Wood floors are lovely in a kitchen and not as hard on the feet and back as tile floors, Harder woods would be better than softer woods like pine as the pine marks very easily. Not a bad thing if you like the look and patina but not the best choice if you don't like scratches and ding marks. If you have spills it's a good thing to wipe them up right away. We had wood in our kitchen for thirteen years and we loved it and wish we had it in this house. When we change the floors we will go back to wood.

No doubt you will get a wide variety of comments and some with say go for wood and some will say definitely no.

Utlimately do your research and choose a product that will suit your needs and go for what you love. Every product will have it's advantages and disadvantages.

Good luck and I hope you find something you love.

I have always run the same wood flooring throughout. Honestly I find tiles are miserable to keep the grout new and clean looking.

wood floors.......

Pauline, very common question. Many have asked this exact question, you can get lots of good ideas on the other threads as well. We went with a light hardwood maple floor, throughout the kitchen, dining room, and living room.

Hardwood in the kitchen is lovely, unless you have small kids and dogs. Tile is hard on the feet. You have to wear good shoes if you cook a lot. But tile floors can also be heated in strategic places, and it's ok to mix tile and wood. Like for instance entrance, kitchen and bathrooms in tile and the rest in wood, including the stairs.

...there is also a new grout out which is easy to apply and does not stain. And it's cheaper than other grout. See www.techpowergrout.com

Think about bamboo. It comes in a lot of colors and styles, is a green product, very tough, and I've heard it doesn't swell if it gets wet.

Be careful with Bamboo, it isn't holding up as well as they hoped. Also it as to come from a certain area of China to be a good quality. Personally I think that it looks nothing as good as a real wood floor. Real wood, BTW can warp with heat or moisture, so have a look at engineered wood flooring. It is completely stable.

I'd prefer painted plywood before engineered. Tile is a killer on cooks feet!

Helga and Ironwood are on point with this one. Bamboo floor cant be refinished and include all kinds of chemicals from China. If you want a floor that will last for generations a solid 3/4" site finished floor will do just that. You can refinish and change stains many times.

Have to put in another vote for hardwood throughout the house, including the kitchen. We love ours and have had no trouble with it, and our floors are 90 years old.

Not to disagree with Eutree ...but I read that the surface of bamboo flooring can be refinished....anyone else have info on this?

Yes, Bamboo can be refinished, more than once. But be sure to get a good quality, no box store.

@Helga Simmons Int. Design..Thank you! I was reading up on it, noticed it did seem dependent on quality of the product!!

You are welcome, Jayme. I love good quality in everything. It's always worth it. My Grandmother used to say: "We don't have money to buy cheap". Unfortunaltely, this is a "throw-away-society" society and many people want to "toss" things after a couple of years.

Thanks for all the feedback... will post pictures with the final product! I love the look of running hardwood.. just need to get my hubby on board! Can anyone help with that? LOL..

Pauline, for our remodel, we're using a light maple hardwood throughout (except for the 2.5 bathrooms). Look forward to your new photos! :)

it seems real hatdwood is where your mind is... but have you considered laminate? there are ratings on laminate that allows you to get a floor that is more durable than hardwood. ratings of AC3 are not so great but AC4 and AC5 are amazing. we just did a floor in AC4 (light commercial rating) and wow!.... i actually set 2 pieces in a container of water for hours then set them in front of a heater for hours to dry out.... i expected to see damage but there wasnt the slightest sign of damage anywhere and they locked together perfectly. I was amazed. and the colors you can get are gorgeous! I only paid $2.50 a sq ft. If you want hubby onboard take him to a flooring store and get a sales person to discuss AC4 &AC5 laminates. .... never to be refinished and no worries of damage.

It is always a good idea to minimize the types of flooring you use in a home. It produces a nice flow, and allows you to vary your paint colors from room to room.

Real wood flooring (as opposed to laminates) will last a lifetime and increase the value and appeal of your home. Realtors recommend laminate in a home with a value that is below the median price of homes in your metro area. It doesn't pay to over improve.

You can purchase both solid and engineered products that are certified as sustainable. Choose the type that your contractor suggests is appropriate for your application. And, be sure to hire a National Wood Flooring Association member. Your wood floor manufacturer may even require it to maintain the material warrantee.

I know some people cringe when they hear laminate, but in an active home with kids, dogs, rollerblades, hockey sticks, spills, etc....I am so grateful we have it!

Oh Jayme!.....I'm cringing!

@Ironwood...Not everything is forever! LOL...at some point, we prob. will upgrade! It was in our house when we bought it...he hee!

If I were installing new or reinstalling..I too would choose hardwood of some kind...made that remark off the cuff without taking the whole discussion into consideration....forgive me for my faux pas please!