Tile vs hardwood

If you bought a house that has hardwood floor throughout that just needs to be refinished would you rip up the hardwood and put tile with radiant heating? Which is more valuable?

Re: Tile vs hardwood

I prefer hardwood... I find it warmer in the winter than tile, and it seems "softer" to stand on, if that makes sense.

Re: Tile vs hardwood

I would say most people prefer hardwood and it is more valuable home value wise. But tile is much more durable IMO.

Message edited 8/7/2011 11:20:51 PM.

Re: Tile vs hardwood

In term of resale, hardwood without a doubt.

I like hardwood. I prefer tile in term of easiness to maintain.

Re: Tile vs hardwood

Agreed - For resale, most buyers want hardwood floors. It's a huge selling point.

Tile is great for certain spaces (kitchens, baths), but I find it's pretty taste-specific in other areas. A lot of buyers around here don't like tile in main living areas, such as living room, dining room, family room, even if it's the most beautiful and expensive tile.

Also, re: radiant heat, I've heard a lot of buyers express skepticism about how well radiant heat works. It takes awhile to heat up, and I've heard home inspectors comment that it's inefficient for use in large areas (again, it's great for a bathroom or something like that, but it may be less desirable for a whole floor of a house or a large open concept space). I don't have any personal experience with radiant heat, though.