Wooden flooring or tiles in kitchen?

Question

Wondered what people's experiences were of the above in kitchens. The kitchen leads out into the back garden so the floor will be walked on an awful lot. Would flooring last or look as good after a year or would tiles be the way to go.

Any info would be great before I make a purchase.

Thanks

Answer 1

Tiles. Definitely.

I have tiles in the kitchen and solid woodblock flooring in the hallway. Both get dirt trampled on them.

The tiles still look as good as new (good quality ceramic tiles), and need the occasional hoover and mop.

However, the dirt has worn the polish off the wood in the front hall so it's going to need a professional sand and re-varnish at some point, which is expensive and inconvenient (and dusty!).

If you do decide to go with wood, get SOLID wood flooring and NOT laminate, as laminate curls up if it gets wet and I doubt this would be covered on insurance if in a kitchen ...!

Hope this helps.

If you're worried about the floor being cold in the mornings, you can get electric underfloor heating installed under the tiles before you put them down. It's not too expensive and you can put it on a timer. (things like the website below)

Answer 2

Tile.

Answer 3

Kitchen floors tend to get water on them. Wood warps when it is exposed to constant water over time. I would go with tile, it holds up and is easier to take care of.

Answer 4

Tile would be your best choice since it's almost indestructible, especially because of the garden entrance and the traffic pattern.  Although wood floors are gorgeous, they won't stand up to spills, scratching, and traffic like tile does, particularly in the kitchen.  If you do opt for tile though, use porcelain or natural stone rather than ceramic since ceramic can pit and chip.  If you choose natural stone, make sure that it's sealed since it's porous and may stain or become watermarked.

Answer 5

Wood or tile would work, either one. Just depends on what look you're going for. I would do a hard wood floor like oak or maple, or a Brazilian cherry, or even bamboo. Those would last longer in high traffic areas. Plus you can refinish floors after several years, but tile will fade with wear and you can't easily refinish.

Answer 6

well we have wooden / laminate flooring tiles in our kitchen, they have been down for around 4yrs now, we have never had any problems, if they get a bit wet we just mop over them with a damp mop. they just inter lock the same as laminate floorin for lounge.

Answer 7

TILE, especially if it leads to the outside. It will wear better and look more natural, there.

Answer 8

Tile would be more durable.  Wood will require more refinishing, but is more comfortable to stand on.

Small area rugs/mats at entryways can go a long way to keeping the grit down and helping the wood floor surface last longer.

It is a personal choice.