A Wood Floor in the Kitchen: For or Against?

Increasingly popular, wood floors in the kitchen wouldn’t necessarily be everyone’s choice.Open-plan houses often have a wood floor in the kitchen which extends into the open area. Think again, just like tiles, wood is a very good choice for the kitchen, you just have to choose the right type. 

If you choose wood flooring for your kitchen, as stated above, it is important to choose the right kind of wood and protect it accordingly. 

To begin with, it is important to choose a relatively hard wood. Kitchens are increasingly popular as a gathering place for people, therefore they are subject to high levels of traffic. It is important that your kitchen floor be resistant to heavy traffic over the long term. 

 The ideal choice is a type of wood with contrasts which better mask the eventual signs of wear. By contrasts, we mean wood that has lots of texture such as oak, as opposed to maple, which is much finer. However, if you would like a less textured wood, it is possible to obtain a textured effect depending on the wood grade and stain you choose. 

The second criteria to consider, as mentioned above, is the visual grade. A wood’s grade defines the visual aspect of the flooring, meaning the variations of tones in the planks and the presence and size of knots. Grades often vary from a consistent, uniform appearance (little variation and without character) to a contrasting appearance (presence of knots, veins and variations). 

As well, it is recommended to choose a matte finish which will better conceal marks left by accidents. Since a matte finish has no shine, it is less likely to show scratches or marks. 

The last recommendation concerns the protection of your wood flooring. Since the kitchen is an area subject to water damage and germs and/or bacteria, it is important that your wood flooring is protected to prevent the fibres from swelling and the spread of germs. Antimicrobial protection and scratch resistance will give your floor a longer useful life. 

Quick tip: Consider putting a mat or little rug in front of your sink. Since your sink is where water splashes and dampness are most likely, it will create an extra protective barrier. This small addition, which may seem a bit strange, has a dual purpose: it looks nice and protects.