Wood flooring in the kitchen? Have you? Would you?

[ErlingHaalandsManBun]

Just that really. Renovating our new house and having a new kitchen. I like the look of wood flooring but DH thinks it won't be suitable for the kitchen and thinks we should get the floor tiled.

So, wood flooring or tiles?

What have you got and do you like it? Was it a good choice?

I have it running through dining/kitchen. It's not REAL wood, but something scratch proof, hard wearing and it's great. Bomb proof! Probably a good quality laminate I'd say, just can't remember the name now.

Wood effect tiles?

See this is what I would like. I love the look of it and think its looks fab. I know you can get different types from real wood to quality laminate. DH thinks of laminate and thinks of the flimsy vinyl flooring but I know you can get some great stuff now which is really good. I would like to go for that but he thinks it won't be very hard wearing and we will end up having to replace it again in a few years.

No to real wood. It can't be wet mopped, it doesn't do well with spills. It looks great but just isn't durable enough in a kitchen.

I've got good quality LVT which looks and feels plausibly like real wood. But I do also have ancient Victorian wooden floors elsewhere in the house and it's fine - as long as the general slightly battered wear and tear is part of the aesthetic.

Well mine is down four years now and not a mark on it yet. Can be wet mopped no problem. Maybe go to a wood flooring shop and ask them for advice based on your requirements.

I wouldn't personally get tiles. I had them before the new flooring and they were a pain to keep clean and the grouting drove me mad, they were a bit cold too to be honest. But each to their own. I tried both and MUCH prefer the kitchen quality laminate.

My parents installed engineered oak in their kitchen fifteen years ago and it's pristine. They aren't messy though, so while drops of water go on the floor there aren't regular pools/puddles. They wash it with a wrung out cloth.
Theirs is oiled oak. And they glued it down. Other installation methods may be less good in a kitchen I guess.

That was exactly what my DH said. I hate that he is right 😂

Yes he's right about REAL wood, but not about high quality kitchen suitable laminate though!

I had PERGO laminate flooring in the kitchen diner at my old house, it looked lovely and was amazing. It was so hard wearing, if I remember it had some kind of coating making it really tough.

When we do the kitchen where I live now I’ll have a good laminate again. My husband wants tiles, the kitchen is on the back burner currently because neither of us will back down on this issue 🙄. I capitulated on the bathroom, he wanted floor to ceiling Travertine, it looks ok but not my favourite, it also has a tiled floor, I’m not backing down again, hence the kitchen has been on hold for several years now 🤣

That is my problem with tiles. Cold and a bugger to keep clean. I am thinking no to proper solid wood and yes to quality laminate 🤔

I have and I wouldn't choose it. Keeping it clean has damaged the surface and there are ingrained oily stains. A cheaper option would've been much more sensible. It was new when we bought the house 10 years ago, so I'm leaving it until it's got no life left in it, then I'll be investing in something more practical.

I guess you're meaning solid wood? Because engineered oak can definitely be wet mopped if the mop if damp rather than sopping. You just have to Google it - all the sites say it's fine to damp mop an engineered oak floor.

I have a feeling this is what we will be like 😂He is adamant on tiles but I love the 'wood floor look' even though it would seem, from replies on here, that solid wood is not the best option. I would like a good quality 'wood look laminate'

I think we may have to toss a coin 😐

Agree with PP avoid tiles - cleaning the grout is a nightmare, my floor just looks dirty all the time. Also they can be slippery. Next time I’m using engineered oak.

I’ve had two kitchens with real (original) wood flooring. Never had a problem with it or cleaning it. Looked fine. With one house, at one point we had the floor, it was throughout the whole house, sanded and oiled as it looked well worn, and it brings it back to looking new. The wood is really thick so a light sand every 20 years is no problem for it. Don't think that particular wooden flooring had been done for 80 odd years though. Much prefer real woods vs the laminates.

I think Karndean is the v hard wearing brand. My aunt has it and it still looks great after about 15 years.

My hubby suggested wood effect tiles with underfloor heating 🤔. My issue is it’s a North facing kitchen with a concrete floor, it’s bloody freezing in the winter due to no radiator in there yet (will be when kitchen is replaced). To get around not having a radiator I put the oven on and open the door, it’s a brilliant way to take the chill off, I’ll find a solution to any issues but won’t agree to a tiled floor, 🤣

We have engineered.wood in the kitchen- actually the entire downstairs. It is great- much warmer and more easy on the feet than tiles. The tiles were so slippery at a small splash of water. Wood all the way!

Oh thank you for this, its really helpful and its good to get an actual proper recommendation also.

Thank you. I am going off tiles more and more. I definitely don't want them now!!!

We have engineered oak wooden flooring in our large kitchen / diner. I absolutely love it and it's still looking good 14 years later. It is a cold north facing room, tile would make it absolutely arctic!

The great thing about it is that it barely shows the dirt! So I sweep it maybe twice a week and mop rarely occasionally.

I have real wood floor in my kitchen as did @HoppingPavlova and it’s truly the most durable floor I’ve ever known. And yes, it can be wet mopped. It’s oak parquet and we have it throughout the whole downstairs and as well as being beautiful it weathers fantastically. I have kids and dogs and it still looks as gorgeous as when my very clever dh laid it over 12 years ago. You can’t beat it. Plus it’s quite warm underfoot in winter and cool in summer.