Engineered wood or wood tile?

[Linguaphile]

I'm a huge fan of wood floors, but because our underfloor is a cement slab and because the flooring will be in the kitchen, engineered wood or wood-like tile are the only real contenders (I irrationally hate that weird bouncy quality that laminate has, so that's not on the table). We have 3 kids, so hard-wearing is a priority.

My inclination is to go with my gut and get the engineered hardwoods. They still look beautiful, they will last, and wood just feels so much nicer than tile underfoot, especially in winter (UFH isn't an option on 3 of our floors). However, the tile is half the price and is hard to distinguish from wood except that it's cold underfoot. Plus, it's super hard wearing.

What's the general consensus? Is wood tile just a fad that will date houses eventually?

Personally I really dislike things that look like things they aren't (in the home.). What's the point of a wood effect tile? No one will think it's wood once they've stepped on it and then you've just got it lying there looking like wood but not being wood and everyone knowing its not wood..... To me, it feels really awkward! Accept i may be overthinking it.

Anyway..... Go for the wood. X

Go for the wood. We have tiles in the kitchen and engineered wood everywhere else. There is a noticeable temperature change when walking around.

Oh good, this is what I was hoping people would say. I also am not a fan of 'things make to look like other things that are clearly not the things'.

Wood it is.

Sorry to crash the thread, but is engineered wood okay in a kitchen? I'd assumed it would be an issue with spills, so had resigned myself to wood effect LVT.

Feezles we were told that engineered was best in a kitchen as the wood won't expand and contract in the same way with moisture that full planks wood due to the way it's put together.

...full planks would

Autocorrect is killing me today.

Engineered wood all the way. My mum has wood effect tiles and while they’re lovely theyre very obviously tiles as you can see the grout between them. She’s terrrified of dropping something on them in case they crack as they’d all have to be lifted and replaced if they got damaged. So where I might worry that a flood would ruin my wood she worries about them getting cracked. I also terrified of our toddlers falling on them as they’re so unforgiving!

Have you thought about bamboo flooring? Very hard wearing and good value too. The grain is not obvious if you pick the right sort, looks just like wood but is super strong. I'm not a fan of tile floors for all the reasons you give!

Yes, we did consider bamboo, but for a number of reasons ruled it out in favour of engineered oak.

This thread has strengthened my resolve though to hold onto the wood though, so that's good!