Is Wooden Flooring Better Than Tiles?

There is considerable debate over whether to tiles or wood is better for flooring. I recently read a post on the ‘This is Grannies Home’ blog for wooden flooring issue and many others. Here is my take on it.

Wooden Flooring vs Tiles

But still needs to be sealed

First, I should say that when I say ‘wooden,’ I mean a wood sealed properly and not treated with products that would damage the wood (permanent water-proofing is very important). The tiles can be treated with a sealant or treated with a water-resistant coating, but still needs to be sealed.

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Then, the underlying sub-floor should seal with the same type of epoxy sealant. The moisture-resistant epoxy sealant and the sealant underneath the tiles must apply in the proper order (they need to be fully cured).

If you are installing just the floor

Now then, is wooden flooring better than tiles? Well, the answer to it depends on what you want. If you are installing just the floor and not the walls, then probably, wood is better.

Tile installation can create big cracks if done incorrectly 

Now, if you are doing the walls and sub-floor, then wood is better. Tile installation can create big cracks if done incorrectly. Wood has a much higher resistance to humidity and can support the weight of a heavy load better. It also doesn’t expand and contract as much, so it doesn’t warp as easily.

Tile not permanently installed

Another thing to consider is cost. Tile installation is a lot cheaper. The tile not permanently installed. It can be removed and washed and re-applied if needed, unlike wood, which will need to nail down to the sub-floor.

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From developing cracks or scratches

You can choose between low-maintenance, ceramic tiles, or wood tiles, but not both. The ceramic tiles are more economical than the wood tiles, but the former needs to be cleaned and re-treated every six months to keep them from developing cracks or scratches. Wooden tiles require less maintenance but need to treat more often, to keep them from developing cracks or scratches.

With glass tile flooring

I have some photos of my own house where I have tile flooring, and I also have wooden flooring. My home is a mixture of both. It is about 80% of wood and stone with glass tile flooring.

Wooden flooring better than tile

So, is wooden flooring better than tile? Yes, for two reasons. The first reason is that the tile can’t stand up to water-based sealants, because they don’t soak in and allow the subfloor to breathe, while wood does. Wood will only start to crack and warp if the sub-floor is extremely wet, like a soaking tub.

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Clean and easy to maintain tile floor

Secondly, tiling your floor with wood can add character and dimension. Of course, this is true if you do it correctly. Any floor that planned out carefully should go well with a modern, clean, and easy to maintain tile floor.

Prevent moisture from seeping through

Finally, the tiles I installed are easily wiped clean with a damp sponge. They have a rubber backing, which helps prevent moisture from seeping through it. The tiles I chose were one inch wide and a quarter-inch thick.

They are fairly durable

The amount of care required to take care of my Parquet flooring is negligible. They are not exposed to humidity and don’t have the long-lasting wear and tear that tiles do. I am perfectly happy to walk on them. They are quite durable.

Conclusion

Of course, I could have purchased tile instead, but I prefer to do my job and have an opportunity to design my look. That is a personal choice, and it is not true to say that wooden floors are better than tile ones. My personal opinion is that if you do your research, you will find plenty of reasons why one style is better than the other.