Perfection cannot be achieved using hardwood. A beautiful wood floor will patina (scratch, fade, dent) with age. It can be fixed or refinished. The solid hardwood floors have a life span of 60-80 years (assuming you are working with 3/4" t&g planks).

If your personality requires "perfection" (get upset with the occasional scratch; can't handle the colour change; get "down" should it dent) then hardwood is not for you. It is a "personal" choice (or personality choice...your choice of wording).

I love wood. I live with cork. I deal with the fading/scratching/denting of cork on a daily basis (it shows patina very, very quickly) and it doesn't bother me. I know how it will work in a few decades (when I need to refinish them). I have no problem with patina. I prefer patina over hard/cold. My personality type works well with hardwood/cork.

If you require perfection then work with porcelain.

Wood is beautiful, no question. However it is not for me. The first thing I notice is the sound. Everything echoes. Secondly, every bit of dust and or dirt shows. I know I am in the minority but I love carpeting under areas rugs. It is warm, soft, quiet, and if you don't get to every little bit of dirt, it doesn't show. Running a vacuum over the busy areas is a lot easier than cleaning hardwood floors to perfection.

I adore my ash floors. I love the grain of the wood. I love the feel of it beneath my feet. I love its variability. We had ours finished in place which means no evil microbevels disturbing my feet; though to be fair, it also means a less durable finish.

I also love that one day I will have to re-finish it. I will be able, if I choose, to have a whole new look for my floors at a fraction of the cost of new floors.

Real wood floors are a lot of work, especially in a bathroom or kitchen.

We are in Florida, so porcelain tiles much better choice with hard wood look

If you are in an area with moisture-than engineered harwood or tile is a better option.

Solid hardwood floors work best in areas that maintain temperature consistently throughout the year, are willing to embrace the scruffs and scratches and willing to put the time into refinishing.

IF you rely on a professional source when specifying the correct product, a quality hardwood will drastically increase resale value, improve warmth of the space as well improve overall design appeal. A cheap alternative to a quality wood will not suffice.

Make sure you choose a quality, well branded product that will set apart your space.

I did notice you put NO first on your poll, Yes second, so I can see your decision right there. Yes wood flooring is a warming fell and look. If you go with porcelain see if you can apply heating run to have the warmth as this product and tile, cement, is cold to feet as walking through your home.

Ken

I love wood but not in the kitchen. I have wood floors in the kitchen now and would like to change to either vinyl or tile. I also have wood floors in living room and love it. It's easy to walk on and easy to clean. I don't like the idea of moisture on the subfloor when cleaning rugs. Wood-look tile in the kitchen would work for me though.

We offer hundreds of wood-look tiles that are SO realistic you won't believe they aren't hardwood! We have multiple advantages over real wood and maintenance, cost, look, durability are just a few of them. Please browse our Wood-Look Tile Gallery for ideas and inspiration, and let us know if we can help! http://www.interceramicusa.com/gallery/search/category/residential/style/wood

I have both hardwood and wood-look porcelain tile, both of the highest quality. Here's my two cents:

Hardwood:

1. Warm to the touch
2. Warm looking
3. Freaking gorgeous.
4. If you install unfinished (no microbevel to keep clean), and keep a regular cleaning routine (like any house should have), then there is NO problem keeping it awesomely clean. It is stain resistant and resistant to most chemicals.
5. Can be damaged by hammers, crazy kids, or dogs with untrimmed nails allowed to go wild... and by not much else. We have two crazy kiddos, 6 and 4, and have no had any damages from them. Me... well, there may be a few dings that belong to me. :)
6. Not good for basements, or bathrooms. Kitchen is no problem for me. My parents had oak in their kitchen for 20 years with no problems.

Wood-look tile:

1. Freaking gorgeous
2. Impervious to stains and chemicals - AS LONG AS YOU USE EPOXY GROUT! If you use traditional grout, expect it to look dingy and crappy after a few years use.
3. Largely resistant to damage, but it will crack if something dense is dropped on it.
4. Excellent for basements and bathrooms... just a need a rug for those cold tootsie toes!
5. Even the wood look tile has a cold look to it in my opinion.
6. Cold to the touch, unless you use in floor heating.

Take it or leave it, but that's where we are. Both serve their function admirably (tile in our basement and bathroom and wood everywhere else), just want you to be armed with all the info at my disposal. :)

Jennifer K, we used Ash in our kitchen, finished it in place, and just love it. We get tons of compliments on it. We love it for similar reasons as you:

• durability
• character (grain and color variation)
• color (pale blond)
• warmth, both to the touch and look
• feel

Like you, I welcome the opportunity to redo my floor in ten years. Call me a glutton for punishment, but that type of upkeep is just the type of love that helps to make our house a home.

You can always choose an engineered wood flooring. Then you have the appearance of wood flooring with more durability and less upkeep.

Hardwood is a very delicate but gorgeous floor. It will dent, scratch, and expand and contract through the seasons. It is a natural product and that's the beauty of it! If you have a busy household, try a low gloss finish with some hand scraping and texturing to help hide the busy life it will take.

wood floors are the best !

we're a farm. we have brick floors on the main level and 2 x 8 softwood plank floors on the second story. i would have hardwood throughout if i had the choice.

We love our white oak floors with natural finish. I hate tile, too cold & hard feeling & looking, unless it is in the bathroom such as an all marble bathroom where tile looks exquisite. We get compliments on our hardwood floors & I would never trade them. I love being able to place artsy, interesting, & colorful area rugs throughout the house to create interest & express my personal style. Easy to change the rugs as well if they eventually get worn that shouldn't happen though due to our 'no shoe' policy. Perhaps if you think you can enforce a no shoe policy, the worry about hardwood floors as an option might diminish. Guest don't mind removing the shoes & we do it without a thought. The house stays cleaner that way as well.