The appropriate wood-look tile for your home remodeling project has been selected – not an easy decision to make, given the large number of excellent possibilities available! Incorrect installation and grout lines, on the other hand, can damage even the most attractive wood-look tile. Alternatives to ceramic tiles include wood tiles which can be used in places where you are unhappy. Make sure that doesn't happen to you. Follow our guidelines to get excellent and professional grout lines and you will avoid this calamity entirely.

Preparation
For a genuinely good tile job, the floor must be precisely flat – or as close to flat as possible – before the tiles are installed. It is possible to cover the low spots in the floor with a feather-finish floor flattening solution, which should be applied with care using a leveling tool. After that, measure and mark the area where your tiles will be installed next. Verify that the walls are square before beginning your tile layout because this could cause problems.

Grout Colors are available.
Because of their uniform size, wood grain porcelain tile can be installed closer together than many other types of flooring. Using grout lines as thin as 1/16" is a viable option for some applications. 1/8" is the industry standard, and it is frequently the most effective. Given that your grout lines will be visible, it's critical that you select the appropriate grout color. Rather than clashing with their wood appearance tile, most homeowners prefer grout lines that are the same color as the tile itself.

Make use of a neutral hue that closely resembles the plank porcelain tile in order to achieve this appearance. According to your preferences, a slightly lighter shade can also be used to get a similar effect. Please keep in mind that the grout will darken with time.. Consider that sanded grout is more durable than unsanded grout; however, if you employ a 1/16" interval between your tile flooring, you must use unsanded grout.

Create a plan for your tile arrangement.
Make sure you understand your tile layout before you apply the first dab of cement or cut the first tile. The offset pattern – the point at which one tile stops and another begins in relation to adjacent rows – is critical when using plank tiles.

Generally speaking, plank tiles should be offset by 33 percent, which implies that, instead of placing plank ends in the middle of the neighboring tile, they should be placed 1/3 of the way down the tile. In the case of tile that appears like wood, which is identical to actual wood flooring, not only does this produce a more natural completed look, but it also helps to avoid "lippage."

There is a little bit of curvature and variation in porcelain wood tiles, despite the fact that they are created to be similar with straight edges. Whenever the edge of one tile is slightly higher than the edge of another tile, this condition is known as "lippage." Considering that plank tiles are slightly taller in the center and somewhat lower on the ends, placing the lower end of a plank tile adjacent to the tile's highest point may result in an ugly effect. This effect is mitigated if the offset is set to 33 percent instead of 100.

More Tile Installation Tips

When laying each wood appearance tile, use spacers to create a perfect 1/8" grout spacing.

Keep the number of tiles you cut at a single time to a minimum. If you make a mistake, you will not have to pay as much money because your tiles will be uniform and even.

Begin by laying tile in a corner and working your way towards the exit door.

Since mortar sets up quickly, it is best to apply it in tiny sections at a time as needed.

As you progress through the tiles, check each one with a level.

Wait a day before stepping on the floor or putting grout to the surface.

Make sure there are no gaps between the seams by spreading the grout evenly into the joints.

Remove any excess grout with a soft cloth after 10 to 15 minutes of applying it.

Allow for a minimum of 12 hours of curing time before cleaning or walking on the grouted floors.