The kitchen is one of the busiest places in the home. Lots of movement and activities are going on, with the floor taking all the brunt. However, with the several advantages of installing hardwood flooring in the kitchen, you needn’t worry.
You probably think hardwood floors won’t work for a kitchen. If this is your mindset, it’s wrong. Upon proper installation and maintenance, hardwood floors will remain alluring for ages. One significant damage they seem prone to is water. But, just like you’ll immediately clean water from other surfaces, do the same for hardwood. With this prompt elimination of water spills, the hardwood flooring will last for all time.
The several benefits of hardwood floor for your kitchen will awe you. This is the aim of this article. In it, we will detail why families choose hardwood floors as long-term solutions for their kitchens.
What Type of Hardwood is Best for the Kitchen?
There are different types of hardwood you can use for the flooring of your kitchen. These different types of hardwood offer differing perks. Below are some factors that answer the question of how to choose hardwood floors for your kitchen.
Specie
Different species of hardwood exist. Builders and contractors use them for several locations and spaces. To enjoy the advantages of installing hardwood flooring in the kitchen, choose the hardest species. The hardest species you can easily find around are oak and ash. Their hardness makes them the first choices for a kitchen.
The internals of this type of hardwood flooring is packed with rich grains, giving them their unique properties. Thanks to this, the floor can easily hide minor scratches and dents.
There are other solid hardwoods you can use – Jatoba and Santos are examples. However, these woods can easily change colour. This makes them less of a choice, except you can refinish the floors frequently.
After long periods of use, Jatoba and Santos get darker. They also react badly to unstable atmospheric moisture conditions. This fluctuation in humidity leads to successive expansion and contraction that ends up in a crack.
If you, however, remain committed to using these woods, ensure you use oil finishing. Using polyurethane prevents adequate aeration of the wood, which can lead to cracks.
Texture
One of the significant advantages of installing hardwood flooring in the kitchen is aesthetics. The presence of hardwood flooring can make the kitchen look very beautiful.
This is why the texture is essential. When buying hardwood floors in Toronto, select a texture that will add aesthetic appeal to your kitchen.
Floor Finishing
The finishing of the floor also matters. Hence, you need a strong, protective finish. Also, for your kitchen, you need a floor finishing that can easily support restoration if need be. For these reasons, the hardwood floors for your kitchen need to have either of these finishings:
Lacquers
The use of Polyurethane lacquer is widespread. This finish is very durable and is suitable for most home interior designs. Though, with continuous impact on specific areas, damage may occur.
Typically, this occurs mostly in the area before the sink or stove. Spills are also more common around the fridge. Hence to protect your hardwood floors with a lacquer finish, use mats or rugs in these areas.
Oils
This type of finishing is not as durable as lacquers. But, you can restore them more easily. This makes them a great option when picking hardwood floors for a kitchen.
For instance, when you need to refinish a spot, you can easily make use of sanding paper. Then follow this up by staining with renewal oil. However, ensure you don’t use any harsh chemicals for this floor finishing.
There is no telling that choosing hardwood floors in Toronto requires more maintenance. But this will only help you appreciate your property more. In the next section, we will go over the advantages that come with selecting hardwood floors for your kitchen.
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Benefits of Using Hardwood Flooring in the Kitchen
Hardwood floors aren’t only for your living room or bedroom. You can use it for just about any part of the house you’ll like to adorn. Here are some pros of using hardwood floors in the kitchen:
Elegant Look
If you want to have a one-of-a-kind home, you need to pay attention to the kitchen. How exquisite your kitchen is, influences the overall experience of your home. Having an interior design that uses hardwood floors for your kitchen floor is always an excellent choice.
Hardwood floors provide you with a seamless blend of exquisiteness and functionality. It transforms the condition of your whole space. Furthermore, hardwood floors exude a warm yet crisp feel, remaining as homely as possible. The blend of the wood, with your cabinets, tables, etc. in the kitchen always culminates into elegance.
One of the advantages of installing hardwood flooring in the kitchen is the variety of shades. The wood flooring can either be light to dark. You get to choose whatever shades you want. After a few years, nothing stops you from refinishing to any shade you want. It’s a win-win in terms of design!
Durability
No one wants to change their kitchen floors every five years. Wooden floors take this worry away. The grain structure of hardwood floors makes them compact and able to last long. One of the advantages of hardwood floors is that they can withstand the varied activities that go on in the kitchen. This is in addition to the fact that it’ll help hide dents, scratches, etc.
You can quickly determine the hardness of the wood, with the Janka Hardness Chart. This chart is simply a calculation of a wood’s hardness against its durability. The values experts use in the calculations are estimated. Typically, the result will give you an idea of what different woods will feel like.
Cleaning
Kitchens will frequently get messy – from dirt to water spillage. But with hardwood flooring in your home, cleaning comes very easily. With a quick vacuuming and mopping, your floor will be as bright as it can be.
Soft and warm
Wood is always warm and tender to the feet. This is unlike other flooring options for your Toronto kitchen. You don’t have to worry about what season it is. Whether it is winter or summer, hardwood floors offer a comforting feel.
Improves the value of your home
Of the several advantages of installing hardwood flooring in the kitchen, this is vital. The use of hardwood floors improves the valuation of your home.
By investing in good flooring, potential buyers place a higher value on the house in the advent of sale. This is somewhat of a long-term factor. But it’s one that is worth considering. Often the return on investment when you buy hardwood flooring in Toronto is substantial.
Better air quality
Hardwood floors don’t absorb dust, pollen, and other allergens. Hence, installing hardwood floors in your home ensures better airflow. This is why people with allergies should install hardwood floors in their kitchen. You cannot experience this level of cleanliness with tiles or laminate floors.
It makes your home seem larger
No one loves a small space. The kitchen is one area of the home where you want to feel free and creative. With more space in the kitchen, it is easier to be creative.
Hardwood flooring can help with this. Beyond making your kitchen guest-inviting, it makes your kitchen look bigger than it is. While this may be an illusion, it is of immense benefit to you.
Tips for Choosing Hardwood Flooring for your Kitchen
Even with the knowledge of the advantages of installing hardwood floors in the kitchen, picking the right one may be hard. Thankfully, there are several minor factors that can help you make this decision.
Although people have preferences, the following tips will help with choosing the best hardwood floors.
- If you want prefinished wood in your kitchen, choose the one with micro bevels. This helps with preventing dirt and grit from accumulating between boards.
- It will be best if you choose floating floors that click into place. With this, you can easily replace extensive damages without damaging the whole floor.
- Ensure that you place small rugs right at the foot of the sink and stove. This prevents too much impact with the floor if anything falls to the ground. Also, place rugs in front of the fridge and dishwasher, to avoid water spill. If water spills in other parts of the kitchen, clean it immediately.
- For kitchens, it is better to have lighter hardwood floors. It makes stains, dirt, and food crumbs less visible.
- Ensure that you take care of any water leaks around the kitchen. Check and repair the plumbing immediately to mitigate any damage.
Cost of Installing Hardwood Floors in the Kitchen
Enjoying the advantages of installing hardwood flooring in the kitchen comes at an affordable cost. In Toronto, the cost of hardwood floors depends on the quality of the wood you want. Wood flooring can cost as low as $3 or $4 to $10 or $20 per square foot.
Your kitchen needs a durable yet exquisite hardwood floor. Hence, you need to pick astutely while not overrunning your budget. One other thing to do is to confirm the hardwood materials’ warranty.
Finally, you should make sure your contractor is a certified professional. Unprofessional installation can result in substantial losses.
Related article: How Much Does Hardwood Flooring Refinishing Cost in 2020?
Conclusion
“Should I use hardwood floors in the kitchen?” is a common question. The answer to this is, “Yes.” The advantages of installing hardwood flooring in the kitchen outweigh the hassle of maintenance. Beyond making your kitchen look so elegant, it can stand the test of time.
LV Flooring is a company that goes the extra mile in understanding the customer’s needs. For one, we offer the best quality hardwood floors for your Toronto kitchen.
In addition, our team of experts is well-versed in the peculiarities of installing hardwood floors. They are trained and well-equipped to install hardwood floors in Toronto. Reach out to us now!
Related article: Benefits of Hardwood Flooring
