Hardwood Floors or Marble (Stone) Floors?

amother

Mon, Apr 29 2013, 7:39 pm

For Kitchens, Hallways, Entrances, etc. Which one do you have or would you prefer?

Basically,
Which one is more practical?
Which one is easier to clean?
Which one do you like better?
And which one is cheaper?

SingALong

Mon, Apr 29 2013, 7:55 pm

Kitchen-ceramic tile I think is most practical. It's bumpy, natural look, that's speckled so you don't really see the dirt.
Foyer/entrance-I got porcelain, looks like marble. Shiny, not practical since u see the dirt easily, but very pretty. I opted for porcelain rather than marble since marble is prone to scratches. Porcelain has easier upkeep.
Dining / living room: hardwood. I love the look, it's very practical, but does scratch when furniture is moved or when a lot of people are over. I just regret that I did a plain diagonal straight lines and not a border around or boxy pattern that would've dressed it up a little. Wood floors can be scraped/polished/restained. Every fee years and look like new.

SingALong

Mon, Apr 29 2013, 8:03 pm

Pricing will depend on type of tile and size. Typically ceramic is cheaper than porcelain, and porcelain cheaper than marble. However there are some amazing porcelains that will be more $$$ than a cheap marble.
Hardwood also has different prices according to wood type/quality and sizes of boards.

Rubber Ducky

Mon, Apr 29 2013, 8:32 pm

Most of our home is floored with oak hardwood. I like hardwood overall. Because wood is softer than stone (or tile), things (like dishes and children) don't usually break when they fall on it, and wood doesn't show dirt or stains much. It's warm and beautiful. And even though our home is almost 60 years old, we were able to match the original flooring when we remodeled and expanded a room -- nobody can tell where the new flooring begins.

Both surfaces have negatives. Stone floors are cold and are very hard on backs and knees, because they have no "give". But wood can be damaged by water, so you can't flood it to clean (no "sponjas") and it's really not practical by the entry -- we plan to put an indoor-outdoor rug there. Wood can scratch. We have felt protectors on the bottoms of all our chair legs.

If I had an unlimited budget I would put stone flooring in the entry; high end sheet vinyl (out of style, I know) in baths, mudroom, kitchen, and other areas prone to wetness; tile in the basement (another moisture-prone area); and wood in the living and dining rooms, bedrooms, and hallways.

MimiMommy

Mon, Apr 29 2013, 8:37 pm

We have marble floors and I think the only good things about it is that it's hard to see dirt, and they stay cool in the summer. We get compliments on it too because it's unusual. But I would've chosen wood if it were up to me, for reasons mentioned above.