Is Wood Flooring A Good Idea For Kitchens?

Most people desire to have wood flooring in their homes because it is undeniably aesthetic and will withstand the tides of interior trends. Despite the several benefits wood floors have, homeowners are forced to wonder, is wood flooring a good idea for kitchens?

 Before we provide any clear answer, let us look at the pros and cons of wood flooring and why they may or may not be conducive for kitchens. 

Is Wood Flooring Suitable for Kitchens?

People love wooden flooring, and for a good reason, but the truth is that it is not very suitable for every part of the house. Kitchens have to undergo a lot, which includes heat and moisture. Here are a few factors to consider when choosing the right floor for kitchens.

Durability

Since kitchens have to go through a lot of wear and tear and receive the most footfall, the floor used for kitchens should be durable and long-lasting. 

Low Maintenance

Since there may be spills and water stains on your kitchen floor, it should be easy to clean and maintain. Otherwise, you’ll have to spend a major chunk of your time cleaning, scrubbing and sweeping.

Affordability 

Unless you have a very large budget, you might not want to spend too much on your kitchen floors. You might be willing to spend that budget on areas of the house where you would relax and guests would visit, like bedrooms and living rooms. 

Pros of Wood Floors for Kitchens 

Aesthetically Appealing

It is an undeniable fact that wood floors look great, which elevates the look of your kitchen. This might even make it easier and more enjoyable for you to cook. Nowadays, people sit and eat in the kitchen as well, so it is important that the floor you choose for the kitchen should have some aesthetic appeal. 

Easy to Refinish 

Since kitchens will inevitably suffer stains and scratches, you might be worried about the look of your kitchen floors. However, fortunately, kitchen floors can easily be refinished without sanding unless the scratches go all the way to the wood. Alternately, you can also use the sanding process to make your hardwood floors look as good as new!

Boosts Real Estate Value 

80% of real estate agents found that hardwood floors help boost the real estate value of your homes by a considerable 1% to 10%. This is a promising reason for you to invest in hardwood floors, even for your kitchen. Even if the initial cost is high, you’ll get good returns when you resell your home in the future. 

Comfortable

When you’re working in the kitchen during winter, you probably want a warm floor to walk on. If you want to enjoy a comfy experience working in the kitchen, you can get wood floors in your kitchen. Since cooking requires you to move around the kitchen a lot, the floor should also be soft to walk on, which is an added perk of wooden floors for kitchens. 

Cons of Wood Floors for Kitchens

Prone to Water Damage 

You’re using water and other liquids in the kitchen, so water damage is a real possibility in kitchens. Unfortunately, water is a real enemy of hardwood floors. As wood is porous in nature, moisture will sink into wood floors. Small spills may result in stains, while large spills may cause warping, which will render the wood floor useless.   

Susceptible to Dents and Scratches

Although wooden floors look great, their appearance can easily be tarnished due to dents and scratches from heavy pans and cutlery and high-traffic that is common in kitchens.  Wood floors scratch and dent easily, so this is a real problem if you plan to install wood floors in your kitchen. Wood has a lower resistance to indentation as compared to tile and stone floors. If the dents and scratches reach the wood, it may not be repaired completely. 

May Suffer Heat Damage

Since you’re cooking in kitchens, the floor you choose should be impervious to heat. However, a wood floor may start showing the effects of excess heat, which is common in kitchens. Heat will cause porous materials like wood to expand. Moreover, when humidity, which is common in kitchens, reaches 60%, moisture will seep into wood floors, causing it to swell. This will eventually result in wood floors warping, cupping or lifting. 

High-Maintenance 

Hardwood floors are long-lasting, on the condition that they are maintained properly. Hardwood floors don’t require much excessive cleaning, but in kitchens, they will regularly suffer spills and food stains, which would need to be tended to immediately to avoid staining and warping. Therefore, wood floors would be a high-maintenance option in kitchens. 

Expensive

Wood floors are relatively more expensive than other floor types. Since they may be damaged by heat and moisture in kitchens, this expense might not be worth it when it comes to kitchens. 

Conclusion

Wood does not meet the criteria that would make a floor type suitable for kitchens. Wood floors are susceptible to water and heat damage, along with dents and scratches. They may have a few benefits, but they are significantly overpowered by the downsides. Therefore, wood flooring is probably not the best floor type for kitchens and is more suited to living rooms, hallways, bedrooms and drawing rooms. Stone and tile floors will work better for kitchens. 

Water Damage Restoration

If your wood floors suffer water damage, you should get in touch with 911 Restoration of East Dallas that provides 24/7/365 service to homeowners. Their service will help you save your homes from considerable water damage.