Deciding on the look of your home takes a good amount of time and thought process. When it comes to longevity and durability, you really must research well and take a call. Now let us see how good is tile flooring and that too for your kitchen. You may have witnessed this type of flooring at your friend’s home or anywhere else, but there are ample things you must know before you can also get it done.
Consider the below points before deciding between tiles or hardwood flooring:
- Budget
- Interiors of your home
- Durability
- Maintenance
I will list out the pros and cons of each flooring against each of these points above.
Budget:
The options you have for tiles are enormous. The fact that there is a wide range of design options in tiles is a candid proof that they are so popular among a lot of households when it comes to kitchen flooring. The kind of budget involved is such that it suits whatever you have in mind. So, it is affordable in terms of budget. Hardwood flooring is slightly expensive than the tile flooring and has always an advantage of refinishing and repairs if needed.
Interior design style of your home:
A majority of the interior design companies are providing numerous options to match the kitchen style accordingly with the tile or hardwood floor of the rest of the house. Floor designers understand the current trend in your house and suggest accordingly that can match your taste and preference. Tile flooring can also enhance the look of your house. Here, I would say there is a draw between the tile and hardwood.
Durability:
The durability is high for both tile as well as hardwood flooring, though there are certain issues like the tiles comes out on top. A lot of people choose cheap tiles in the household where there is a high traffic simply for the fear of broken tiles. So, spend a good amount to get a better quality of tiles for your kitchen. You can look for porcelain for toughness. Hardwood floor lasts for a lifetime as the longevity of a hardwood floor is such. However, this flooring will dent, scratch and scuff in a household where the traffic is higher. This problem can be addressed by choosing a rustic look and the use of textured wood. It is also recommended to opt lighter tones or natural wood look so that the dust or damage does not show up so easily and will not be noticeable. The hardwood flooring would not cause any problems as long as there are no major mishaps like sink leakage, issues with the drain of your washing machine or a problematic refrigerator. As long as there is not water and wood don’t mix, mop immediately if liquids spill on the floor.
Ease of cleaning:
I would say, it is easy to clean both the tile and a hardwood floor. The tile flooring is much easier to clean however, it is forgotten that it is harder to keep the tile grout clean. Over a period of time, these grout lines accumulate dirt and are almost impossible to clean. Such problems can be resolved by adding a grout sealant after installation and good to renew it on a regular basis. Hardwood flooring has the ease of maintenance. As long as there are no gaps between the floorboards, the dirt cannot accumulate but once, such gaps form, there is a possibility of dirt accumulation
Health Benefits:
The tile flooring is cold and hard to stand on and work. Homeowners experience back pain if their work is for long hours standing on the floor. Hardwood floors in the kitchen provide better temperature control by keeping the kitchen warm. It provides better shock absorption compared to the tile flooring. Doctors also recommend hardwood flooring for patients who go through chronic back pain injuries.
I covered most of the points that will help in making a decision. These points will definitely ease your thought process. Apart from all the above points, your personal preference plays a huge role in choosing a particular design element in your home. Whatever you pick should accentuate the look as well as that needs least maintenance.
