Terra Cotta Vs Hardwood Floors
Hardwood flooring is usually less expensive than tile flooring.
Terra cotta vs hardwood floors. I like kelly s suggestion of the hand scraped flooring and think it would blend in nicely with the rustic terra cotta. Hardwood floors are warmer on your feet. I agree with jeannie in that terra cotta makes for a beautiful floor with a very dramatic effect on the room. Tile draws heat away so tile flooring feels colder especially in the winter.
Terracotta tiles date back to the before christ era when the tiles were sun dried instead of being fired. I am debating whether or not to install either traditional mexican saltillo or french terra cotta tiles in the living room and dining room or just stick with hardwood throughout flooring is such a big commi. There are many very good imitations both in porcelain and conventional glazed ceramic tile both of which would mean a minimum of upkeep. Of course with tile flooring you can also install radiant heat underneath but this definitely adds to the cost.
Terracotta tiles are highly durable rough and crude in texture. I definitely want hardwood floors in the upstairs bedrooms. Terra cotta is often used glazed or unglazed to create a rustic weathered look. While high quality terra cotta will last forever it s difficult to assess the quality even for pros.
But if you re looking for ease of upkeep real terracotta is not the way to go. If possible i suggest having a little carpentry done in the opening to the kitchen to allow you to square up the line of the terra cotta and get rid of the distracting angle of the tile before laying hardwood.