Hardwood in a kitchen?
April 9, 2018 9:05 AM Subscribe
Did you install - or consider installing - hardwood in your kitchen? What is your experience?
Considering installing quality (5/8" thick oak) pre-finished hardwood in a kitchen. Concerned about greater likelihood of liquid spills or even minor grease spatters from cooking which might not be immediately visible to be wiped up. Also, kitchen is the place where objects (pots, pans, dishware, etc.) are more likely to be dropped, risking denting or gouging the wood. Only two of us. We don't wet-mop the existing linoleum, but use Swiffer or Swiffer Jet for most cleaning.
Internet research reveals range of pros and cons. Interested in your personal experience.
Considering installing quality (5/8" thick oak) pre-finished hardwood in a kitchen. Concerned about greater likelihood of liquid spills or even minor grease spatters from cooking which might not be immediately visible to be wiped up. Also, kitchen is the place where objects (pots, pans, dishware, etc.) are more likely to be dropped, risking denting or gouging the wood. Only two of us. We don't wet-mop the existing linoleum, but use Swiffer or Swiffer Jet for most cleaning.
Internet research reveals range of pros and cons. Interested in your personal experience.
Hardwood was installed in my kitchen when I bought my house. It looks good, but I can't say I am a fan. It's new, so the edges of the strips are not flush with their neighbors (due to milled edges), and everything that drops on the floor becomes lodged in the little cracks and is impossible to clean out.
posted by ArgentCorvid at 9:12 AM on April 9, 2018
posted by ArgentCorvid at 9:12 AM on April 9, 2018
A friend's apartment has hardwood installed by previous owners during construction, so almost 40 years ago - oak, lacquered in place. Long-term, it stained along the kitchen counters from grease and other spills rather badly, to the point of being several shades darker than the same wood else with random stains. They had it refinished a few years ago, to the point where it looked brand new and shiny in the entire apartment, but three months in they could tell it was starting to stain in the exact same places. They now have small rugs and a plastic mat (think protecting hardwood from a rolling chair) along the worst bits - the line from sink to dishwasher and near the stove. They do think it's worth it to have the rest of the kitchen/dining area looking warm.
No gouges, though I haven't noticed them dropping anything when I was over :) I think there were several broken planks before the refinishing, but the contractor did some magic where it looks brand new.
posted by I claim sanctuary at 9:14 AM on April 9, 2018
No gouges, though I haven't noticed them dropping anything when I was over :) I think there were several broken planks before the refinishing, but the contractor did some magic where it looks brand new.
posted by I claim sanctuary at 9:14 AM on April 9, 2018
We've had hardwood in our kitchen since 2008. I love it. It's been dented in a couple places but I'm not one who really cares about things looking perfect. It's not like there's a person-sized dent in the middle of the floor or anything.
We have one of those vacuums that goes from carpeting to hardwood without issue and it's great. I tend to clean up any spills right away and I wet-mop less frequently than I should but it's no trouble to do so, I'm just lazy. Thinking about getting a Shark or something to make it less of a perceived ordeal (it's not an ordeal, did I mention that I'm lazy?).
On preview: we have had zero issues with stains of any kind and apparently our hardwood was installed correctly because we also have zero issues with cracks.
posted by cooker girl at 9:16 AM on April 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
We have one of those vacuums that goes from carpeting to hardwood without issue and it's great. I tend to clean up any spills right away and I wet-mop less frequently than I should but it's no trouble to do so, I'm just lazy. Thinking about getting a Shark or something to make it less of a perceived ordeal (it's not an ordeal, did I mention that I'm lazy?).
On preview: we have had zero issues with stains of any kind and apparently our hardwood was installed correctly because we also have zero issues with cracks.
posted by cooker girl at 9:16 AM on April 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
The house I grew up in has hardwood in the kitchen. It's a 1950sish house but the hardwood is probably newer than that, but it was there when we moved in in the 80s. We were (/are, my parents still live there)... let's say not meticulous about upkeep. It looks great, there's no splitting or problems with cracks, i'm sure there's dents but it's a wood floor, there are supposed to be dents. It's a medium color but with fairly big variations within each piece, and if there's any darkening or anything I haven't noticed it.
posted by brainmouse at 9:27 AM on April 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by brainmouse at 9:27 AM on April 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
I had hardwood put in in my kitchen a year and a half ago, and a few months ago I noticed that the boards had warped a lot. The contractor is also the super in my building, so I had him check for leaks and he didn't find anything. I think the wood wasn't properly cured, he thinks it's water damage. There's certainly been water spilled on the floor, it's a kitchen, but never a flood or anything.
Anyway, if I had it to do over again, I'd do nice linoleum (I think the brandname is Marmoleum?)
posted by LizardBreath at 9:34 AM on April 9, 2018
Anyway, if I had it to do over again, I'd do nice linoleum (I think the brandname is Marmoleum?)
posted by LizardBreath at 9:34 AM on April 9, 2018
I have solid oak planks in my kitchen diner. I love how it looks and feels, and minor dings only make it look better really.
It was close to ruined when a water line leaked a lot under one of the cabinets. The section in question has quietly gone back to almost-normal over time and doesn't bother me any more. I definitely recommend getting it (very) professionally installed; I'm pretty sure that would have prevented the slight gaps between some of the planks that make it hard to clean.
If it was just a small kitchen I'd just go with fancy vinyl, but for a big space where lots of it is not kitchen, I would be very tempted to do the same thing again.
posted by quacks like a duck at 9:41 AM on April 9, 2018
It was close to ruined when a water line leaked a lot under one of the cabinets. The section in question has quietly gone back to almost-normal over time and doesn't bother me any more. I definitely recommend getting it (very) professionally installed; I'm pretty sure that would have prevented the slight gaps between some of the planks that make it hard to clean.
If it was just a small kitchen I'd just go with fancy vinyl, but for a big space where lots of it is not kitchen, I would be very tempted to do the same thing again.
posted by quacks like a duck at 9:41 AM on April 9, 2018
I've lived in two apartments with cheaper engineered wood flooring in the kitchen. I just put rugs against the counter -- cheap rag rugs like this one -- which mitigate the impact of drops (both to the floor and to my bowls/glassware) and spills (I find it easier to put the rugs in the washing machine than to scrub the floor). Recent addition of a comfort anti-fatigue standing mat in the space I do most of my prep is even better. The floor itself didn't have any problems, until the entire apartment flooded due to a water burst, but that's outside normal use.
posted by Homeboy Trouble at 9:43 AM on April 9, 2018
posted by Homeboy Trouble at 9:43 AM on April 9, 2018
I put hardwood in my kitchen a few years ago, and I wouldn't do it again. Every time I drop a knife or fork, there's a little dent in it. Very annoying. It's held up fairly well otherwise, but I do keep it decently clean and don't do a lot of greasy cooking.
posted by Slinga at 9:43 AM on April 9, 2018
posted by Slinga at 9:43 AM on April 9, 2018
I'm a fan of hardwood in the kitchen, tile is boring and hard on the feet if you're working in there a lot. I've lived in two places with hardwood floored kitchens, and while I love what I have now, the other one had problems. But you can avoid them by following these tips:
-Hardwood with lots of grain like an oak or knotty pine, stained to a medium or dark tone, will not show much in the way of dings and scratches. Avoid wood that's got little or no grain, it will show everything.
-Find a really good installer. A lot of people who end up with bad warping or gaps have improperly installed hardwood.
-If you have the money to swing it, and someone who can do it in your area, get completely custom hardwood. The kind they install in an unstained/unsealed state and then finish it in your home. This is significantly more watertight than milled wood where the seams are often unsealed.
posted by InkDrinker at 9:55 AM on April 9, 2018 [4 favorites]
-Hardwood with lots of grain like an oak or knotty pine, stained to a medium or dark tone, will not show much in the way of dings and scratches. Avoid wood that's got little or no grain, it will show everything.
-Find a really good installer. A lot of people who end up with bad warping or gaps have improperly installed hardwood.
-If you have the money to swing it, and someone who can do it in your area, get completely custom hardwood. The kind they install in an unstained/unsealed state and then finish it in your home. This is significantly more watertight than milled wood where the seams are often unsealed.
posted by InkDrinker at 9:55 AM on April 9, 2018 [4 favorites]
We put pre-finished oak in our kitchen a couple of years ago after living with very bad tile for too long. We love it.
The kids inevitably beat it up, but we knew that ahead of time: they'd also cracked tiles. *shrug* At least you can refinish wood. My wife cries out in anguish when something dings it, but she would've been re angry if they blew a tile out of our new floor, which we need to have last until....well, after both of us are buried, probably.
We push around a wide (dry) mop every few days and suck up that pile in the vacuum. Wet spills get wiped up quickly. Works great so far!
posted by wenestvedt at 10:02 AM on April 9, 2018
The kids inevitably beat it up, but we knew that ahead of time: they'd also cracked tiles. *shrug* At least you can refinish wood. My wife cries out in anguish when something dings it, but she would've been re angry if they blew a tile out of our new floor, which we need to have last until....well, after both of us are buried, probably.
We push around a wide (dry) mop every few days and suck up that pile in the vacuum. Wet spills get wiped up quickly. Works great so far!
posted by wenestvedt at 10:02 AM on April 9, 2018
We installed a parquet-esque wood floor in our kitchen, in the Versailles pattern. The finish has a very distressed look to it; slightly wavy surface, lots of gouges, big coarse grain, thick finish with some color variety. It looks great! Looks just as good 9 years after installation. It doesn't show a lot of wear or damage. The slight spring in a wood floor seems to be easier on the bones for long periods of cooking, too.
I also spend a lot of time in a kitchen with some glossy engineered wood floor that looks like a cross between a traditional hardwood floor and a bowling alley. That does not look very good, every single splatter stands out as do the gouges. It's probably a lot cheaper than the parquet, but it doesn't look nearly as good.
So based on a sample size of two, I'd say go for distressed finish.
posted by Nelson at 10:03 AM on April 9, 2018
I also spend a lot of time in a kitchen with some glossy engineered wood floor that looks like a cross between a traditional hardwood floor and a bowling alley. That does not look very good, every single splatter stands out as do the gouges. It's probably a lot cheaper than the parquet, but it doesn't look nearly as good.
So based on a sample size of two, I'd say go for distressed finish.
posted by Nelson at 10:03 AM on April 9, 2018
We put in hardwood almost 2 years ago, looks great. I think the key is to use a good quality product; ours matches very well our 100 year old floors throughout the house. We get occasional scratches and dents, I feel like that’s what hardwood is meant to do.
I also considered marmoleum as real Lino was the original flooring but it was just as expensive and we couldn’t agree on a color.
posted by vunder at 10:10 AM on April 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
I also considered marmoleum as real Lino was the original flooring but it was just as expensive and we couldn’t agree on a color.
posted by vunder at 10:10 AM on April 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
One thing about pre-finished hardwood as opposed to regular hardwood is that the edges of the boards are slightly beveled, which makes it a bit harder to clean especially for things like liquids and grease. Also, because each board is finished separately rather than the finish being applied as a continuous layer, there is greater potential for liquids to work their way in between the boards and cause warping. On the other hand, because the boards are finished in a factory rather than in the field, manufacturers are able to use varnishes that are more toxic but which yield a harder, more durable finish.
Just some things to consider.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 10:31 AM on April 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
Just some things to consider.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 10:31 AM on April 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
We have solid plank red oak in our kitchen and it looks really great in our house because we have an open plan dining/living/kitchen room and not having a flooring transition is nice. As others have mentioned little cracks from the millwork do collect gunk that I have to toothbrush out every few months.
posted by Dr. Twist at 10:39 AM on April 9, 2018
posted by Dr. Twist at 10:39 AM on April 9, 2018
Response by poster: Very helpful perspective. Thank you.
posted by John Borrowman at 11:22 AM on April 9, 2018
posted by John Borrowman at 11:22 AM on April 9, 2018
We had hickory floors put in the kitchen about 2 years ago. We were restoring the oak in the adjacent living room, ran into issues with old tile over the wood. It was stuck down with a thick layer of mastic. The contractor was able to remove it in the living room but recommended leaving it in the kitchen, and using it as an underlayment for a new floor. He figured the old oak may not be in great shape and it wasn't worth the effort to uncover it to find out. Hence, 3/4" hickory. It looks great and I'm glad we did it.
posted by caution live frogs at 11:45 AM on April 9, 2018
posted by caution live frogs at 11:45 AM on April 9, 2018
We have oak floors in our kitchen and I've never had a problem. They look gorgeous. They were installed in 2004 and still look amazing. Me, I like the look of old, weathered wood floors, but these still have a shine on them from however they were refinished by the original owners, the people who built our house (we bought it last year).
Gotta say though. I don't know what your preference is, but we have all oak cabinets, an oak island, wood stools at the island, and oak floors. To me this is just too much wood. Like, what you see in our kitchen is wood, wood, wood, and some more wood, with wood accents. After we looked at this house the first time, I called it The Cabela's House because...wood. If you already have wood cabinets and wood chairs and whatever else, think about adding more wood and how much wood you can handle before you wood the fuck out. I mean, how much wood can a woodchuck wood? I like wood. But not all the things.
posted by the webmistress at 11:48 AM on April 9, 2018 [4 favorites]
Gotta say though. I don't know what your preference is, but we have all oak cabinets, an oak island, wood stools at the island, and oak floors. To me this is just too much wood. Like, what you see in our kitchen is wood, wood, wood, and some more wood, with wood accents. After we looked at this house the first time, I called it The Cabela's House because...wood. If you already have wood cabinets and wood chairs and whatever else, think about adding more wood and how much wood you can handle before you wood the fuck out. I mean, how much wood can a woodchuck wood? I like wood. But not all the things.
posted by the webmistress at 11:48 AM on April 9, 2018 [4 favorites]
We put in (ourselves) relatively dark stained pre-distressed/scraped prefinished hickory (makes it easier to deal with the dropped cast iron or knives), based on some other houses where we've seen hardwood in the kitchen. So far we love it. Haven't had to deal with major leaks, but I am not a dry dishwasher, and I've spilled all sorts of greases and such.
posted by straw at 12:21 PM on April 9, 2018
posted by straw at 12:21 PM on April 9, 2018
Had my kitchen/dining room/hallway redone (took out veneer 'fake wood' floors) and had custom hardwood installed. Best to plan a time when you can have your windows open and not sleep there for a day or two due to fumes (I had mine done while I was traveling for work).
Am working on getting a whole house humidity system installed, as there is shrinkage during the winter time when the air is really dry here (Wisconsin).
Really love the look of it and such an upgrade over what I had before. Also, I've put pads underneath my dining room chairs and wastebasket to avoid scratching the flooring.
posted by Twicketface at 1:18 PM on April 9, 2018
Am working on getting a whole house humidity system installed, as there is shrinkage during the winter time when the air is really dry here (Wisconsin).
Really love the look of it and such an upgrade over what I had before. Also, I've put pads underneath my dining room chairs and wastebasket to avoid scratching the flooring.
posted by Twicketface at 1:18 PM on April 9, 2018
I considered hardwood for the kitchen a few years ago. Both because of concerns about spills and because of the price, we ended up going with a high quality vinyl with a wood look and texture. It's close enough for me to be satisfied with the look, and it's held up to plenty of spills and dropped items.
posted by maurice at 1:20 PM on April 9, 2018
posted by maurice at 1:20 PM on April 9, 2018
I’ve had and installed hardwood in two kitchens so far: one, reclaimed pine in an old Victorian and two, engineered oak (because we have radiant heating) in a new construction farmhouse and I LOVE it. I’m never having tile again. It’s so nice and warm, so inviting, so easy to clean (no grout!) and fairly durable. I did put a dent next to the sink in my current kitchen floor but since I dropped a cast iron pan I would have cracked a tile anyway. If it gets dingy ever I can always sand and refinish.
100% endorse hardwood in the kitchen.
posted by lydhre at 3:51 PM on April 9, 2018
100% endorse hardwood in the kitchen.
posted by lydhre at 3:51 PM on April 9, 2018
Oh and we had a major undetected leak in our kitchen when our pot filler pipe was cracked behind the stove and, while our floor did warp slightly (which is how we discovered the leak in the first place) it went right back to normal after it thoroughly dried (took a month or more).
posted by lydhre at 3:53 PM on April 9, 2018
posted by lydhre at 3:53 PM on April 9, 2018
If appearance is the main thing that appeals to you, they do make tile that looks like wood (it had a wood grain pattern stamped on it). We have it in our kitchen and we love the look of it.
posted by Betelgeuse at 4:37 PM on April 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Betelgeuse at 4:37 PM on April 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
I wanted hardwood in the kitchen when we remodeled, but my wife convinced me to go with high end porcelain tile. For years later, I'm a huge fan of the tile. It looks great, it's completely invincible, and it's easy to clean.
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 7:31 AM on April 10, 2018
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 7:31 AM on April 10, 2018
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by M.C. Lo-Carb! at 9:11 AM on April 9, 2018