Trends>High-Tech Wood tiles

Beautiful alternatives to wood are being made by Italian manufacturers such as Sant'Agostino, Casa Dolce Casa and Ariostea. Sophisticated new techniques have allowed these producers to reproduce the texture and grain of natural wood with startling clarity. These tiles are being produced in a large variety of sizes and textures, from long strips of ‘oak’ to basket weave to large squares of ‘walnut’, any hue and texture imaginable. The innate durability of porcelain tile allows it to function without problems in humid environments such as bathrooms and saunas without warping or swelling. It also serves as a green alternative to the harvesting of rare hardwoods and tropical woods.