One of the most beautiful of all flooring materials is hardwood but many people question whether it is a good choice for the kitchen. The primary challenge with hardwood in rooms where levels of moisture and humidity are moderate to high is that the wood begins to crack, warp, and peel. Even so, having a kitchen with hardwood flooring adds a look and feel of warmth that goes along with this particular room naturally.
Because of new ways in which hardwood floors are designed and the quality of sealants used, they do make an excellent addition to any kitchen. However, just as you would do when choosing tile, natural stone, or some other material, you want to choose hardwood wisely, especially for this room. Now, in addition to actual hardwood, another possibility is with engineered wood. With this, the floor looks exactly like real wood and even feels like real wood underfoot. However, engineered hardwood is a type of laminate that tolerates moisture, liquid spills, and humidity better than standard hardwood flooring.
It is important to remember that hardwood for any room is a significant financial investment. Then, considering that when installed in the kitchen if the right species is not used it could be damaged, you want to choose carefully and look at a variety of options regarding price. Remember that the quality of the flooring would affect the amount of money you pay. In other words, if you were to purchase top quality wood, then the dollar price would be more than a moderate grade hardwood.
One of the primary benefits of choosing hardwood flooring for the kitchen is that once properly installed and cared for, this type of floor would last the life of the home. Additionally, you have a huge selection of different woods, but also different designs and colors. For instance, you can choose from more than 50 unique species of wood commonly used today, which each having a distinct color, grain, and style. Because of that, you would simply choose what works best with the level of formality of the kitchen, as well as style and personal preference.
Even the design of hardwood flooring is varied, with each option creating a different look in the kitchen. One option is called strip hardwood flooring, which is sawn in widths ranging from 1.5, 2, and 2.25 inches. With this, the floor would have a linear appearance, which is great for making a smaller kitchen appear larger. Next, you might consider plank hardwood flooring. Widths of these planks are more, measuring between 3 and 8 inches. As a result, the flooring looks more country or rustic.
Then, hand-scraped hardwood flooring for the kitchen would also be a great consideration. Just as the name implies, the flooring would be scrapped by hand, which leaves the wood having a ribbed or textured finish rather than smooth surface. This type of hardwood flooring is also great for a country or rustic home. You might also look at unfinished hardwood flooring. This means the wood would be left in its natural state. Typically, hardwood flooring of this type would be finished but based on what you want. Therefore, you would work directly with the manufacturer to choose the finish, and stain.
On the other end of the spectrum is pre-finished hardwood flooring, another possibility for the kitchen. Flooring of this type is sanded, stained, and completely finished at the manufacturer’s site. Then when the planks are delivered to your home, a contractor would be hired to install the hardwood flooring. Of all flooring of this type sold in the United States, pre-finished planks account for over 50% of all hardwood floors sold.
