The Pros and Cons of Tile vs. Hardwood Flooring

When considering tile vs. hardwood flooring, the choice can be rather difficult. Unlike the sharp differences in a wood floor vs. carpet, tile and hardwood floors are similar in many ways. Both offer a hard, versatile surface that’s easy to clean, highly durable and stunningly beautiful. However, there are many differences in tile vs. hardwood flooring that may make one surface more appropriate than the other for your home. Here’s a quick rundown of the distinctions in a tile floor vs. a wood floor.

The look and feel of tile vs. hardwood flooring

Hardwood floors have an elegant, luxurious feeling that adds warmth to any room. Many kinds of hardwoods can be used to make a flooring surface, providing a wide variety of hues and grain personalities. Hardwood floors can also be stained to virtually any color or textured to give new boards the appearance of floors that have been lived on for generations.

Tile floors offer an even greater amount of choice in color, texture, shapes and patterns. There is greater variation in materials, too, as tiles may be made from ceramics, stone, cement and porcelain. In contrast to the warmth of a hardwood floor, tile offers a cooler look and feel.

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The durability of tile and wood

Tile floors and hardwood floors are extremely durable surfaces. Because tile is made from harder materials, it’s less susceptible to scratches or dents. Tiles can be chipped or cracked when heavy objects are dropped on them, but replacing a single tile is simple. Many Hardwood floors, on the other hand, will tend to show wear more easily. Softer words like Cherry and Walnut are especially prone to showing marks and scratches, while stronger woods like Hickory and Maple are more scratch-resistant. Tile is considered a bit more durable than hardwood, as it won’t contract, expand, warp or crack the way that a wood floor might during extreme changes in moisture and relative humidity. And because tile is more water-resistant, it’s considered a better choice for rooms like bathrooms, kitchens and laundry rooms where the floor may be exposed to water frequently.

The feeling of walking on Tile vs. Hardwood flooring

The underfoot feeling of tile is predominantly cool, which may be more desirable in hotter climates. While hardwood floors also provide a firm surface, the feeling underfoot has a warmer quality.

How long do Tile and Hardwood floors last?

Both tile and hardwood floors are likely to last for generations. Hardwood surfaces may need to be refinished from time to time and tile floors may need to be re-grouted to keep their appearance. But, in contrast to carpet, these floors can be expected to last a lifetime.

How hard is it to clean tile vs. hardwood flooring?

There’s not much difference in the effort it takes to clean tile vs. hardwood flooring. You can remove dust and dirt from hardwood floors by simply vacuuming and sweeping. Mopping occasionally with a light mixture of water and white vinegar can remove stubborn grime. Tile can also be swept and vacuumed to remove light debris, and they may be cleaned with any number of products to remove heavier dirt. The grout lines in tile may need to be scrubbed from time to time to remove caked-on dirt.

Which is a safer surface?

If you have young children or elderly individuals in the house, both wood floors and tile floors present more opportunities for slips and falls. Tile can be very slick when wet, and hardwood floors can be quite slippery when walking in stocking feet. A fall on a hardwood floor can be painful. And because tiles are made from denser material, landing on a tile floor can be even more painful.

The cost of tile vs. hardwood surfaces

Because there are so many different kinds of wood and tile, it’s hard to compare the cost of tile vs. hardwood flooring. However, the cost of purchasing and installing a wood floor is roughly the same as a tile floor. Hardwood floors may offer a greater return on investment, however, because they are considered a more valuable addition to a home.

Choosing the right surface for your home

After considering all the differences between tile vs. hardwood flooring, the choice for most homeowners comes down to look and feel. Some prefer the cool elegance of tile while others opt for the warm luxury of hardwood flooring. If you’re interested in learning more about options available in hardwood floors, our design consultants will be happy to help you explore all the choices in hardwoods, finishes, stains, texture and patterns. We can walk you through the benefits of porcelain tile vs hardwood flooring as well as vinyl vs. wood floors and carpet vs. hardwood. Whether you’re looking for dining room flooring, game room flooring, kitchen hardwood flooring or flooring for any other part of your home, our Wide Plank Specialists can help you define your vision and choose the materials to create a one-of-a-kind surface that perfectly reflects your sense of style.