Home & Garden

Design dilemma: The best flooring for your kitchen

Design dilemma: The best flooring for your kitchen

Photo courtesy of Courtesy of Carlisle Flooring Image by: Photo courtesy of Courtesy of Carlisle Flooring Author: Canadian Living

Home & Garden

Design dilemma: The best flooring for your kitchen

Q: I really like the look of hardwood flooring, but I've been warned against using it in the kitchen. 
I don't want to settle for laminate. Are there any other options?
— R.S., Brantford, ON


A: Many people love the warmth and elegance of wood floors in a kitchen, but durability is a concern. Water can damage any type of flooring, so humidity levels must be controlled in kitchen and bath environments.

Your best bet is engineered wood flooring: a thin veneer of real wood adhered to a composite wood plank. This option offers the thickness of a solid wood plank at a considerably lower price tag. The planks are sold sanded, stained and protected—often with up to 15 coats of UV-protectant varnish, making them scratch- and fade-resistant. As easy to install as laminate planks, they're a good option to use all over the house, even in the kitchen. Expect to pay $8 to $20 per square foot for the product, and an 
additional $4 to $8 per square foot for professional installation.

For more solutions to your design dilemmas, read what Karl Lohnes has to say about picking a couch.

                                               

This story was originally titled "Design Dilemma" in the June 2014 issue.
           
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Design dilemma: The best flooring for your kitchen

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