At the same time, your choice of hardwood flooring for the kitchen is very important. Kitchen floors take a lot of wear and tear from constant foot traffic. There’s also a risk of scuffs, scratches, spills, etc. For best results, you want a floor that is durable enough to stand up to this extra activity. Let’s explore some of the best hardwood flooring choices to keep your kitchen looking its best.

What Kind of Wood Floor Should You Choose for the Kitchen?

Generally speaking, harder woods like white oak or maple work best for kitchens because they are denser and more resistant to wear and tear. Softer woods like pine or walnut might feel better under your feet (or look better in the context of the entire home), but they are also more likely to sustain damage. There’s no right or wrong answer–just more or less risk. You must decide whether to trade off comfort for durability and be willing to exercise more care if you choose a softer wood.

What Kind of Wood Finish Is Best for Kitchens?

Some finishes work better than others for kitchen floors. Gloss and semi-gloss finishes can yield an attractive high-polished look, but they also show scratches and scuffs very easily, so many people don’t like them for kitchen floors. For kitchens receiving lots of use, a natural matte finish is usually best. Better yet, if you prefer a more textured look, distressed floors are excellent for hiding scratches and scuffs.

Additional Tips for Protecting Wood Floors in the Kitchen

Regardless of the type of wood flooring and finish you decide to go with, the following tips for care and maintenance will help keep your kitchen floors looking their best:

• Clean spills immediately. Even leaving a spill for a few minutes can cause unwanted moisture to absorb into the wood.
• Use protective rugs/pads under the stove, sink, and other high-risk areas. These are places where spills and splatters are most likely to happen. A strategically placed rug provides added protection against damage while adding support for your feet.
• Clean floors regularly. Use a brushless vacuum or a soft dry mop on the floor at least once every few days to remove crumbs and dirt that could grind into the kitchen floor.

When choosing hardwood flooring for the kitchen, you want to be sure it’s expertly installed and finished for best results. The expert craftsmen at Renaissance are here to help. For a complimentary quote on wood floor installation in Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Bixby, Glenpool, Oklahoma City, and throughout Green Country, call Renaissance today at 918-298-4477.

The post The Best Types of Hardwood Flooring for Kitchens appeared first on Renaissance Hardwood Floors.

The Pros

Let’s begin with the positive—because there are plenty of good reasons to consider hardwood flooring for the kitchen. Let’s look at these now:

Beautiful appearance

Of course, the biggest selling point for wood floors in the kitchen is their attractiveness. Wood flooring exudes an inviting sense of warmth that tile and stone simply can’t match. That’s a huge selling point when you consider how much time you probably spend in the kitchen with family and friends.

Easy to clean

The idea that tile flooring is easier to keep clean than wood flooring is a myth. In reality, wood floors are no more difficult to clean than tile or stone. In fact, stone flooring may be more prone to staining than wood, so that may give hardwood flooring an advantage. Simply clean the floors regularly just as you should with any other type of flooring, and clean up messes when they occur.

Easy on the feet and back

Standing on hard stone or tile flooring can create strain on your feet and back after a while. Wood flooring is more pliable and has a bit more “give” to it, so it’s easier to stand on while cooking or cleaning.

The Cons 

Hardwood flooring also presents a few challenges when installed in the kitchen. Let’s discuss these now:

Prone to scuffs and scratches

Admittedly, kitchen floors see a lot of foot traffic, which can cause scuffing. In addition, kitchen floors may see increased levels of dirt, dust, and crumbs, both from increased traffic and from food preparation. If not cleaned regularly, these particles can be ground into the floor and cause scratches. A good polyurethane finish can provide some protection here, but the best way to prevent these scuffs and scratches is clean the floor regularly. If you still have concerns about scratching, you might want to consider a textured or distressed wood finish, which can mask scratches quite well.

Prone to damage from spills

Liquid spills can do damage to wood floors, and kitchens see more spills than most other rooms in your home. However, the damage doesn’t happen instantly—it happens only if the liquid is left standing. Again, the key to preventing moisture damage to hardwood flooring in the kitchen is simply to clean up spills when they happen.

Our Take on It

So…do pros outweigh the cons when it comes to hardwood floors in the kitchen? Ultimately, that’s up to you to decide. As we said, wood floors aren’t more difficult to clean than stone or tile, but you might just want to clean them a little more often. If you value the attractive look of hardwood flooring over tile, and if you’re willing to put in a little extra care and maintenance, hardwood floors can be an excellent choice for your kitchen. If you have genuine concerns about upkeep, or if you just prefer the look of stone or tile (which can have their own appeal), you might choose one of those options. From our perspective…all things considered, there’s no “deal-breaker” here. There’s no reason for you not to have hardwood flooring in your kitchen if you want it. Just understand what you need to do to care for it, and you can keep it looking good for many years to come.

If you’re considering installing new hardwood flooring in your kitchen or any other part of your home, we’re here to help. If you live in Tulsa, Claremore, Owasso, Jenks, Catoosa, or anywhere else in Green Country, call us 918-298-4477 to schedule a free quote.

The post Is Hardwood Flooring a Good Choice for Kitchens? Pros and Cons appeared first on Renaissance Hardwood Floors.