Around here we're having a debate.
Flooring for the kitchen.
There are two options.
Hardwood vs. Tile.
Here are the arguments.
Hardwood is easier on your feet for long-term standing.
Hardwood really makes white trim and cabinets pop.
Hardwood is not good in the kitchen because of crumbs which can get in the crevices.
Hardwood shouldn't be used in the kitchen because of water issues.
Tile is more durable than the wood in the kitchen.
Tile is better with water.
Then there are the animals.
Will the dogs destroy the hardwood?
Will the dogs destroy the grout in tile?
Will the tile look cold?
Will the hardwood look horrid after the first week?
What is your opinion???
11 comments:
Hmmm...yes that's a good one. I think I still lean more towards hardwood...maybe because I want it in my home too:)
I always thought I wanted hardwood, but my friends who have it rue the day they decided to do hardwood. It shows every hair, dustball, and barefoot print.
I have slate in my kitchen. I have to admit, it is cold right now, but I have rugs where I stand (at the sink and the stove). I love it! It looks warm (even if it isn't) and does not show dirt hardly ever.
Good luck; can't wait to see what you decide!
Well... hmmm....have you ever thought of laminate? Do you have to have real hardwood? We have laminate hardwood floors on the entire bottom floor of our home, minus the living room which is carpeted. I've never had an issue with water, crumbs or any of our cats. Our laminate is easy to clean and in my opinion quite beautiful. We also have it in out bathroom downstairs and it has been wonderful there as well.
My Mother in Law has tile laminate, I think it is Armstrong or something anyway, it looks just like real tile, you'd never know the difference. Her's is a slate, I believe. IT's nice and does better than real tile because my father has tile in his kitchen and if you drop something on the tile like a pan or jar that it can break the tile, or make it chip, I'm a clutz so I knew tile wouldn't be for me. Keeping the grout clean is a real issue too. We have tile around our jacuzzi in the master suite and I hate it.
Good Luck in your decision!
Well, I have Italian tile in my kitchen and love it. It looks similar to your second picture posted, only with dark cabinets and granite counters. I have two dogs and a few grandpupsters who visit often. So far they haven't ruined the grout yet. I use a steam cleaner with a little bleach to clean the tile, and yes the grout does get dirty, so every couple of months I take soft scrub and a tile brush to it. I love it and a little work to keep it clean is just fine with me. I wouldn't want to clean wood floors in the kitchen with dogs! Yikes...that could be a real mess. Mumzie
My choice would be the tile. It is much easier to clean and in a kitchen that is so important. Since I have never had laminate flooring I can give an opinion. I currently have marble tile in my kitchen and bath. Only word of caution is: If you have pets do NOT get a light colored floor.
Unless you want to wash it three or four times a day. :)
I have had both tile and hardwood floors and prefer the hardwood floors hands down. I go around shoeless most days and tile is so cold and hard on your bones. I also am a klutz and broke more dishes than I can count- no grace with tile!
I have dogs and have not seen any problems because of them though they do not run around in the house-
blessings
mary
I'm biased to laminate tile in the kitchen and bath and the reason is that in 2003 we had a small leak from water in the back of the refrigerator and didn't realize that all the water was not cleaned up behind the cabinet and the kitchen had hardwood floors. Well, later after trying to remove our old stove to replace it we found black mold all under the hardwood floor, between the walls, on the beams, everywhere and had to actually move out of house, live in hotels for 1 month until our house was renovated.
We put back laminate tile by Armstrong. You can't tell the difference that it is not tile and I love it. Very cleanable with animals. I don't worry that a spill will cause us to pay 30,000 in damage due to mold underneath.
However, I love pictures of hardwood floors in the kitchens. We pulled all the carpet out of the house after this and replaced with Bruce hardwood but the kitchen is the laminate tile.
I might one day get hardwood in the kitchen again but I"m not sure.
Jennifer
Feathers in the Nest
Both are great. Wood stands up well to water----at least the amount your floor will receive, but to keep it looking "new", it should be recoated every 7 years or so (especially with traffic and animals)
Tile has longevity and I have NEVER seen an animal destroy grout. Grout does get dirty, even when sealed, but a color grout hides much.
We live in an 1840's farmhouse and have both OLD wood and saltillo tile floors, between 23 years of animal and human traffic, the floors are still doing well.
But, if you're a kitchen person, standing all day on hard tile will get that body achin'.
Whatever your decision, you can't go wrong!!! (Although, we did have a neighbor who decided to keep his floors DIRT with stepping stones of tree trunk slivers....he was a little eccentric)
annie
I have tile in my kitchen, but if I had it my way it would be wood. I can't stand the grout, ugh. however, if you do wood, remember real would scratches very easily, come to my house and you will see what i mean!!! The scratches don't bother me, but I like worn! Also, I have wood in my bathroom that sees a lot of water, we bathe the baby in there too and as long as you wipe up the water you are good to go!! ;) can't wait to see what you decide!
Just stopped by for the first time...have hardwood in the whole house except for kitchen/baths which have tile and I hate it...prefer the hardwood any day!
PS I have a big dog and a cat and the hardwood is easier to clean than the tile.
I know I am really late to answering this, but I would give anything to have wood, preferably bamboo, in my kitchen. I currently have tile and it feels like ice to walk on it in the winter months. I have to wear house shoes because of it. The socks I wear aren't even enough because the tile is so cold it goes through the socks and makes my feet so cold. The white tile shoes up much more dirt and pet hair than my walnut floors that are throughout the rest of the house. I vote hardwood/bamboo hands down.
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