Stone effect porcelain floor tiles are the perfect balance of the beauty of stone coupled with all the benefits of porcelain.
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With so many options to choose from where do you start? And why would you opt for porcelain over real stone? In our blog we explore what makes stone effect porcelain floor tiles a brilliant option for the home, we explore some things to consider when choosing stone effect porcelain floor tiles and how they compare with real stone. So let’s take a look.
Porcelain is a material that is specifically designed to mimic other materials – think limestone, metallics, cement, wood, terrazzo and of course, natural stone. Natural stone as a material varies widely in look, from limestone to travertines, slates and even tiles with veining and it’s hats off to the latest tile technology that it is delivering porcelain tiles that mimic these natural materials to the highest standards.
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The latest quality porcelain tiles are bringing together pattern, design and finish in enhanced ways where you are able to see and feel the knots and gnarls of wood, or the veining of leathered marble or the pitting of metal in the porcelain tiles themselves. This is clever stuff – and with the advent of numerous faces or patterns per tile, gone are the days where your stone effect floor tiles had just a few designs. Collections now sport 30, 40 or more designs per tile, so even over wider areas pattern repeats are not really a concern.
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So, now we know that porcelain tiles can echo stone brilliantly and beautifully, what are the benefits of choosing porcelain for your home?
Porcelain as a material is incredibly hardwearing. Unlike natural stone it is scratch resistant and won’t wear in well-trodden areas. It’s an incredible stable material and that makes it perfect for busy households. Also, unlike natural stone, porcelain is stain resistant so whilst it is always advisable to clean up spillages quickly, it can cope easily with the daily life of busy households. In addition, again, unlike natural stone, porcelain isn’t as prone to chipping or cracking. A well installed porcelain tile will just last and last.
Porcelain is a fabulously versatile material and can be used in every room from kitchens to dining areas, bathrooms to hallways, the lounge, the snug, the office, the boot room and more. Â It is a perfect blend of beauty and function, so for bathroom walls for example, you can just use porcelain where you really need it to prevent water splashes or decide to use it to create stunning feature walls and more.
Porcelain can be super cost effective. Many collections house several sizes and finishes and generally larger tiles and polished tiles tend to be pricier. That means if budget is key then opting for a smaller size tile and a different finish can sometimes help and you still get the same quality look. The whole point is porcelain comes in a variety of sizes and price points. Â
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Porcelain is also super low maintenance and doesn’t need ongoing maintenance across the lifetime of the tiles that is often needed with real stone. With porcelain it is pretty much install and go. A final clean down at the end of installation to remove any organic dirt, grout residue etc means a warm water and mop are usually enough to keep your tiles in tip top condition.
Porcelain mimics the look of lots of materials from limestone to slate, stone to marble, so from the rustic to contemporary, porcelain can deliver. With huge strides forward in texture and finish in recent years from leading manufacturers, tiles can now replicate not just the look, but the feel of natural stone. Add to that material and colour consistency and with porcelain you know what you are getting. Colour is consistent batch to batch so you can design your space without the inconsistencies of natural materials.
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Take a look at our Ethos Cloud stone effect porcelain floor tiles. This gorgeous tile is a subtle stone featuring grey and taupe tones and works beautifully in settings where you either want to design with warmer tones or cool your design with more grey tones.Â
Natural stone often needs regular maintenance. Sealing, polishing and cleaning with special products is key to keeping a natural stone floor in tip top condition. Because porcelain is resistant to moisture, stains and dirt, it just needs a simple cleaning regime with warm water and a mop. If you do want to give your tiles a once over every so often with a professional cleaner then you can. The key here is that your installer has carried out a final clean after installation to remove all the organic dirt on the tile surface. From there it’s a cinch.
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Porcelain naturally inhibits the growth of mould and that makes it brilliant for bathrooms and outside spaces too. The non-porous surface doesn’t absorb grim or liquids.
Finish can transform a tile. Stone effect porcelain floor tiles are available in finishes ranging from soft to matt, polished to natural as well as antislip finishes for outside. These finishes can also help to make stone effect porcelain tiles as realistic as possible whilst also delivering tiles that are practical for use across the home.
Porcelain works brilliantly with underfloor heating systems and effectively works as a thermal brick, evenly distributing heat and retaining it. And of course it stays cool in summer too.
A superb benefit of porcelain is that this material can be used outside the home too. With a host of inside outside tile collections to choose from our portfolio includes beautiful quality Italian porcelains with inside tiles in 9mm thickness and 20mm co-ordinating tiles for the garden.
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Modern bi-fold door systems allow for flush flooring from in to out and tile finish means you can use the same tile across both spaces with matt stone effect porcelain floor tiles for inside and co-ordinating antislip finishes for outside.
See shown here our Aspect Slate stone effect porcelain tiles for inside and outside the home.Â
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Take a look at our Italian collections of 2cm porcelain pavers all with co-ordinating 9mm tiles for inside. You can order samples of any of our stone look tiles via our website or otherwise just give us a call if you like what we see and we can arrange to send out to you!
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Stone Effect Porcelain versus Natural Stone
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Feature | Stone Effect Porcelain | Natural Stone |
Durability | Highly durable, scratch-resistant | Can chip, scratch, or stain  |
Maintenance | No sealing required so low-maintenance | Requires ongoing maintenance including sealing and special cleaning  |
Variety | Huge variety of style and colours | Limited to natural variations  |
Moisture Resistance | Impervious to water | Porous, needs sealing to protect |
Stone effect porcelain floor tiles tick all the boxes – naturally beautiful, durable and brilliantly practical. They are a great investment for any home and replicate all kinds of natural stones from slate to marble and more without any of the maintenance of the real material.
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Want to know more about our collections? Hop onto our website www.thetileportfolio.co.uk and explore! Need some help? Get in touch we would be delighted to take you through our collections!
If you would like to know more, please get in touch...
The TilePortfolio specialise in Italian and Spanish Porcelain and Ceramic tiles, in particular large format Porcelains and Porcelain tiles for inside and outside. Our carefully curated, stunning tile portfolios are beautifully presented online and supported by our fuss-free ‘go-the-extra-tile’ service. In addition, you can view our entire tile collection at our Northamptonshire Showroom. Visit our website for unmissable interiors inspiration. The TilePortfolio team are always available to chat, we’d be delighted to help with your project so please do get in touch.Â
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Please note: We strongly recommend using a professional tiler for your project. Installation requirements may vary depending on the tiles you choose, the fixing products used and the specific conditions. Always check with your tiler regards the suitability of the tiles. Please get in touch with us if you have any questions.
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