The pros and cons of wood flooring in the kitchen | Julie Lord

If you’re redecorating your kitchen, one of the most important decisions to make is what type of flooring you are going to have installed. There are many different options, and one of the most popular is wooden flooring. In this post, we are going to take a look at the pros and cons of going for this solution.

The benefits
 

Let’s begin by looking at the benefits that are associated with wooden flooring. A lot of people like the appearance of hardwood, as it has a rustic and traditional feel. If you have wooden flooring in other parts of your home, you can create a seamless look. Another of the main advantages of wooden flooring is that it is very comfortable. Wood is not susceptible to extremes of cold or heat, which means you can walk around barefoot and be comfortable, which is beneficial in a high-traffic area such as a kitchen.

The issues
While there are a lot of benefits associated with wooden floors, there are also a few of negatives. Wooden flooring may appear beautiful, but it is not made to last, which means this beauty could very quickly fade. This is because hardwood is soft (despite the name), and so it is susceptible to scratches, dings and dents. Your new floor will age a lot quicker than you would think, especially if you go for a lighter shades, which will highlight any signs of damage. It is not only scratches you need to be considered with either, as hardwood is much more vulnerable to water damage when compared with other materials. When you consider how many appliances in your kitchen use water, you can see why this could be a big problem. You will need to be very cautious about spills and leaks. After all, your floorboards will begin to warp after prolonged exposure to water, and this is very costly to fix.

Last but not least, we come to the cost of wooden flooring. Wood is one of the most expensive types of kitchen flooring. Of course, it depends on the type of wood you choose. However, if you go for a cheap type of wood, you are only going to sacrifice the quality of the material, and that is not a trade-off you should be making. If you have a budget you need to stick to, it is unlikely that this is going to be the right type of flooring for you.

As you can see, there are many pros and cons associated with wooden flooring. If you would like a better alternative, one option to consider is ceramic floor tiles. Ceramic floor tiles offer exceptional durability and water resistance. They are also competitively priced, easy to maintain, and there are many different styles, colours and designs to choose from.