Do you want to find the perfect flooring type to match your aesthetics? Are you considering new flooring? You will love this handy guide if you have narrowed down your choice to tile or hardwood flooring. Let us have a look.
Our Pick: Tile Vs. Hardwood Flooring
We have picked tile flooring as our ultimate choice between tiles vs hardwood floor. Tile floors are far more durable and come in a wide variety of designs that you can choose from. Since the tile floor is so durable, it requires minimal maintenance and repair.
Although you can consider both of these options for your home, the raw material used in tile manufacturing is eco-friendly and can be recycled as well. Moreover, they are also way cheaper than real hardwood floors; that is why faux wood tile is a popular choice.
About Tile Floors
These days, tile flooring is one of the most popular flooring types used in homes. Tiles are highly durable and come in a wide variety, such as ceramic tiles, glazed tiles, unglazed tiles, stone tiles, or porcelain tiles.
Tile flooring has both pros and cons. There are a lot of factors that you need to consider before installing tile floors in your home. Tile brings elegance to your home effortlessly, and there is a variety of designs you can choose from to match your aesthetics.
Choosing the perfect tile can be pretty overwhelming; hence a few popular types of tiles are listed below to assist you:
Types of Tile Flooring
- Ceramic Tile: Ceramic tile is composed of water, clay, and sand. It comes in many colors, from natural stone shades to solid hues. Since ceramic tile is waterproof, it is best suited for bathrooms. Moreover, you can also use them in kitchens, as they are pretty easy to clean. The attractive tile designs enjoy bursts of popularity among homeowners.
- Porcelain Tile: A popular belief is that porcelain tile and ceramic tile are similar; however, they are pretty different. Porcelain tiles are solid and poreless, making them the perfect choice for outdoor flooring. With professional installation, they can last you a lifetime.
- Stone Tile: Manufacturers create stone tiles from natural graphite, limestone, slate, and marble stone. There is a lot of natural variation in stone tiles; hence you will never find two stone tiles precisely like one another. They are a perfect way to enhance the look of your balcony or garage.
Features
The high-quality wood-look tile flooring is resistant to damage and can last for as long as two decades. You can stop worrying about replacing the wood look tile flooring now and then as they do not need constant upkeep.
The water resistance in wood look tile makes it the perfect choice for bathroom, shower stalls, and kitchen. However, it is essential to note that grout lines are not waterproof, and hence, they may need proper maintenance to minimize water damage.
Since floor tiles are highly durable and water-resistant, they can be costly to purchase and install. Higher-quality faux wood tile is far more expensive than lower-quality tiles.
Tiles cannot retain heat. Hence, walking barefoot on faux wood tile can be pretty troublesome, especially during cold winters. It is essential to consider if you walk around barefoot a lot and do not wish to be uncomfortable. However, the coolness of the wood look tile floors are perfect in the summers.
Since the tile is hard, it is also slippery. It is best not to install tile in places with a lot of water spillage. However, slip resistant tiles with grooves are suitable for a wet environment such as bathrooms.
About Hardwood Floors
Various hardwood flooring designs are solid, pre-finished, unfinished, and engineered. Before installing hardwood floors in your home, you must consider the durability, style, cost, and wood plank size per square foot.
Hardwood flooring comes from steadily growing trees, they are dense, strong with a solid surface. Refinish hardwood floors have always been in fashion despite the numerous shifts in style and design. Wood floors are a timeless flooring choice for homes.
Popular Wood Flooring
- Brazilian Cherry: Brazilian Cherry has gained a lot of popularity over time. It is one of the strongest woods, which has a reddish-brown color. It is tough and hence difficult to cut. Most homeowners find it very appealing as a traditional hardwood floor due to its appearance and strength.
- Cork: Cork has a myriad of shades ranging from light to dark colors, and it has been in style for many past decades. Due to the sustainability, cork hardwood floors are opted for by many homeowners. However, cork has a short lifespan and is likely to be damaged frequently. On the other hand, cork floors are slip-resistant.
- Bamboo: Unlike other hardwoods, bamboo stalks can be harvested often and are very sustainable. Bamboo is grass; however, many use it as real hardwood flooring because of its stiffness. Moreover, bamboo hardwood flooring can tremendously increase the value of your property.
Types of Hardwood Flooring
- Unfinished: Unfinished hardwood floors are the perfect option if you have to match the flooring with the color of the already existing hardwood floor. After the installment, you can coat the floor with several layers of protective finish. Unfinished wood flooring can be ideal for kitchens to prevent water from seeping through the gaps.
- Solid: Solid hardwood floors consist of pure wood, and they are pretty thick and long-lasting. However, since it is solid wood, it needs a lot of refining. Solid wood is prone to humidity changes; hence you should never use it in basements.
- Engineered: Engineered hardwood flooring is natural wood glued to layers of wood, which is why engineered wood floors are the most stable, and they do not need refining as frequently as solid hardwood flooring. Furthermore, you can use it in humid climates as well.
Features
Hardwood floorings can last for generations. It may seem expensive, but at least you will not be going through the hassle of replacing them frequently. Moreover, the value of wood increases with time, so your investment will never be wasted.
Hardwood flooring is susceptible to damage but they do not tend to look dull and worn out over time. All you need to do is polish and wax them to maintain their look. In addition, the trend can stay in style for decades. Rest assured, you will be saving a lot of money.
Wood tile flooring is prone to termite attacks. Hence, it is crucial to always look out for termite infestations. Modern homes these days have addressed the issue and kept such dangers in mind. Moreover, manufacturers and contractors have found ways to prevent termites from destroying hardwood flooring.
Traditional hardwood floors need maintenance as they can be easily scratched. Every stain and blemish is prominently visible on a wood floor, so you should be very careful with children and pets around.
Similarities between Tiles and Hardwood Flooring
As discussed earlier, tiles and hardwood flooring have significant differences. However, they have a few similarities that are essential to consider. Those similarities will further help you reach your decision by providing a more enhanced overview of tiles and hardwood floorings. Let us take a look at the similarities between the flooring types.
Attractive Designs
Most homeowners prefer to choose from various designs and styles of floor tiles. They can always try different floor choices to elevate the interior of their home. It is fascinating that there are so many grain options in wood floors and color options in glazed tile to select from. Porcelain tiles come in various shapes such as hexagonal, rectangles, and squares. Similarly, hardwood flooring has a lot of wood options, such as oak, cork, and mulberry, which allows you to imagine endless possibilities of flooring combinations to satisfy your needs.
Cost
Both the flooring options cost almost the same. Since there is a lot of variety, the cost also differs. The low-quality glazed tiles and wood look porcelain tiles cost less than the higher-quality ones. You can easily choose tiles and hardwood flooring as per your budget. However, keep in mind that the installation costs may vary per square foot.
Maintenance
Maintaining hardwood flooring may seem pricey, but it needs refinishing only seldomly. On the other hand, tiles are low maintenance and also do not need frequent repairs to preserve their beauty. Moreover, it just requires a one-time investment, so you are good to go.
Differences between Tiles and Hardwood Flooring
Here are some of the apparent differences between tile vs hardwood flooring:
Durability
Surprisingly, both the flooring options need different levels of maintenance. Maintenance is the first factor you should consider before making a clear choice between the two flooring options, wooden floors or wood look tiles.
Tiles are effortless to look after; they do not need a lot of cleaning and refining, and they are the more manageable solution for homeowners. Moreover, wood look tile retains a lot of moisture, making it even more long-lasting.
However, hardwood flooring can be pretty high-maintenance as you will always have to look out for dents and scratches. Evidently, exotic woods are prone to infestation and water damage. Yet, glazed tile will give you peace of mind as you will never have to worry about constantly replacing the flooring project.
Value for Money
It is a known fact that tiles offer more for less. Moreover, manufacturers make them in such a wide variety that you can easily select a durable tile for flooring. Active patterns of tiles can accentuate the design elements of your homes, and you can follow many trends that complement your aesthetics.
It is a good return for your investment as they can last over decades, and they are tough and rigid. Ultimately, tiles will save you both time and money.
Final Thoughts
The article has summed up the comparison of tiles vs. hardwood floors. However, in every decision, personal preferences play a significant role. There are benefits when choosing wood look tile vs hardwood planks. Moreover, both hardwood and tile flooring types have their advantages and disadvantages.
Hardwood flooring is elegant and classy. It feels smooth under your feet and can give you an exotic forest style in your home that lasts a lifetime.
Contrary to this, tiles are trendy and aesthetic, and they can easily blend with your architectural style. Tiles can also withstand water, spillage, and heavy load.
Now that you have gone through an overview of tiles and hardwood flooring, you can easily choose one that suits your needs the best.