Better Than Nature? Flooring That Will Fool You

Everyone loves the beauty of natural products like hardwood flooring, marble or travertine. But sometimes, nature just isn’t right for your home. Natural products tend to be harder to maintain, not to mention more expensive. Luckily there are a variety of new flooring products on the market that offer the same organic look you want with a price and maintenance schedule you’ll love.

Ceramic tile is a popular choice for emulating natural materials. It’s an obvious substitute for stone products. Ceramic tiles can be texturized to be as slick and smooth as highly polished marble or as bumpy and interesting as limestone. Because it’s not bound by Mother Nature, it can come in every color under the sun. If you’ve always wanted orange marble flooring, it can happen with the magic of ceramic tile.

Believe it or not though, ceramic can also sub in for wood floors. All right, if you opt for wood-look ceramic flooring, you aren’t trying to fool anyone into thinking cool tile is warm wood. Instead, you’re giving your home a completely unique look that’s at once modern and classic. Porcelain or ceramic flooring also does well in environments where wood is ill-suited, especially spaces like full bathrooms that are subject to wood-destroying moisture.

Besides its color and look flexibility, ceramic tile is also much easier to maintain than stone. Natural stone can be porous and brittle, which means it soaks up stains in a flash. Acid-based cleaners will also eat right through your stone flooring. Many need to be resealed every two-three years to keep them looking their best.

With ceramic or porcelain tiles, you remove many of those maintenance issues. The hard tiles are less porous than stone, so staining is less of an issue. Instead, some basic sweeping, mopping, and cleaning is all you need.

Both natural and man-made flooring has its advantages. Ultimately, it’s all about your budget and the look, feel and features you’re looking for. Torn between the two? Contact Tish Flooring, an Indianapolis flooring company. We’ll bring samples of both the real McCoy and the new alternatives to your door and help you choose the flooring that’s perfect for you.