Tile Vs Hardwood Flooring: The Ultimate Guide

• Solid Hardwood Flooring: Solid hardwood flooring is made from a single species of wood like oak or maple. Because of its durability, it can be sanded down and refinished multiple times with different stains and grains.
• Engineered Hardwood Flooring: Engineered hardwood combines a real hardwood top layer with a plywood core. It looks like solid hardwood and is quite sturdy. Engineered wood is more moisture-resistant than real wood, making it better for areas like kitchens, bathrooms, or basements.
• Bamboo Flooring: Bamboo flooring is an eco-friendly choice as bamboo is a fast-growing resource. It's strong and scratch-resistant, making it ideal for high-traffic areas. Available in various finishes, it offers a stylish and sustainable flooring option.

• Ceramic tiles: Ceramic tiles are made by baking clay at very high temperatures, resulting in a strong and durable flooring option. Because of the way they are made, ceramic tiles are fireproof.
• Porcelain tiles: Porcelain tiles are a more refined type of clay tile. They are baked at even higher temperatures, making them tougher and more resistant to stains.
• Cement tiles: Cement tiles are made by pouring and hardening cement at room temperature instead of baking, making them more porous. They are one of the few types of tiles that can be refinished.
• Stone tiles: Stone tiles are made of natural stones such as slate, granite, marble and sandstone. They offer unique patterns since no two tiles are the same.
• Wood-look tiles: Wood-like tiles provide durability of tile with the appearance of natural wood.

The look and feel of your flooring is of utmost importance. While some aspects of your home can be easily updated, changing up your floors is a much bigger ordeal. So you need to choose something timeless.

Wood flooring: Hardwood floors are a classic choice that will endure the ever-changing landscape of ‘design trends’. They can be re-stained and refinished without having to upheave the whole floor. Whatever style you choose, wood makes for the perfect rustic flooring.

Tile flooring: Tiles give a modern and clean appearance. If you want to make a statement with your flooring, mosaic tile or encaustic porcelain tiles will really stand out. For a more nature-inspired look, choose stone tiles. Marble tiles are another option that looks timeless and elegant.

Between tile and wood floors, the latter is a better choice for absorbing sound.

Wood flooring: Wood is a more porous surface, so it absorbs vibrations. However, hardwood floors do have their fair share of creaking and squeaking.

Tile flooring: Tile is hard and smooth so there will be more echoing in the room. You can add some rugs or carpets to help absorb sound in a tiled room.

You must also think about the weather in your location.

Wood flooring: If you live in a climate that is extremely hot and humid, hardwood floors will expand and warp over time. This will require a lot of refurbishing work in the long run. In cold climates, wood floors will retain a little bit of heat making them warmer to the touch.

Tile flooring: Tiles do not warp at all. They are hardy and resistant to all humidity and heat. However, tile floors have a naturally cooler surface, so the flooring would get very cold in the winter.

Both hardwood floors and tiles are very durable. If they’re well maintained, these floors can last for decades. Whether you go with tile or wood, it should be a high quality material for maximum endurance.

Cost is an obvious concern in the tile vs hardwood debate. Price largely depends on the specific material that you buy. In that regard, both hardwood and tile will cost around the same per square foot.

You would need to factor in the charges for installation. Tiles require less prep compared to hardwood. But cutting tiles to size is much harder than cutting wood. If you are an experienced DIY-er, you can attempt installing floors yourself, but this is a challenging task. To ensure a level flooring, it’s best to have it done professionally.

Both tile and wood flooring are relatively easy to clean. Regular sweeping, vacuuming and mopping with a mild cleaning solution keeps both surfaces clean. Both wood and tile can last a long time with proper maintenance, but wood can be more high-maintenance in the long run.

Wood flooring: Avoid installing wood flooring in areas prone to spills, as this can cause moisture damage. Refinishing damaged wood can be quite expensive.

Tile flooring: Tile is more easy to maintain but requires occasional grout cleaning to keep it looking fresh. In case something heavy falls on your tile and cracks it, the individual tile can easily be replaced.

So, which is better, tiles or wooden flooring? It comes down to your priorities. Each material is beneficial for different uses. Hardwood floors make quite a statement in a living room. Tiles are practical in spill-prone areas such as kitchens and bathrooms. You can make a cold bedroom feel cozy with wood floors or make a bare entryway look stunning with some tiling. At the end of the day, both tile and wood flooring are great choices.