When it comes to flooring materials, tiles and wood both deliver excellent style and comfort, but they also have their advantages and disadvantages. Your kitchen should not only look beautiful but it should also be easy to clean.
Let’s first take a look at wood:
Wood
Wood has been a very important building material, historically. Choosing wood for kitchen-floor reflects a preference for a traditional feel as it has been used for a long time. Recent kitchen trends have witnessed the return of wood because of its seamless appearance and texture.
Advantages:
Beauty:
Wood is not for every kitchen, but rooms with a specific, traditional style and space look classier with a wooden floor. It can enhance the value of the kitchen and give the floor a feeling of warmth and comfort.
Good for allergy sufferers:
Those who are allergic to carpets will sneeze far less in a wooden-floored kitchen. Wood has a tendency of repelling dirt, dust and other allergens that can easily be removed by a vacuum cleaner, mop or brush.
Endurance:
Natural floors like wood tend to last longer than other synthetic materials because they are environmental friendly.
Disadvantages:
Extra Care:
A wooden floor will not remain in good quality if you do not take proper care of it. Never use harsh cleaning liquids on wood to remove dust – just use cleaning materials specifically designed for the purpose.
Creaking:
A wooden floor needs to be solid and professionally laid or it will make sounds and creaks as you walk on it. Before buying, talk with your materials provider and ask him all the details. Make sure you buy something which not only fits aesthetically, but will also remain creak-free.
Wear and tear:
Scratches show up easily on a wooden floor. If you have a busy kitchen, then laminate floors might proe a better option, as they have a similar appearance to wood without the vulnerability. Excessive moisture damages wood even more, so make sure that your kitchen doesn’t get too cold or too damp.
Cost:
Wood can be costly, depending on the quality you choose. If your kitchen floor space is large, then wooden flooring will cost even more.
Tiles
Tiles are preferred by many because of their shiny and fresh appearance. Recently, kitchen designers have experimented with different tile textures and colours.
Advantages:
Durability:
A tiled floor can put up with heavy foot traffic for years. It will normally only break if you drop or hit something hard on it.
Design versatility:
Tiles come in a huge variety of colours and designs. Your kitchen will seem bigger if you use a lighter shade, whereas darker shades can deliver stunning contrasts and patterns. Larger tiles suit bigger areas, while smaller tiles are good for featured patterns.
Temperature:
No matter how hot or cold the weather, tiles always stay cool underfoot. Good quality tiles can handle extreme temperatures without cracking or shifting.
Disadvantages:
Difficult to replace or repair:
Replacing or repairing tiles is not an easy job as you might not be able to find the same tile after a few yeras, or if your original choices are from a limited stock.
Stains:
Tiles are tricky and can be easily stained, especially if they are lighter in colour. Make sure you buy tiles with added stain resistance.
Cost:
Tiles vary hugely in cost, however, it is normally safe to assume that the higher the quality, the more expensive the tile. They will also need to be laid professioanlly, so this cost should be factored in to the overall price as well.