Wood Floors in the Kitchen

Buoyed by demand from customers looking for a renewable flooring option, hardwood floors are one of the most popular flooring options in the United States today. Besides renewability, hardwood floors also add an unmatched old world charm and warmth to your rooms. A few years back, hardwood floors were not suited for installation in the kitchen. The kitchen floor sees frequent liquid spills that hardwoods just cannot handle. Today new age sealants help protect a hardwood floor from moisture. This makes hardwood flooring in the kitchen a reality.

Besides solid hardwood you can try engineered wood floors which are dimensionally stable and easy to install. Vinyl tiles and laminate flooring are other alternatives that can imitate the appearance of wood. An added advantage of vinyl and laminate flooring is their low cost, ease of installation and maintenance and relative moisture resistance.

Choosing Harwood Flooring

• Hardwood floors come in a wide variety of species and finishes.
• Choose a tough wearing wood like mesquite or maple for your kitchen floor. Softer woods may not be able to put up to the wear and tear that a kitchen floor is subjected to. Mesquite flooring has the additional advantage of being relatively unaffected by the elements.
• A penetrating finish coupled with appropriate sealants will keep your wood floor safe from moisture, falling utensils and footsteps alike.
• If you choose engineered wood floors, choose one with a tough wood layer on top. It is also prudent to avail the services of a professional installer to ensure that all the joints are properly sealed.

Laminate floors

• Laminate is the next best choice after solid hardwood and engineered floors.
• A wood imitation Laminate floor has an image of a real wood on top protected by a wear layer. Laminate floors look exactly like a hardwood floor and may be even more beautiful (with some suitable picture editing).
• Laminate floors can be a great choice as they are easy to install and maintain and cost less than a solid hardwood floor. Their installation is also easier and cheaper.
• The only issue you may face with laminate flooring is off gassing. Reputable flooring stores supply laminate floors without this problem. If you buy your material from suppliers with a less than perfect record, you may find that they have cut a few corners. Without due care, you might land with a suboptimal laminate floor.

Care and Maintenance

Both laminate and wood floors are easy to maintain. Regular dry wipe, promptly wiping away any dry spills and blow drying moisture can prolong the life of your wood and laminate floors almost indefinitely.

Wood and laminate floors are hypoallergenic making them a great choice for your family. Dust and allergens stay on top of the floor and can easily be removed by gentle brushing. They also give a unique character to the kitchen. Pet owners can face some issues with laminate and wood floors. Pets especially dogs can scratch and damage both laminate and wood floors quickly. Harder options like stone and ceramic tiles are more likely to serve these kitchens better. To get around the issue of hard flooring under your feet you may use rubber mats in the most heavily used areas of the kitchen. Alternately a softer floor like linoleum may also be an option they may explore.

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