Remodeling? Hardwood Flooring vs. Wood-Look Tile

Hardwood flooring has been a highly regarded home design element for centuries and for good reason – it is stunning and timeless in its appeal.

Hardwood flooring has been a highly regarded home design element for centuries and for good reason – it is stunning and timeless in its appeal.  Hardwood flooring coordinates seamlessly with any home architectural or design style and, when well-cared for, can last decade after decade.  In recent years, a new trend has immerged called wood-look tile.  Wood-look tile comes in ceramic and porcelain versions, as well as a variety of sizes, styles and colors.  Some wood-look tile can be so well-manufactured that it is very difficult to tell the difference between real hardwood, and wood-look tile.  If you are remodeling and considering updating your flooring you have two great options in hardwood flooring and wood-look tile flooring and by weighing the pros and cons you can find a great, timeless look for your home.

If you have not recently looked at wood-look tile options, it is important to head to the tile store and take a look at what is available.  While there are some that are less convincing, today’s selection of wood-look tile has been carefully manufactured with significant attention to surface detail, color and texture to give it an incredibly realistic appearance.  Traditional hardwood is incredibly beautiful and adds significant value to your home.  Depending on the architecture and home’s value it may be best to invest in hardwood flooring.  But, there are drawbacks to hardwood flooring such as the fact that it can be difficult to maintain, difficult to repair and very costly.  There are convincing wood-look tile options in every price point and with some high-end options you may find yourself getting down on the floor and closely inspecting it – still unsure if it is tile or wood.  Unlike hardwood flooring, wood-look tile is very durable, easy to clean and simple to repair should the need arise.  While some hardwood flooring will add more value to your home than some wood-look tile, the margin has closed significantly with the introduction of high-end wood-look tile options.  If you have pets or young children, wood-look tile will likely fair much better than its hardwood counterpart.

While wood-look tile boasts many advantages, hardwood flooring is not without its advantages over wood-look tile.  Hardwood flooring provides much better noise insulation than wood-look tile.  Additionally, wood-look tile is less comfortable to stand on, particularly for extended periods of time, such as when cooking in the kitchen.  And, ultimately, for some there is simply no substitute for the timeless class of hardwood flooring, no matter how realistic.  But, if durability, ease of cleaning, eco-friendly, and realistic look are enough to sway you, wood-look tile may be the right choice for your home remodel.  For further advice, it is important to consult your contractor or handyman who will be able to offer specific and experienced advice for your home.