At D&B Tile, we’re always evangelizing about the benefits that porcelain has to offer. Whether you’re working on a kitchen design in West Palm Beach or a patio design in Miami, this material has both the durability and versatility required to work in a variety of areas.
While the kinds of porcelain tiles you can get are nearly limitless, today we’d like to discuss the benefits that stone-look tiles offer. Learn more about these tiles and get some ideas for how you can use them.
What Is Stone-Look Tile, and Why Do People Use It?
As we’ve previously discussed on this blog, porcelain offers remarkable design versatility. Digital printing allows us to create a limitless number of patterns, which are applied to the porcelain’s glaze. This means it’s possible for porcelain to mimic the appearance of all kinds of materials.
This begs the question, though: why not just use stone? The answer has to do with the advantages that porcelain has to offer.
Porcelain Is More Durable Than Stone
Porcelain is resistant to fire, moisture, and mold, which means it can be used in many areas that would prove troublesome for other materials.
Stone, on the other hand, is vulnerable to moisture. This means it needs to be sealed regularly. If not properly maintained, the stone is likely to accumulate stains.
With porcelain, the most important durability concern is ensuring you’ve bought the proper porcelain for your purposes. This means you’ll want to check its PEI rating, which gives you an idea of how much wear-and-tear it can withstand.
If it’s PEI 1, for instance, it’s designed for walls, not flooring. Tiles with PEI designations 2, 3, or 4 are designed for the floors of homes or businesses, depending on the level of foot traffic they get, whereas PEI 5 is designed for the most high-traffic commercial areas (e.g., an airport).
Why It Has Become Increasingly Popular
Biophilic tiles have been a growing trend in the industry, for two major reasons:
- Consumers have become increasingly eco-conscious, which means they want to work with materials that are sustainable.
- During the pandemic, many of us had to quarantine. This often meant spending less time in natural environments, which have beneficial cognitive, psychological, and physiological effects.
Stone-look tiles are a popular biophilic design choice.
What Kinds of Stone-Look Tiles Can You Use?
Inspired by Crossings 2022, WhyTile recently discussed some common colors for warm stone-look tiles:
- Beige
- Caramel Swirl
- Mosaic
- Concrete
- Slate
- Gray
Our friends at Atlas Concorde USA offer many stone-look tiles, which are designed to combine Italian design with the finest manufacturing that America has to offer. Just recently, they discussed how concrete-look tiles are excellent for their ability to unify your indoor and outdoor space.
If you’re unsure which tiles would work best in a space, we recommend speaking with an interior design expert.
Need Help with Your Kitchen Design in West Palm Beach?
At D&B Tile, we’ve spent decades helping homeowners find the perfect tile for their homes. We have locations throughout South Florida, where you can find all kinds of tiles. Whatever you’re looking for, we’ve partnered with high-quality suppliers who can deliver it.
Have any questions about what we can do for you? Want to book a tile design consultation? Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’re always happy to help home and business owners find the tile that’s right for their space.