, it’s a bible for all tile installations.

In the end, it’s always important that you refer to any installation instructions that are provided to you by your specific flooring manufacturer. If you cannot find these instructions, you should refer to the information provided in the TCNA handbook, or call Catalfamo, so we can help you properly install your flooring.

Click Here to view the Dakota Collection.

Two of the most reputable types of flooring available these days are wood flooring and porcelain/ceramic tile. It was only a matter of time, then, before the two merged into something of a super floor – Wood Look Porcelain Tile.

For years consumers have wanted to install hardwood into moisture-rich areas such as their bathrooms or kitchens, but couldn’t, because hardwood would not perform well in these settings.

Then came the advent of Wood Look Porcelain Tile, which allowed these consumers to incorporate a hardwood look into any space (outdoor, indoor, commercial, residential) with the water resistant durability of ceramic or porcelain tile. But when it first came out, Wood Look Porcelain Tile options were limited. As technology continues to advance, however, these wood look tiles are able to capture virtually any style of wood available, from rustic to modern and realistic.

Below are some of the leaders in the Wood Look Porcelain Tile world, who continue to push the limits of technology and our imaginations.

Click Here to view the entire line of Tile & Stone

Supergres – Travel: Supergres combines innovative technologies and avant-garde research to design high-quality wood look porcelain tiles for both residential and commercial settings. All Supergres tiles are manufactured in Italy and enjoy the Ecolabel certification, which demonstrates its commitment toward environmentally friendly products.

Their wood look porcelain tile line – Travel – consists of four varying shades that are well suited for most projects. North White and East Grey are softer, brighter hues, while South Gold and West Brown offer a darker approach to the wood look.

Sant’Agostino – Nature & S Wood: Sant’Agostino has two lines dedicated to the art and function of the Wood Look Porcelain Tile. Located in Italy, Sant’Agostino has always celebrated the perfection and artistry that’s provided by pure Italian porcelain. Their high-end line of tiles have been sources of inspiration and wonder for consumers for more than four decades, who continue to turn to Sant’Agostino for the finest in high-quality Italian porcelain.

Nature comes in five lines: Bisque, Brown, Grey, Honey, and White (in both 8 x 48 and 6 x 48 tiles), while S Wood comes in traditional colors such as Nut, Gold, Sand and Brown, as well as the unique and bold Black.

Edimax – Wood_Ker: Italy’s very own Edimax is committed to offering aesthetically perfect flooring choices that are designed to be used in a variety of commercial and residential settings. Wood_Ker is their flagship Wood Look Porcelain Tile line, and complements any space with its natural colors. Wood_Ker is produced with an innovative technology that replicates knots and grains, adding to the authenticity of the look. Colors come in Nut, Grey, Cream and Brown.

Lea – Bio Plank: The very essence of environmentally friendly has been redefined with the introduction of the Bio Plank by Lea, which also features a patented Microban antibacterial protection. The Bio Plank combines practicality and aesthetics while pushing forward the latest technologies in flooring. Wood flooring has never looked so modern and sheik than when displayed in the stunning colors of Bio Plank, including Fume, Oak Noisette, Oak Lava, Cottage Blue, Brown Cottage, Oak Ice and Smoked.

A push toward elegance, practicality and class

Since the dawn of the flooring era, hardwood and porcelain have remained kings. Both exude different looks and feels. Often, we equate porcelain tiles with bathrooms, kitchens, and large, mansion-esque homes. Wood flooring has been looked upon as a way to connect to nature without compromising beauty.

However, wood flooring has its drawbacks, including its versatility and longevity. Porcelain tile, on the other hand, has often been looked as as limited in where it “looks good.” With the advent of Wood Look Porcelain Tile, consumers can essentially have their cake and eat it too. They now can enjoy all the visual benefits of hardwood, and the functional benefits of porcelain, in one gorgeous tile.

Click Here to view the entire line of Tile & Stone

With various sizing this material can be used for floors, walls and tops.The versatility of the thickness is key to designers for residential,commercial and yacht projects. Especially when your project has height or weight restrictions.

Even though the company has only been serving customers since 1994, they have focused its attention on quality and creativity to bring a tile to you that you may not normally expect from such a new business. The goal of Casa Dolce Casa (Italian for “home sweet home”) is to create products with a natural appearance and an innovative use of color.

In fact, Casa Dolce Casa decided to partner with Florim Ceramiche S.p.A., a world-leading company in the ceramic industry, in 2005.

When you surround yourself with Casa Dolce Tile, you are filling your home with harmony — that is the company’s goal. They understand there is a delicate balance between a home and those who dwell within. As such, Casa Dolce Tile is crafted to have synergy between these two elements, people and homes, in order to bring order to a home. Think of Casa Dolce Tile as an “ambassador” to your home.

Casa Dolce Tile understands the meaning of quality. They have created a system that hits on major points throughout the production process:

• Respect for standards and current legislation for the ceramic sector, and paying attention to safety and environmental concerns.
• Reducing waste and reducing costs.
• Paying attention to client needs, including evaluating the client’s degree of satisfaction with the product and installation.
• Continual improvement on all company processes as a permanent goal for the organization.
• Verifying the Quality System, including ongoing revision and correction of inadequacies or inefficiencies.
• Involvement and definition of responsibilities throughout every level of the organization in order to increase effectiveness and efficiency of company processes and, finally, training and improved professionalism.

Casa Dolce Tile is available in two collections: Casamood and Casa Dolce Casa. The Casamood has seven different vibrant colors to choose from and the Casa Dolce Casa collection contains 12.

To learn more about Casa Dolce Casa Tiles, please contact one of our design consultants at 1-800-764-1633.

Atlas Concorde is synonymous with reliability. These tiles set the standard for the entire ceramic tile industry and are one of the most well-known tiles worldwide. The company was founded back in 1969, and is the parent company of the Gruppo Concorde, which is the second-largest Italian ceramic tile group.

Atlas Concorde believes in providing interior designers, architects, and all of their treasured customers with exciting ceramic solutions that can be used for every destination of use. Atlas Concorde strives for an aesthetic appeal with every product they produce, and are very well aware of the market needs, combined with strength and durability.

Nowadays, you can find the company worldwide, and it exports its products to all major markets – along with subsidiaries in the most sensible geographic areas: Atlas Concorde USA INC, Hollywood (FL); OOO “Atlas Concorde Russia”, Stupino; Atlas Concorde China Representative Office, Beijing.

When you purchase Atlas Concorde tiles, they know that you want perfection and excellence with every application. That’s why the strength of Atlas Concorde lies in its broad, complete, differentiated, and constantly updated catalog of products. Specific employees pay attention to market demands, making sure that Atlas Concorde conform to new fashion standards – ensuring that you get access to only the latest and greatest styles.

For a unique look that’s all your own, check out Atlas Concorde.

To learn more about Atlas Concorde, please contact one of our design consultants at 1-800-764-1633.

Out of refuse comes each glorious Ellen Blakeley Tile, repurposed into an elegant surface material. Each collection of Ellen Blakeley Tile consists of 45 original palettes; tiles can be customized to your specifications.

Within the Ellen Blakeley Studio, you’ll find a collection of twelve tiles that spans four categories: Shimmer, which is a study in the subtly of shine; Pop, a study of delicious colors that sparkle and dance; Organic, which are real leaves that punctuate the seasonal skies; Metallic, the refracted glint in a natural terrain. Once you grout these extraordinary tiles together, you will be amplifying the finished effect: putting back together what was once broken.

When you peruse the different collections from Ellen Blakeley Tile, you might stop on the Winter Whites Collection. This collection consists of Rapunzel, Snow Pearl, and Stoli. In the Elements Collection, you will find an array of dazzling color: After Dark (AIR), Amazon (WATER), Gold Coast (METAL), Moss (EARTH), and Pompeii (FIRE).

The Core Collection consists of the following: Amber Jewel, Anna’s Gold, Bamboo, Black Lace, Blossom, Blue Jewel, Champagne, Deep Silver, Dirt, Dot Calm Gold, Garden, Glinda’s Dress, Grecian Spa – Gold, Grecian Spa – Silver, Meadow, Mixed Metals, N Pink, New Dirt, New Yorker, Pearl, Platinum Blonde, Royal Violet, Smokey Charcoal, Toga Party, Turquoise Lace, True Blood, Sweet Young Thing, and Vineyard.

When you purchase Ellen Blakeley Tile, you are getting a recycled material that is resistant to fading, durable, and sustainable. The tempered glass that she uses is recycled from commercial glass companies in Northern California. Ellen Blakeley Tile is created using sanded water-based grout and low VOC paints. Truly a green product at its most magnificent.

To learn more about Ellen Blakeley Studio, please contact one of our design consultants at 1-800-764-1633.

You can also purchase these tiles for architectural, hospitality, contractor communities, and interior design applications as well. Bisazza is an icon among tile producers. You can find the entire gamut of styles with this intriguing company, from simplistic to wildly artesian. All styles and tastes are serviced at Bisazza, and if they don’t have a style that doesn’t shake you to your very core, they can create a custom design that does.

The company knows that there are many glass tiles available on the market today. You can find a variety of look-alike products, but only Bisazza monitors their quality control process from beginning to end, paying attention to each detail – no matter how small. Therefore, before you purchase a “real bargain” determine if it is really worth it to replace a floor again and again, when your could have saved yourself the hassle and headache, and gone with Bisazza tiles in the first place.

They also set themselves apart from other industry manufacturers by providing the grout and grouting tools with most of their products. No more searching for just the right tools for the job. Once you receive your tile shipment, you are ready to go. The grout is also made from their own Bisazza brand, a high-quality, epoxy type of grout that will stand the test of time.

Additionally, knock-off products and their companies crop up and die again so quickly, what were to happen if you needed additional tile to finish your product? You’d be forced to go with a different, mismatched tile or to re-tile your floor entirely. Is it worth it to take such a chance? Bisazza Tiles have been around for over 50 years, and they aren’t going anywhere.

Check out Bisazza’s wide variety of styles. You owe it to yourself to look at only the best.

To learn more about Bisazza Mosaico, please contact one of our design consultants at 1-800-764-1633.

Choose from the following collections to instantly enliven your home: America, Eolie, Futura, Mete, Metropoli, and Stone.

In the Soluble Salts collection, you can see finishes such as the Kansas Extra White and Montana Beige (both in 60 x 60 cm & 11 mm thickness), Kansas Extra White in a 30 x 60 cm (and 11 mm thickness), Iceland Super White and Africa Extra Black (60 x 60 cm in 9.5 mm thickness), Kansas Extra White and Alabama (40 x 40 cm in a 9.5 mm thickness), and Rodi & Corfu (in a 50 x 50 mm size with a 9.5 mm thickness).

In the Double Charged Polished collection, you will find the Indiana Bianco, Texas Noce, Maine Grigio, Ohio Beige, Nevada, and Antracite all in a 45 x 45 cm size in a thickness of 10 mm. In the 30 x 60 cm size, you will find Indiana Bianco, Texas Noce, Maine Grigio, Ohio Beige, and Nevada Antracite – all in a 10 mm thickness.

In the Uni-Color Polished collection, you will find colors like Bianco, Giallo, Salmone, Verde, Blu, Grigio, and Nero.

In the Eolie Collection, you will find such exciting colors such as Lipari Beige, Salini Grigio, Stromboli Marrone, and Vulcano Nero. Each comes in 60 x 60 cm size for your convenience.

The Futera collection offers such colors as Beige, Grey, and Black. Choose from 60 x 60cm size or 30 x 60cm size for your flooring needs.

The Mete collection contains such colors as Banyan Tree, Sabi Sabi, Madinat, Taj Lake, in a thickness of 10.5 mm in two sizes: 20 x 60 cm or 60 x 60 cm.

The Metropoli collection comes to you in a 10.5 mm thickness, in either 60 x 60 cm size or a 30 x 30cm size. Choose from Helsinki, Perth, Mombaza, Nadi, or Cordoba.

Finally, the Stone collection is offered in Grey, Black, White, Beige, or Brown, and choose from either 30 x 60 cm size or a 60 x 60 cm size – all in a 11 mm thickness.

Quality and good service are hallmarks of Casa Italia Tile.

To learn more about Casa Italia Tile, please contact one of our design consultants at 1-800-764-1633.

For those of you who are looking for an interesting touch to your bathroom, kitchen, or other room in your home, consider the products from Metal Border. Metal Borders tiles are made from aluminum, which is lightweight but resilient. It finishes with a gray/silver appearance.

When synthesized with other metals, the result is an alloy that resists corrosion and has a long life span, which means it would work well in a bathroom or kitchen. Aluminum only weighs about a third of steel or copper, so you can get the good look of metal, but without all the added weight and necessary fasteners to keep it in place.

Their Peraluman tiles a square tile comes in the following sizes, 20 cm x 20 cm, 30 x 30, 40 x 40, and 50 x 50. The tiles are brushed to a smooth finish, and is made with magnesium, which is also resistant to corrosion.

Metal Border’s Anticorodal alloy is used for their mosaics, bars, and listellos. They are available in satin, smooth, and brushed finishes. And their alloy is best suited for internal architectural applications, because the level of corrosion resistance varies.
This means it may not be ideally suited for bathrooms or kitchens.

Finally, Metal Border wants to help preserve the environment as much as they can, and are working to reduce their waste to help. They recycle all of their scrap and byproducts, and they have a standard minimum 30% recycled aluminum in all their aluminum tiles.

To learn more about Metal Border, please contact one of our design consultants at 1-800-764-1633.

Franco Pecchioli was founded in 1897 by the Chini family (pronounced “Keeney”) and the Pecchioli family. Galileo Chini, a master ceramicist and partner of this fledgling firm, opened the original formace (or ceramics factory) and called it LArte della Ceramica in the small village of Borgo San Lorenzo. Chini first worked with decorative stoneware vases, making his work stand out from the rest with intricate glazes and bright colors.

Later, he became one of the influencers of Italian ceramics throughout the early 1900s and 1920s; this daring artist was commissioned by the king of Siam to create large-scale frescos all around the royal palace. Unfortunately, the ceramics factory was bombed in World War II by U.S. bombing raids. This lead to a merging with Pecchioli, who financed the rebuilding and expansion of the company. Today, the Pecchiolis controls the business side of the company, with the Chinis controlling the artistic side.

Pecchioli distributes their products to not just Europe and Asia, but to the U.S., the Carribean, Bahamas, and Bermuda through the forged relationship with Una Terra, Inc. Pecchioli has already started to leave its mark on the United States businesses. Some commercial work that Pecchioli has done include: a Buffalo subway station, the Buell Theater in Denver, The Renaissance Center subway station in Detroit, and a Thai and a Burger restaurant in Las Vegas. Many residential bathrooms, kitchen floors, backsplashes, fireplace surrounds, foyers, and sun rooms have also experienced the artistic touch of Pecchioli through Una Terra.

Experience Pecchioli for yourself! They have a wide variety of tile available. Check out their standard tile collections, such as Water & Sky, Blacks & Whites, Violets & Roses, and more. Each of their standard tile collections are glazed using machine-made Italian terra cotta biscuits in different sizes, thicknesses, and shapes. Pecchioli also sells beautiful plumbing fixtures that will make you (and your guests) gasp with surprise and pleasure. What better way to make a unique statement than to order a vessel sink, shower base, and toilet in matching colors? If you want to make a statement at your dinner party, consider a dinnerware set in rich colors, dipped and fused together with gold, silver, and platinum. The guests wont want to put food on the plates and cover up the glinting beauty winking back at them!

To learn more about Pecchioli, please contact one of our design consultants at 1-800-764-1633.