Playwood by Emil

Collection Summary

Playwood by Emil is an oak-look porcelain stoneware collection from Emilceramica. It is designed as a set of three formats meant to be combined into custom layouts:

• Playbrick, 2×12 (5.3×30 cm)
• Plank, 8×48 (20×120 cm)
• Playtangram, a coffered 40×40 (100×100 cm)

Every format comes in Light Oak, Pure Oak and Intense Oak. The collection’s main differentiator is Emilceramica’s DIGITOUCH process. It aligns the printed wood graphic with the physical surface texture, so Playwood reads as oak both visually and to the touch.

Design & Aesthetic

Playwood treats wood flooring as a compositional tool rather than a single field. The three tones run from light to deep oak. Emilceramica presents them as shades to use individually or mix within one scheme.

Each format plays a different role:

• Playbrick brings a fine, dense rhythm to walls or floors.
• The 8×48 plank provides a familiar linear floor.
• Playtangram introduces a large-scale geometric statement.

Graphic variety is high. Emilceramica lists 60 graphic patterns per color for the plank, more than 100 per color for Playbrick, and 6 for Playtangram. That variety reduces visible repetition across larger areas.

The warm, neutral palette is designed to coordinate with other Emil collections. Manufacturer imagery pairs Playwood with the Mapierre stone-look collection and the Tele di Marmo onyx collections.

Material & Craftsmanship

Playwood is classified as porcelain tile under ISO 13006 Annex G (BIa GL) and ANSI A137.1 Class P1. All formats use a Naturale R10 surface.

DIGITOUCH works in three phases after the tile body is pressed:

1. A digital printer lays down a water-repellent resist that maps the wood texture.
2. An engobe glaze is applied over it, building up the physical structure.
3. A final digital print is registered to that structure through barcode or optical recognition, so color lands exactly on the relief.

Design Applications

Emilceramica’s catalog shows Playwood on floors, walls and furniture cladding in living rooms, kitchens and bedrooms. Useful scenarios include:

• Tonal continuity: a plank floor with Playbrick on an adjacent wall in the same tone.
• Contrast: Light Oak against Intense Oak within one composition.
• Focal floor: Playtangram as the anchor of a room, with Playbrick or planks in surrounding zones.
• Millwork: Playbrick on furniture fronts, carrying a floor or wall into built-in pieces.

Specifying Playwood

• Thickness differs by format. The plank and Playtangram are 9 mm, and Playbrick is 9.5 mm. Plan substrate and transitions where formats meet in the same plane.
• Edges differ by format. The plank and Playtangram are listed as rectified. Playbrick is listed without the rectified designation, which affects joint planning.
• One finish. Naturale R10 is the only finish, so the choice comes down to format and tone rather than surface.
• Shade variation is rated V3 (High). Blend from multiple boxes and approve samples, especially when mixing tones.

Product Specifications

• Water Absorption: Conforms
• Modulus of Rupture: 9/9.5mm – ≥45 N/mm²
• Breaking Strength: ≥ 2000 N
• Frost Resistance: Conforms
• Chemical Resistance: A – LA – HA
• Stain Resistance: 5
• Slip Resistance: R10 B(A+B)
• DCOF: >0.50
• Pendulum Testers: >36

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Light Oak, Pure Oak and Intense Oak be mixed in one installation?

Yes. Emilceramica designed the three Playwood tones to be used alone or together. Because shade variation is rated high, sample the intended blend before finalizing a layout.

How does Playbrick differ from the Playwood plank when specifying?

Playbrick is a small 2×12 format at 9.5 mm without the rectified designation. The 8×48 plank is 9 mm and rectified. Joint widths and transitions should be planned separately for each.

Is Playwood suitable for commercial floors?

Emilceramica reports a wet DCOF of ≥0.50 under ANSI A326.3 and shows commercial intended-use ratings on its collection page. Confirm the rating against your project’s traffic level and code requirements.

Can Playwood be used outdoors or in showers?

Playwood conforms to frost-resistance testing. However, neither Tile X Design nor Emilceramica lists outdoor or shower applications for it, so confirm suitability with the manufacturer before specifying it there.

Which Emil collections pair with Playwood?

Emilceramica states that Playwood’s tones coordinate with other Emil collections. Its catalog shows pairings with Mapierre, Tele di Marmo Onyx and Tele di Marmo Pure Onyx.