4 floors that look JUST like wood (without the worry!)
Love the look of wood floors, but not the upkeep (or the risk or water damage)? This list of floors that look just like wood are perfect for households who want the beauty of wood floor without the worries.
While they are beautiful, wood floors are not always the ideal choice for busy households or for certain rooms. There are some practical concerns that come with wood; it is up to each family to decide if these advantages of floors that look like wood make them a better choice than wood floors.
Water-resistant
Wood floors are stunning and add warmth to any space, but they do come with the risk of water damage. Standing water and puddles can stain or warp wood flooring. For that reason, wood floors are not ideal for busy households where water is tracked in by pets or kids. Wood floors are also not a good fit for entryways, mudrooms, or sunrooms.
Vinyl and tile floors that look like wood typically can handle all the water and puddles that come with a busy household. Most floors that look like wood are water-resistant; the one is exception is laminate which can be damaged by standing water.
Incredibly durable in high-traffic rooms
Wood floors can show wear over time, especially in spaces where families frequent. These wear patterns can show up in hallways, bedrooms, and even living spaces.
Most floors that look like wood don’t show wear patterns because there is no finish to wear down. This means that luxury vinyl plank (LVP), high-quality laminate, porcelain tile, and luxury vinyl tile floors look great even in the highest-traffic spaces.
Suitable for high-humidity rooms
Because of their susceptibility to water damage, wood floors are not recommended for laundry rooms, bathrooms, or mudrooms. (Homeowners should also decide if wood is right for their kitchens.) Water-resistant floors that look like wood give homeowners the look of wood without the risk of water damage.
Instead, homeowners can choose from wood-looking LVP, porcelain tile, and luxury vinyl tile for rooms with high-humidity. All of these floors come in a variety of styles and colors that match with décor and look just like wood.
Affordable
Floors that look like wood add the warmth of wood without the price tag. Wood floors are typically some of the most expensive floors, while many LVP, laminate, and tile floors come with a much lower—and more affordable—price tag. Homeowners can get the exact cost of flooring for their project at a local flooring store.
Easy-to-clean
Most types of flooring that look like wood are fairly easy-to-clean and maintain. LVP, luxury vinyl tile, porcelain tile, and laminate floors only require a regular sweep or vacuum and dry mop. Porcelain tile can be more difficult to deep clean; tile grout often requires a good, hard scrubbing to keep clean.
When stains or spills occur, they can be easily wiped up from floors that look like wood with a soft cloth. Laminate flooring can get damaged from standing water so the stain and spills should be cleaned up immediately.
Easy-to-install
For do-it-yourselfers, many of the floors that look like wood come with another huge advantage: they are easy to install. Luxury vinyl plank and laminate floors can be installed as a floating floor, meaning they are installed without adhesive. This makes the floor installation process fairly easy, especially when the products are manufactured to click together like a puzzle. Porcelain tile can also be installed by closely following tile installation directions, though they may require installing a cement board as well.
Luxury vinyl plank
Pros: Water-resistant, easy-to-clean, great-looking, easy-to-install as floating floor, durable
Con: May scratch
Laminate
Pros: Looks just like wood, easy-to-clean, easy-to-install as floating floor, durable
Cons: May be damaged by sitting water, not recommended for rooms with high-humidity (i.e. bathrooms, laundry rooms, etc.)
Porcelain tile
Pros: Great-looking, fairly easy-to-clean, easy-to-install, durable, can be installed over underfloor radiant heating
Cons: Very hard, may be cold underfoot, grout can be susceptible to staining and hard to clean
Luxury vinyl tile
Pros: Great-looking, easy-to-clean, durable
Cons: May scratch, installation is more difficult because adhesive is required
