Hardwood Floor Tile vs Floorboards: Which One’s Right for You?

If you’re renovating your home or just updating your floors, you’ve probably faced the age-old dilemma—hardwood floor tile vs floorboards. It’s a choice that trips up plenty of our customers, and for good reason: both have clear advantages. Do you go for tiles vs floorboards in your bathroom for maximum water resistance, or stick to traditional timber or laminate for warmth and character in your living room?

At Ross’s Discount Home Centre, we stock quality timber-look floors for every home and budget. Whether you’re leaning towards our stylish porcelain timber-look tile range—including popular choices like Pinewood Tiles—or prefer the comfortable underfoot feel of our hybrid flooring, we’ve got you covered.

To help you confidently choose the best flooring for your Perth home, we’ve laid out an honest comparison covering performance, price, installation, style, and longevity. Visit our showroom in Guildford or shop online to see the options for yourself!

Which One’s Right for You?

Deciding between floorboards or tiles really comes down to your home, lifestyle, and priorities. Here’s a simple comparison table highlighting the main factors to help you confidently decide between tiles vs floorboards:

Factor	Hardwood Tiles	Floorboards
Appearance	Stylish imitation, consistent look	Authentic timber warmth, unique grain
Durability	Extremely durable, scratch-resistant	Solid timber less durable; hybrid highly durable
Water Resistance	Ideal for wet areas, fully waterproof	Timber sensitive to moisture; hybrid waterproof
Comfort	Hard, cold underfoot (heating helps)	Warm, softer, comfortable underfoot
Installation	Professional tiler, more involved	DIY-friendly (hybrid), easier to install
Longevity/Repairs	Very long lifespan; tricky repairs	Good lifespan; hybrid easy to repair
Cost	Mid-range, good long-term value	Wide price range; hybrid highly cost-effective

If you’re choosing bathroom floors or other wet spaces, tiles are the clear winner for durability and moisture protection—explore the benefits of wood-look tiles over floorboards in more detail here. However, in open-plan living areas and throughout whole-house flooring, many Perth homeowners now favour hybrid flooring as a versatile middle-ground option that blends timber style, warmth, and practical durability.

Expert tip: For the best results, consider combining both materials—use tiles in bathrooms and laundries for ultimate water protection, and opt for hybrid or timber floorboards in living spaces, bedrooms, and hallways. Matching flooring styles this way creates a seamless, practical look throughout your home.

Let’s look at each of these comparison factors in more detail:

Appearance and Realism

When it comes to flooring, looks are everything. Whether you’re updating your lounge or giving your bathroom a makeover, the choice between hardwood flooring tiles and traditional floorboards comes down to personal preference and your home’s aesthetic. So, let’s dig into the visual differences between tiles that look like timber and actual floorboards.

Hardwood Floor Tiles: Stylish but Lmitated

At Ross’s, our timber-look tile range features stylish options, including our Pinewood range, which offers authentic wood textures and warm, natural shades that suit any modern or classic decor. Thanks to their rectified edges and smooth matte finish, these porcelain tiles provide a clean and highly realistic timber appearance. But keep in mind, tile flooring that looks like hardwood typically has less natural variation compared to real timber boards.

Floorboards: Natural Beauty with Unique Grain

Traditional timber floorboards offer genuine warmth and unique character, with no two planks exactly alike. From solid hardwood to engineered timber, laminate, and hybrid flooring, floorboards provide distinctive grain patterns and subtle colour variations. Solid and engineered timber floors are especially prized for their authenticity, available in matte, satin, and gloss finishes. Hybrid flooring offers a more uniform appearance but still maintains a convincing timber feel.

Durability and Water Resistance

Durability and water resistance often make or break your flooring choice, especially in high-traffic or moisture-prone areas. So, when comparing hardwood floor tile vs floorboards, which one holds up best over time—particularly in bathrooms and kitchens? Let’s dive in.

Tiles: Built to Withstand Wet Zones

Porcelain hardwood floor tiles are a standout choice when it comes to moisture-proof flooring. Highly resistant to water, stains, scratches, and everyday wear, they’re specifically designed to thrive in wet areas like bathrooms and kitchens. At Ross’s, our porcelain tiles come with an impressive 10-year warranty, providing long-lasting protection against the daily spills and splashes common in busy family homes. If you’re after truly bathroom-friendly flooring, tiles have you covered.

Floorboards: Depends on the Type

Not all floorboards are created equal when it comes to moisture. Traditional solid timber, while beautiful, can warp or swell when exposed to moisture, making it unsuitable for bathrooms or laundry areas. Engineered timber is more stable, although it is still vulnerable to sustained exposure to moisture. Laminate flooring, despite its affordability, can also suffer from swelling and water damage if spills aren’t quickly cleaned. Hybrid flooring stands out as fully waterproof, providing reliable protection and making it a strong contender for use in wet areas.

Comfort and Underfoot Feel

When deciding between floorboards or tiles, underfoot comfort is a big factor—especially in spaces like bedrooms and living areas where you spend lots of time barefoot. Let’s compare how hardwood vs tile flooring feels to walk and stand on every day.

Floorboards: Warmer and Softer

Floorboards naturally offer greater comfort and warmth, thanks to their insulation and slight flexibility underfoot. Solid and engineered timber provide excellent natural insulation, making them pleasant to walk on year-round, especially in cooler months. Hybrid flooring further enhances comfort, often featuring built-in underlay that adds softness and warmth underfoot. If flooring warmth and barefoot comfort matter, floorboards, especially hybrid, clearly stand out.

Tiles: Cool and Hard

Porcelain tiles, despite their impressive durability, are noticeably harder and cooler underfoot. While this is beneficial in hot climates or wet areas, tiles can feel harsh and uncomfortable in bedrooms or living rooms, especially during winter. Incorporating home heating solutions, such as radiant underfloor heating, can significantly improve tile comfort; however, it does add cost and complexity to the installation.

Installation and Maintenance

When you’re tackling a renovation, ease of installation and ongoing upkeep matter almost as much as aesthetics. To help you decide between tile and timber, let’s take a close look at the practical differences in tile vs floorboard installation, and how much maintenance they require in the long run.

Tile Installation

If you plan to install hardwood floor tile, expect a professional job. Porcelain tile installation involves precise subfloor preparation, careful placement, and grout work that’s best left to an experienced tiler. The upside? Once laid, tiles offer exceptionally low-maintenance floors, needing only regular sweeping and occasional mopping to stay pristine for years.

Floorboard Installation

Floorboards vary considerably in installation complexity. Solid timber typically requires professional installation, as well as periodic sealing and refinishing. However, hybrid and laminate options feature floating floor installation methods, making them very DIY-friendly. Hybrid flooring, in particular, is designed for straightforward, tool-free installs, and requires minimal upkeep—just sweep and mop, no sealing or sanding needed.

Longevity and Repairs

When it comes to flooring, how long it lasts and how easily it can be repaired matters—a lot. To help you weigh the durability of tile vs. floorboards, let’s look at how both options hold up over the years and what happens if they get damaged.

Tiles: Long-Term Toughness

Porcelain hardwood flooring tiles offer outstanding long-term flooring performance. Highly durable and resistant to scratches, wear, and daily abuse, tiles rarely need replacing. They stay looking great year after year, even in high-traffic areas. However, keep in mind that if tiles do chip or crack, individual floor tile replacement can be challenging. Matching older tiles or grout perfectly is challenging, and repairs might stand out.

Floorboards: Varies by Material

Floorboard lifespan and repair options depend heavily on the type you choose. Solid timber has the longest potential lifespan since you can sand back and refinish wood floors multiple times. Hybrid and laminate floors can’t be refinished, but they offer practical scratch resistance and durability. Plus, damaged hybrid or laminate boards are easier to individually replace without significant disruption or visible repair marks.

If you’re considering hybrid flooring and laminate, read our detailed comparison, SPC Hybrid Flooring vs. Laminate Flooring.

Cost Comparison

Let’s get straight to the point: your flooring choice often hinges on cost. Comparing wooden floor vs tiles price can help you balance upfront investment with long-term value. So, let’s break down how floorboards or tiles stack up in terms of cost.

Tiles: Mid-Range and Upfront Savings

At Ross’s Discount Home Centre, our hardwood flooring tiles start from around $65/m², positioning them comfortably in the mid-range category. While tiles offer excellent longevity and low maintenance—adding up to great long-term value—remember that professional installation typically adds extra to your upfront budget. Still, as affordable bathroom floors go, tiles represent strong value, especially for moisture-prone areas.

Floorboards: Varies Widely

The cost of floorboards can vary significantly based on material:

• Hybrid flooring: Available from just $30/m² at Ross’s, hybrid offers unbeatable budget flooring options with simple DIY installation.
• Solid timber flooring: Prices generally range from $50–150/m², depending on the timber species and quality (according to Hipages).
• Laminate flooring: Typically priced between $20–50/m², laminate is budget-friendly but less durable long-term (according to Hipages).

Installation costs vary widely: solid timber usually demands more specialised labour, whereas hybrid and laminate flooring offer savings with easier, DIY-friendly installs.

For a wider cost comparison, refer to our article, Price Comparison: Timber-Look Tiles Vs. the Alternatives.

Conclusion

Choosing between hardwood floor tile vs floorboards ultimately depends on your budget, your aesthetic goals, and the functional needs of your home. Both floorboards and wood look floor tiles offer pros and cons. Wood look tiles offer unbeatable durability and waterproof protection, making them ideal for bathrooms, kitchens, and busy households. On the other hand, floorboards—including our popular hybrid flooring—provide warmth, comfort underfoot, and an authentic timber feel that suits living areas and bedrooms perfectly.

At Ross’s Discount Home Centre, we offer quality and affordable options in both categories—beautiful hybrid timber-look floors and realistic wood-look porcelain tiles. As a trusted Perth floor tile store, our expert team can offer practical flooring advice to help you confidently select the best solution.

Still unsure? Compare tiles directly with engineered timber in our article: Floor Tiles Vs Engineered Floorboards: Which is Best?

For stylish and practical flooring for modern homes, browse our extensive range of tiles online or come and see us at our Guildford showroom today!