A wooden floor brings a warm and inviting touch to any room. Wooden floors can be quite versatile, making a room either more contemporary, farmhouse-inspired. You can even pay homage to the past with reclaimed wood. A beautiful wood floor can add a tremendous amount of value to a home. When carpeting or flooring needs to be replaced, many would flock to add wood floors to the room not only for style points but for the property value-added.
This is even true for a kitchen. While most kitchens have been made with laminate or tile flooring due to its practicality, more and more, wooden flooring in a kitchen is becoming a trend. It can add cohesion with the rest of the home, it’s warmer on the feet, and it simply just looks nice. That being said, there are some advantages and disadvantages of having wooden floors in the kitchen.
Wood can complement any kitchen regardless of your aesthetic. It can also seep up a lot of the activity a kitchen sees, with heavy foot traffic, lots of food and fluids sloshing around, and the typical dust and dirt that any floor sees. It’ll take some effort to make having a wooden floor in your kitchen worth the money it costs, and worth the aesthetic points you can earn on your home.
With the tendency for spills and messes to hit the kitchen floor, as well as the heat that encapsulates a kitchen through cooking, your wooden floors can start to warp and bubble over time. There are some tips you can follow to try and avoid any of this damage. There are also simple solutions for some of the common problems having a wooden floor in your kitchen can cause.
1. Sweep Your Floors Daily
Sweeping can be quite a chore, but you don’t want to misjudge just how important it can be in the maintenance of your wooden floors. Dust can settle into the cracks and crevices of your floors. If you leave it for a while, it can build up into a layer of grime that will muddy the shine and sheen of your floors.
Take a couple of minutes a day to quickly sweep your floors or even better vacuum it using a hardwood floor cleaning machine to get rid of the day’s dust and dirt. Opt for a cleaner with softer bristles, as harsh ones can cause little scratches that may not be detectable until it’s too late.
2. Don’t Let Spills And Liquids Linger
When you’re scurrying around the kitchen trying to get dinner prepared, you might just brush off cleaning up spills and messes and wait until you’re done. Trying to stay on top of spills as much as you can is a simple way to protect the look of your floors.
Liquids of any sort are not great for your wooden floors. They not only tarnish the look of the wood but the integrity of it as well.
3. Mop Carefully Every Week
In order to take care of anything your broom can’t handle, you want to run the mop over your wooden floors weekly. It’s amazing what a quick mop can do to dramatically enhance the look of your floors, especially with all the traffic it could see in as little as one week.
However, it’s crucial that you mop carefully. If you over saturate your mop, you’ll push a lot of water into the wood which could cause extensive damage. Excess water could warp the wood and cause it to bubble. In order to avoid water damage, be sure to wipe your floors dry with a cloth or towel after mopping.
4. Use Mats In High Traffic/High Moisture Areas
You may not be too excited about covering up your beautiful wooden floors in any capacity, but it’s a good idea. Having mats in high traffic areas, or areas that see a lot of spills can help prevent some of the unwanted damage that can make a wooden floor look less than desirable.
The nice thing about mats for the kitchen is that they can be found in gorgeous colours and designs, so you don’t have to sacrifice style for function. Anti-fatigue mats placed in areas where you do a lot of standing, such as at the sink or the stove, can also make those household chores a lot more bearable by offering some soft cushion for your feet.
5. Protect Floors From Constant Sun
You may not realize it, but the sun shining through that big window in your kitchen can cause damage to your wooden floors. If your floor is in the sun constantly, even through a window, the colour will start to change. Essentially, the strong UV rays can “bleach” your floors, making parts of them appear lighter than they are supposed to.
The only way to try and avoid this as much as possible is to have window coverings for any window that has the sun shining through it. You will want to keep them closed during the day when the sunlight is strongest as much as possible. Of course, having the natural light in the kitchen is nice, so you can leave it open sometimes. However, balance is key to ensuring the sun doesn’t damage your wooden floors.
6. Waterproof Your Flooring
This is not essential but can be one way to protect your wooden floors from water stains and damage. If you use your kitchen a lot or cook a lot, it may be a good idea to look into waterproofing your floors. There are polyurethanes and resins on the market for this specific purpose.
Before waterproofing your flooring, you want to ensure it’s as clean as possible so the product can do its job effectively. You’ll want to sand the floor with some sandpaper to smooth it out, and then clean it again. Your floor will then be ready to get sealed with your waterproofing oil of choice. Just be sure to follow the instructions carefully, and open a window for proper ventilation.
7. Repair Scratches And Scuffs Immediately
Scratches and scuffs are inevitable for any floor, but unfortunately, they tend to show pretty prominently on wood. A little scratch can go a long way in terms of how it affects the look of your floor. If you notice a scratch or a scuff, no matter how small, take care of it as soon as possible to avoid it leading to further damage.
For scuffs, they tend to be quite easy to remove. You can take a damp cloth or a magic eraser and wipe it away. For scratches, they can be a little tougher to deal with, but they are not impossible to rectify. There are actually wood markers on the market that are quite inexpensive and come in a variety of colours, and you can simply colour in the scratch to make it disappear.
8. Seal Your Flooring
Having your kitchen floor sealed is a smart preventative measure to ensure it doesn’t withstand too much damage from spills and scratches. It would be wise to opt for an oil-based sealant for your wooden floors in the kitchen. This will offer optimal protection against all the activities a normal kitchen sees. Be sure to allow ample time for your sealant to dry, regardless of what type you use.
9. Buff And Polish Your Flooring Occasionally
If your wooden floor is looking a little tired, giving it a good buff and polish will wake it up. A buffer will make your floor look clean and revitalized, and give it a newfound shine. You may have to rent or hire a buffer if you don’t already have one, but it’s much more affordable than having to refinish the entire thing.
Polishing the floor will add an extra touch of shine to your floor, making it look much fresher and cleaner. You can choose from a glossy polish or a matte polish, depending on your preference. A matte polish tends to complement reclaimed wood or older styles, while gloss works well with a dark floor.
10. If All Else Fairs, Get Your Floor Refinished
Refinishing a wooden floor can be a labour-intensive and costly process, and it needs to be done correctly and carefully. If you take care to maintain your floor, chances are, you won’t have to do this very often. If your floor has seen years of wear and tear, or perhaps you’re looking to sell your home, you may want to refinish it to transform the floor close to its original lustre.
These steps may seem like a lot to keep track of, but they are all quite simple to integrate into the regular maintenance of your home. The payoff is definitely worth it to have a lovely wooden floor in your kitchen. Show your wooden floor some love, and it will love you back.
About the author of this article
Leslie is a Mats and Rugs home decor blogger. She has hands-on experience in assisting people in creating ageless, charming, attainable interiors with rugs and carpets of all types.
