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Design Dilemma
webuser142

Tile or hardwood in kitchen and breakfast nook???

13 years ago
New construction. I love the look of both. Help! Pros cons of either. We are a Busy family with two small kids.
Featured Answer
  • PRO
    13 years ago
    This is a very common question. You are going to see many posters for and against both. This is a hotly debated topic. As a cork flooring specialist, I'm not big on either...but that's me and 1% of the flooring industry.

    Tile: Pros - durable; water proof; easy to clean; easy to DISINFECT (very different from "cleaning"); permanent flooring
    Tile: Cons - permanent flooring; install costs can be higher that other options; are breakable; can cause higher "breakage" (dishes that fall, etc); cold; hard; "loud" or echo-producing

    Hardwood: Pros - durable (when properly installed with on-site finishing); easier on the legs; warmer underfoot (not the warmest...but warmer than tile); some reduction of sound/noise in the space (not the best...but better than tile); permanent floor.
    Hardwood: Cons - permanent floor (makes removal of damaged areas an issue); durability can be an issue that is highly dependent on things out of your control; water damage can occur (quickly in worst case scenario, or a little delayed in best case); water staining; pet staining; finishes can be toxic when "on-site" finish is chosen (again, highly dependent on many things); cost of install is higher than other options; scratches can be seen quickly (or may not show at all); etc.

    You will find posters with 70 year old hardwoods have "bullet proof" floors while others have hardwoods that looked "terrible" inside of a few years!

    Other posters will tell you "tile all the way" are those who live in warm climates (I live in Canada...enough said). You will also be told to check out "Italian' tiles that are produced with a faux wood finish (very beautiful) that would give you the best of both worlds.

    Cancork/iCork floors have a new product: Stone-Cork. Thin slices of stone are laid over cork. These come in "glue down' options or "click together" floating floors. You can get them in either "Black Slate" or "Silver Slate/mica".

    There you go. Pretty much the "wood/tile" discussion in a nutshell.

    Comments (25)

    • PRO
      13 years ago
      Cancork, you rocked this one! I've been listening to you too, I'll get around to recommending cork soon! Not trying to hijack the post, just really happy to see such a balanced answer! Good stuff!

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    • 13 years ago
      Cancork, great answer. The one thing you left off for tile that's a biggie for me is that standing on tile is hard on the knees and back. If you stand to do a lot of prep work or cooking in the kitchen, it will eventually catch up with you.
    • 13 years ago
      Based upon my personal experience I would never do hardwood floor in a kitchen again. I've had hardwood for 15 years in the kitchen (and family room) but for the last 5 years I feel I should replace. (years go by fast and I dread the $$ and hassle of replacing the kitchen and adjoining family room). We have lots of parties and pets and children who visit. After considering many options (and I've thought about this a lot) I've narrowed it down to either tile that looks like hardwood floors, or travertine tile that is "retified tile" which looks almost groutless. If you live in a cold climate...heat the tile floors (at least in the bathrooms).

      IMO..pay a little extra for quality flooring that looks timeless (throughout the house). Area rugs you can be replace as you like, but flooring throughout the house will cost $20-$40k or more down the road.

      Yes, hardwood is "easier on the feet". Tile however, is cleaner (easy to disinfect) and pet/children friendlier. In the 70s we paid for "lifetime" tile roof when shingles were the "thing". We still have the same roof while others are paying big bucks to put on a tile roof. : )

      PS... If you drop most anything on the floor and it will break regardless if you have wood floors or tile so that shouldn't be in the "pros" of hardwood!
    • 13 years ago
      My folks have tiles in the kitchen and then hardwood in the breakfast nook. Sounds odd but looks great and works well. Is there a way you can divide your space?
    • 13 years ago
      I have limestone in my kitchen and I use to love it until I became a grandparent. I have always had wood floors previously and they are much more forgiving then tile or stone. If you will have little ones rough housing I highly suggest wood or even a good quality wood laminate. Esthetically I prefer my stone floors. They are heated so they are also energy efficient which you can not do to wood or laminate flooring. Honestly the biggest concern would be injuries in a busy household.
    • PRO
      13 years ago
      It really depends on the design of your home. If the kitchen and breakfast nook is more separated from the rest of the house, then you can do either and Cancork Floor Inc. provided a great explanation in detail. Otherwise it's best to keep the same flooring in an open concept design.
    • 13 years ago
      Wood will be in great room, dining, and entry. It is dark and the tile selected is ceramic, but looks like a dark natural stone that looks great next to the wood, if selected for the kitchen. Thank you for all of the helpful feedback. I don't know why I can't pull the trigger on this decision!
    • 13 years ago
      last modified: 13 years ago
      We have porcelain tile in our kitchen and I love it. It looks great, doesn't scratch, feels very solid and is very easy to clean. The cost can be very reasonable when you lay it yourself. It is not that difficult at all. If you need to stand in one place for any length of time you can get very comfortable mats to put down in those cases. Take it up when you don't need it. Wood floors scratch over time and you can only refinish them so many times.
    • PRO
      13 years ago
      last modified: 13 years ago
      Hello, you could try a consumer home design tool and instantly see how ceramic and wood look products in a model/inspiration room or by uploading a photo of your own kitchen/nook at http://congoleum.chameleonpower.com Best of luck.
    • 13 years ago
      We have wood floors throughout our house, including the kitchen, which are 90 years old and still going strong. Last refinished 20 years ago and we have two rambunctious dogs and a son who is now a teenager (think clumsy). I've had wood floors in my kitchens for the last 40 years and wouldn't use anything else because I've had a great experience with them.
    • PRO
      13 years ago
      Hardwood especially since you have an open concept. It will keep the flow of the home going.
    • 13 years ago
      Thank you all so much!!! The wood is already purchased, then I started having second thoughts about wear in the kitchen. We purchased Toscana, engineered, in Moon Night. I have been searching and serching for reviews online to no avail. It's a leap of faith, good floors can last a LONG time, while a poor quality will likely need replaced in 10 years. No way to know until it is installed and life happens on it. Tile is known variable. Appreciate the comment regarding the design. Any experience with this brand of floors?
    • 13 years ago
      I have the same dilemma with my kitchen remodel....tile or wood? I currently have a smooth tile that is almond colored with dark brown grout. aside from the looks...my biggest complaint is how slick it is when wet...like when your shoes are wet from rain or snow....I believe a rough surface tile would not be slippery, but I don't know about wood... any thoughts? My kitchen has two entry ways to the outside, so folks coming in with wet and dirty feet is pretty frequent. Also, my kitchen designer complains about how hard it is to keep his prefinished wood floors looking clean...I guess dirt and crumbs find their way into the grooves between the planks. Any comments on keeping wood looking clean?
    • 13 years ago
      Keeping wood looking clean is a concern for me too. BUT IT IS JUST SO PRETTY!!! A drop of water or dust leaves wood needing constant attention. Where a nice (rough surface tile) is more forgiving until you are ready to get on the floor and scrub it! Wood look tile is a great option! To late for me, not for you!
    • PRO
      13 years ago
      You said your wood floor is an engineered product. Some manufacturers say that their product can be refinished but it depends on the wear layer...the layer of real wood on the top. Anything less than 1/8" cannot be refinished and the floor must be removed when the finish goes (and it will). There is no difference between hardwood on engineered flooring and the real wood flooring...same material. The harder the wood, the longer it lasts. Feeny probably has quartersawn oak floors...hardest of all. Engineered wood floors have grooves because they are prefinished. Real wood floors are sanded and finished in place so there are very few areas, if any, that can collect dirt and muck. It sits on top.

      About tile, even a rectified tile, or guaged tile must have a grout line. Yes, we can set them with a 1/16" of grout, but it is still a groove in the floor....that attracts dirt and muck. Rustic tiles, rough stuff, requires a larger grout joint and sanded grout. Even rougher and more attractive to dirt and grime. Grout is not smooth like tile...it attracts and holds dirt, which is why there are products like Tilex and CSR. I hope this doesn't confuse the issue and helps in your decision.
    • 13 years ago
      It is birch and 1/2" thick....good to know it could be redone at least once!!
    • PRO
      13 years ago
      It makes sense to use brazilian slate in the kitchen, where slip resistance and durability are important.
    • 12 years ago
      We too are considering Toscana Moon Night and would like to know your experience with it. Has it held up well?
    • 12 years ago
      I have been disappointed. This is not our first wood floor, and has scratched ridiculously easily. The look awful unless a fresh coat of gloss has been applied. I have considered calling the manufacturer to set up a warranty claim. Wish I had a better report.
    • 12 years ago
      Other than surface scratches, it has held up to water in the kitchen.
    • 12 years ago
      Looks like this all over.
    • 12 years ago
      Thank you for the feedback. I really liked the look and price of the Toscana. However, we are looking to install it in the kids' rooms and the fact that it scratches easily may be a deal breaker.
    • 12 years ago
      Have had Maple hardwood flooring in a house we built, very light blonde color, maple is a very hard wood. We used unfinished 3/4" strip maple and finished with a clear water-based product (I don't remember the name of the product} We loved them! for the 9 years we spent there. The flooring was applied on a cement slab foundation, (this can be a hard surface on the feet and legs) but so is tile! We are now in a 1910 house with a raised foundation which we are in the process of remodeling. I am again begging for a 3/4" strip floor. The color of the wood floor can be key! The lighter the color, the less scratches you see, and conversely, the darker the color wood, the more noticeable the scratches! Also, when a prefabbed wood flooring is used, the color surface is very thin. The wood floors of the "days of old" were full thickness strip wood, that is why they are still beautiful today! Hope this helps. Good Luck
    • 9 years ago

      When we built our addition,1980, new kitchen and great room, we had a light real wood floor in the kitchen. In that time frame we raised two girls and 2 grandchildren. Had the floors refinished 2 times. Last time we had 5 coats of sealer put on it. That really protected the floors. Sold house this year and the floors were still in great shape. moved to mobile home (downsizing) and the floors are prefabbed dark wood looking. They scratch real easy. Covered the scratches with furniture crayon. Can't see scratches any more. Now use slippers on floor to keep the marks to a minimum. Also wash floors every week. Loved the real wood floors,

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