Are kitchen timber floors a good idea?

Many kitchen designs feature timber flooring. Because it looks the part in both contemporary rooms, farmhouse kitchens and a whole host of designs in between. Shiny surfaces and hard materials often found in kitchens are softened with a timber kitchen flooring. It makes the kitchen look more homely.

But it's also well known among professionals that timber floors are a poor choice for wet locations. Sure, some timber flooring manufacturers make claims that their factory finishes make their products water-resistant. But pay attention. They never describe them as waterproof.

Timber floors can be discolored by water. And the fibers can swell, causing the entire flooring surface to buckle.

Many homeowners are unsure whether kitchen timber flooring is an appropriate choice. The important thing is to remember that, unlike bathrooms, a kitchen is mostly a semi-wet space. That means that with certain simple precautions, your kitchen can enjoy the natural beauty and warmth of a timber floor.

Remember that sometimes things don’t go to plan with your appliances. No matter how expensive your dishwasher or refrigerator – leaks can and will happen.

That means that water may pool unseen over that portion of the timber kitchen flooring, slowly causing swelling. The heat that these appliances can put out can also cause issues as well.

The best way to manage this is in the kitchen design process. You might choose to have tiles laid beneath the appliances. Or you also could look into a protective covering to sit over the floor in those areas.

It also depends on how your kitchen is used. Perhaps your kitchen has a lot of traffic coming inside from an outside pool or a garage. Timber flooring might not be a great idea.

If you decide to go with kitchen timber flooring, consider a matte finish (in both real and engineered options) as it tends to be more forgiving. Or perhaps consider reclaimed wood flooring that already has character from its previous life if you are striving for a rustic look.

The kitchen’s position should count when selecting the flooring too, because if it’s the space accessed directly from the garden, a pool deck or the garage, damp and dirt could get regularly tracked onto it, causing harm to the surface.

Installing solid hardwood planks, then staining and finishing them in place, gives the best possible wood flooring for a kitchen.

We recommend installing boards tightly butted up together and are covered with a sealer coat that covers the entire surface, providing protection that won't be penetrated by water or staining materials. As well, solid hardwood planks have the advantage of their ability to be sanded down and refinished several times over the life of the floor.

An engineered wood floor could be a suitable option for your kitchen. It is still a real wood floor, and can have an appearance that’s hard to tell apart from solid wood flooring. So how is it distinguished from solid wood kitchen flooring, and does it have any advantages over it?

Engineered wood is created by layering sections of solid wood bonded together with the grain of each piece running in a different direction to its adjacent layer. This enhances the plank’s strength and resilience. Layering wood like this reduces the wood’s natural tendency to expand and contract, meaning it is perfect to use in areas like kitchens.

Reclaimed wood is another timber flooring option, and can be sourced either as solid wood or in the form of an engineered floor. But is it suitable for kitchens?

There is nothing to say that reclaimed and antique flooring shouldn’t be used in a kitchen area, especially if they have an engineered construction.

The main benefit is that reclaimed timbers are pre-scuffed and worn. Which, if it fits in to the look you are after, do a great job of camouflaging the wear and tear your family place on the kitchen timbers.