Kitchen Floor

[mokey]

Has anyone replace their kitchen floor with a laminate or hardwood? How is it holding up and would you do it again. Thanks for the input,

[mokey]

bump

[Uptown Girl]

We inherited oak hardwood (like a basketball court) in the large kitchen of our last home. The floor got used.... a LOT in the six years we lived there. I did a lot of waxing to keep it looking good.
I felt very fortunate that we never had a pipe, disposal or dishwasher leak. Water can do some real damage to solid wood planking.

Water can TOTALLY ruin a laminate plank, unless it is designed with a specific type of water-resistant tongue and groove channel. Most laminate planking does not provide this feature. Engineered hardwood does not either.

We currently have a vinyl sheet goods- type product in the kitchen of our TV home. Should something leak, the damage should be minimal. We inherited this floor as well and I am liking it more than I thought I would!
It WILL ding if you drop something sharp, but it is comfortable on the knees and bare feet, quiet and a breeze to maintain.

And... easy to change out later if we choose.

[mrsyarbie]

I like the look of my hardwood floor but here in The Villages it is engineered they told me to withstand more moisture because of the climate. It changes the look a bit. However I would not do it over again. It shows dust constantly and dirt as well. I constantly worry about scratches. I would have tile everywhere instead.

[ijusluvit]

We have engineered hardwood everywhere but the ceramic baths. We didn't want either to replace the vinyl in the kitchen, so we put in light marble block design laminate. It is terrific. The contrast with the wood it joins is just what we were looking for. It requires no special upkeep, is soft on the feet, and impervious to spills and falling objects. Glasses and jars have been dropped on it and they didn't break. We got the type with the sealed tongue and groove. I've seen no evidence of seepage through the joints when there have been liquid spills.

We used to think of laminate as just a cheap imitation of wood, but we think this new stuff is pretty classy and ideal for a kitchen.

[gomoho]

If you drop an ice cube and don't pick it up before it melts, my experience has been a disaster. Floor curls up where the water penetrated. I wasn't too lazy to pick it up - just missed it before it melted!

[Bryant]

Be careful in selecting your color. We chose brazilian cherry for the entire house (minus bathrooms). It looks very rich and we are complimented often. However, I am constantly spritzing areas in the kitchen (with water/vinegar solution) to remove water spots...especially in front of the sink and refrigerator. If I had to do it again, I would choose a lighter color, one that wouldn't show every little thing. I swiffer several times/week.