@rivervalley I enjoy reading the different perspectives! It wouldn't be a poll if this wasn't a divided issue. I love wood floors, I just don't enjoy them in my kitchen. But, I'm also a mom with kids that like to help me in the kitchen. So, every time that one of my pans falls and dents the floor I cringe. Wood or tile, I'm sure the kitchen will turn out beautiful. @Lindsey congratulations on your home, whatever choice you make in the end, I hope you love it!

Go with hardwood. It does not look chopped up, mostly when your kitchen is connected to a family room. It will make the area look more open. I have hardwood installed 5 years ago, love every minute if it. Take care of it and it will remain nice.

Hardwood in a minute. I've had both and tile is very hard on the back. Hardwood is easier to keep clean, too.

I posted earlier, but I have to add. (I have hardwood thru out the house) We have raised our kids, now teenagers, had a cat, multiple dogs. My floor has not dented due to things being dropped. There are a few scratches,but not bad. I think it adds character. I find cleaning them not an issue. Have tile in both bathrooms. Each has their pros and cons. It all depends on your own personal taste.

Have you considered Linoleum? You can do so much with it and its a green product!

Everyone keeps saying that hardwood never goes out of style but it does...just like everything else, then it come back again (also like everything else). Remember the 60-80's when every house in America had their wood floors covered with carpet (eek!). I understand everyone's reasoning for liking wood even in wet and high traffic areas but I've had wood most of my life and the deep scrapes from pets and mindlessly moved furniture and the water stains, etc. I will never have wood in my kitchen or entry way again. Even if that means I have to break up a space, I would always rather have tile. And just like with wood, there are plenty of types of tile/stone that are classic just like there are plenty of wood and tile styles that will easily be dated. Wood is popular right now for good reason but you should always pick what you like and what works for your space and needs.

Yes, cabinet guy, I am back :). Sooo...we are going to do hardwood throughout. I found some that I love! Buuut...it's birch and hear birch is not the toughest of hardwoods? Do you think I can get away with using it throughout? I really want to...

I'm not "cabinet guy"... but Birch is NOT the toughest kid on the block in the hardwood division...
Not to mention the fact that (IMHO) it's not all that conducive to taking stains evenly... although when someone's using a HEAVILY pigmented stain... that detail is "masked" somewhat.

It's just a guess, but I'm betting you're not looking at the "specie" as much as you are the COLOR... and that's not always a good idea.
Just my 2 cents...

Was wall to wall carpet really popular through the 1980's SofaWorks? I remember my mother ripping out our harvest gold shag carpet in 1974 to refinish the underlying wood floors and use tribal area rugs. But maybe she was off trend or ahead of her time, and it is true, our CA '50's ranch house had carpet throughout during the 60's and early 70's. But I'm really hoping we don't return to that era..... at least not in flooring.

@SofaWorks...
I'm one of those people who claim that "hardwood never goes out of style"... and I guess, by your reasoning, that may be subject to debate.

My reasoning is that, even though, as you suggest, in the 60-80's wood floors were carpeted... their popularity STILL becomes apparent by the sheer test of time.
Ergo... then they were being USED but covered up... whereas NOW they are being used and NOT covered up.
Then they were utilitarian... now they are decorative as well as functional.

My reasoning would suggest that, for example... the "Pet Rock" has gone out of style... because they're not available unless I go down to the American River to pick one up ... I'll not find one in the store available for purchase.
Hmmm... note to self... go to the American River tomorrow.

Select is sooo right. I've restored houses with original wood floors that were over 160 years old...in the US, that's OLD! They were 12" poplar...not the best choice for hardness (possibly the worst!). But they refinished like a dream.

I like travertine tile for the kitchen.

This has been interesting reading all this, we will be building a new house next year, and the front/south side will be heated con..so I am looking and thinking about how use the flow and what to use for the rest of the house>>

We are finally building our "dream" house. Hubby and I have talked about building as "green or sustainable" as possible for years. Now's our opportunity. I had tile in 2 previous homes we lived in and I really hate it because I was in the kitchen all day and my feet and back would ache afterwards. Plus, anything that got dropped, even from a few inches, was a goner - think 1 year old trying to help you unload your dishwasher. I have been considering cork as I know it would feel much better under foot, but I would be ok with a sustainable hardwood that is "soft" underfoot. Any thoughts about either and who some reputable manufacturers would be? Thanks.

Lindsey, you are right to be careful with birch flooring. Most birch flooring I find is made in China, is a soft species, unlike sweet birch. I have been told that it is specifically selected because it is easy to distress(due to it being soft) and can mimic the look of maple. They used to label theses floors Chinese maple. If you like the look of that floor then try a maple floor in its place. You will be much happier with the appearance and performance. If you let me know where you live I can suggest some quality floors at a great price.

Also, Lindsey, our firm sources and installs all types of hard surface, wood, stone, laminate, cork and I believe each has its place depending on your budget, design style and lifestyle. There is no "ONE" perfect flooring type. With that said, I do follow some basic rules that I share with my clients. Wood is my favorite floor and by far the predominate floor in my own home but do not install it in wet areas, such as bathrooms with frequently used shower and tub or laundry rooms. Kitchen or half baths are fine. If you ant to make your home feel larger, chose wood or laminate and minimize the different types of floors used.

@Peyton flooring, do you have any recommendations for Lethbridge, Alberta. CANADA. ?

Lindsey - I would absolutely be willing to help you select your product. If you want email me and give me an idea of your budget I can tell you what products would provide the best performance for your investment. 6peytonsflooring@gmail.com

hardwood or laminate all the way

I put laminate flooring in my kitchen.....big mistake..it is comfortable to stand on but has not worn well. Definitely, hardwood is a much better choice.

I think it depends on the laminate how well it wears. See if you can get a large sample that you can test by scratching, staining etc, before you make your final decision.

I had same question a while back. We bought a new build house. At the time of selecting decor we asked the builder for wood flooring throughout main floor ( open concept). The kitchen and eat in area have tile. Builder asking for double $$ what it would cost if we did it ourselves. They didn't allow us to do it ourselves.. They have to complete house as per specs. I hate the thought of having to drill tiles out and replace with wood floor in a brand new home. We even tried to negotiate with flooring company but they wouldn't go against builder 's original design. I would prefer wood flooring. See attached pic of tile being installed and wood flooring rest of main floor

I vote wood look porcelain tile planks. Rectified tile for minimal 1/16th inch grout lines.

@rdigiacinto...
Not to interfere, but we've had similar "situations" for years working with both builders & homeowners alike...
We found that on many occasions, the builder UPCHARGE for our products was simply unreasonable as well as cost prohibitive for the homeowner.
Many times, it actually made US... the flooring manufacturer... appear to be the greedy "pirate".
Some folks were able to see thru the smokescreen... for example we have a recent client in Southern CA, who agreed with you regarding tile removal... which can be a nightmare.

They had the "builder" simply install the low end carpet throughout, with the plan of removing it all after taking possession of the home.
Tile in the baths remained, but we came in after the carpet was pulled and proceeded installing a nice prefinished hand-scraped WALNUT plank floor produced to the customer's specifications.

Seems like a logical approach that worked well for the homeowner.

We did 16" tiles which are gorgeous - impervious to moisture and they don't show dirt. The downsides -- uneven edges required wide joints which quickly turn from ivory to brown and are a nightmare to clean; if you drop something it will always break; if you're on your feet in the kitchen for more than a few hours it kills the back. I would not do laminated in the kitchen - we have it in an office and had to replace it when a small amount of moisture crept in and curled it. I love the look of stamped concrete but it has the same hardness issues as tile. In my next house (ha ha), I might do linoleum or tile with smaller joints. Wood is so warm, but I worry about the water issues.

perpetualtodo...
As sorry as I am to hear that you aren't happy with your tile, personally... I appreciate your candor & reinforcing what some/many of us in the hardwood floor biz TRY to forewarn about.
Regarding your mention of "water issues" with hardwood flooring... all I can say is that barring a disaster such as plumbing failures or rising waters due to global warming (lol)... the finishes & choices in the better QUALITY hardwood flooring realm are very user friendly, and I haven't heard anyone complain of water problems in the 37 years I've been manufacturing them.

But, as I always say... the product choice can & should be made in consideration of one's lifestyle... and lastly, LOW cost should NEVER be the driving force in the decision making process... regardless of what floor type one choose.
The only assured benefit to buying the cheap stuff is that it might sting a little less while one is suffering buyers remorse.

Select Hardwood ... I would wrap myself in hardwood, if there was a way to get a zipper in it.

perpetualtodo...

Believe me... being wrapped in hardwood (shavings & dust?) is not all it's cracked up to be...haha

http://www.houseplansbydsms.com/increase-home-resale-value/
Wood floors are extremely vulnerable to water damage. You can coat them and protect them, but the moisture finds its way to the edges and bottom much of the time.

Maintenance is high since wear is high in the kitchen. Just regular foot traffic on wood floors can show after a year, let alone nail scratches from the dogs(if you have any). You are stuck with them until you refinish the floor, which is a big, dusty job that incapacitates your kitchen for days.

It is a beautiful look, but not a practical one for the family. Tile resists scratches and spills, but the grout is another story. It can be sealed, but that is never 100% effective. Grout can be cleaned easier than the wood can be resurfaced. It is rare for kitchens or bathrooms to have real wood floors. It can be done, but at greater expense and maintenance.

I hope this helps.

My in-laws restored a 17th century farm house with reclaimed plank flooring. Pop was an amateur chef, and the kitchen was filled with people almost every night of the week. The floors held up great, and every plank had its own personality. I swear it was the floor that made everyone look good, not the lighting! While I realize that children and dogs dramatically change the trauma for a wood floor, I remain optimistic. Non porous materials can satisfy the pragmatists, but wood can speak to your heart like nothing else I've seen - or touched - or rubbed - or ... well, I guess I should stop here. :-)

Hardwood all the way!

We've used distressed reclaimed flooring dark oiled for our kitchen and the wear and tear just makes it more attractive in our view. Little scratches and spills can be corrected easily with a spot of oil but more importantly it just looks like it's meant to be like this. It might be different with a more polished wooden floor though. A real wooden floor has wonderful warmth to it and is beautiful to walk on with bear feet even when it's colder outside.

and if you don't have bear feet bare feet will do too!

I love hardwood in the kitchen for several reasons...It expands the space, connects it with adjoining rooms, the room size is flexible so you can easily pull out a table for a large gatherings, appears larger since there are no thresholds, easy to care for, and if you are concerned about humidity/moisture levels, choose an engineered hardwood.

Be careful with humidity and would floors. My wood floors were buckling and I could not for the life of me figure out why. Then I realized I never turned off my humidifier from winter! Live and learn!

Have hardwood flooring in a white kitchen for 13 years and love it. I takes more care taking than tiles, which I have in the foyer, but it adds warms and comfort. I don't have any pets, however.

Anybody have suggestions of what wood species is best to use in kitchen? Something that is harder to scratch and will hold up better to Dropped pans, knifes, water. I do that kinda thing;)

Quarter sawn white oak is a classic and very durable hardwood for a kitchen. But you can also look at the Janka scale for the hardness ratings of different woods.

I have Hickory Engineered Hardwood which is harder than oak and has some nice characteristics in the wood that make it withstand any gouges if something sharp did fall and make such a mark. Our floor withstood a flood from a hot dishwasher when the wrong soap was used (KIDS!!!) We sucked up the water and it dried with little evidence of the hot water. Solid hardwood would not have faired as well.

Hardwood would be my preference.

Bamboo is a great alternative.

@Peg, yum, I love bamboo and installed it in the master bedroom. That was about 10 years ago, so I'm sure the quantity of suppliers and diversity of styles has increased since then. One note to be aware of, based on our experience only ... we purchased at a national flooring chain. Bamboo was being sold as a sustainable hardwood, harder than maple, oak, etc. We bought pre-finished planks. Installation was exactly the same as other hardwood. But just because bamboo is "hard" doesn't mean it's more impervious to dings and scratches - in fact, ours takes a mark from the slightest thing. Another supplier said that a lot of bamboo is being fabricated into planks while it's still too new - ie.., soft. And I must agree with the logic. I personally removed about 200 invasive bamboo trees from my mother's yard, and kept the thickest/straightest trunks. After 3 years they were usable as curtain rods, and now (15 years later) they are virtually indestructible. So - somewhere inside that time range is a good "aging" time for planks, I suspect. Anyway, enjoy!!

I have a 12 yr old 4 1/2 lb. yorkie , me & sick husband with copd & emphysema, got rid of cancer, not much company. building 2000 sq ft house on full basement in hill. having hard time deciding on tile or wood. afraid my yorkie will slip on wood & really like the rustic tile thats a little ruff. any suggestions?

I have hardwood throughout whole house. Love it. I have 2 dogs, bichon and terrier. no issue. You can use area rugs

Drema this is an old thread so not sure how many replies you will get. Not sure how to tactfully put this, but have you considered what type of floor will work best for wheelchairs or other medical equipment ? If you go with tile use a large size so you have fewer grout lines to deal with.

This is why I am never having wood or wood-like flooring in wet areas again... We had a massive leak and if I'd had tile, this wouldn't have been as big of an issue...

Hardwood flooring in the kitchen photos to inspire you ;-)

I love the hardwood in my kitchen. If you get a leak, make sure your insurance covers such things. It is probably a homeowners issue.

hi Lindsey do you have any pictures of what you chose in the end? I have the exact same IKEA Adel kitchen and I don't know what to do with the flooring!

If you do not have pets and kids ... I would recommend hardwood. With a family of 5 (including a med to large size dog) I would recommend tile.