Designers and homeowners have steered clear of hardwood flooring in the kitchen for a long time, but the kitchen trends today are placing hardwood floors at the top of the list. The kitchen is the heart of the home, the epicenter, it’s where everyone gathers, so why not give your kitchen some warmth and pizzazz that you can only get from natural hardwood flooring.
The kitchen deserves rich, warm hardwood flooring.
The best wood flooring for the kitchen
Hardwood floors are becoming more and more popular in the kitchen, and a qualified craftsman will be able to install and design any type of wood flooring that you like, but there are a few practical details to consider. A kitchen is going to expose your floors to a few things that they may not be exposed to in the living room or other rooms in the home. We are, of course, talking about liquids.
Liquids have to be taken into consideration since wood is a natural material that will breathe and react to any exposure to the elements. In the kitchen, even a top chef is going to have spills, and liquids can be greasy, hot, cold, creamy, acidic, and sticky.
Solid wood flooring will have a bigger reaction to contact with liquids. Of course, with the right species, and with proper acclimation, as well as installation and finish can protect your solid hardwood floors in the kitchen. However, many designers and homeowners will opt for engineered wood that is less reactionary to liquids, temperatures, etc. Engineered wood will not contract and expand as much as solid wood floors and are more suited to the kitchen.
Proper ventilation will save wooden kitchen floors
Engineered flooring will not react as much to the varying temperature and moisture levels in the kitchen.
The best thing you can do to protect hardwood floors in the kitchen is to ensure that you have proper ventilation. Changes in moisture and heat due to various cooking techniques can wear at your floors, making them more vulnerable. If you want hardwood kitchen floors to last a long time between refinishing, you have to control the moisture levels and the temperature in your kitchen.
Colorado hardwood flooring retailer and craftsmen
We install new prefinished & site-finished hardwood flooring in both commercial and residential spaces. Nail down, glue down, or floating floors, we do it all. From simple red oak strip flooring to antique reclaimed planks with complex patterns and inlays – our craftsmen will thrill you with their expertise and attention to detail. We install owner-supplied material, or you can purchase from our terrific selection of prefinished and site-finished products. Many of our products come mill-direct and bring you outstanding value.
If you’re having trouble selecting the proper floor, stop by our gallery showroom for inspiration and to see the latest deals!