We installed Armstrong hardwood flooring on the second floor of our house. It's beautiful stuff, but I've been disappointed at how easily it scratches and stains.
Some years ago I got a detached workshop with a plywood floor. I covered it with the cheapest light-colored vinyl tiles I could find. (As I remember, it cost about 50 cents per square foot.) It was easy to install, and it's hard to lose things on it.
Your wife/significant other needs to be involved in the decision. (My wife told me she didn't intend to set foot in my workshop, and I should put anything I wanted in it.) If your shop is supposed to be a dressy part of the house, hardwood is a great choice (though probably the most expensive one). If it's going to be a Man Cave, though, either laminate, vinyl tile, or vinyl on a roll probably will meet your needs better.
Youth, talent, hard work, and enthusiasm are no match for old age and treachery.