You’re remodeling or building your New Zealand kitchen, and now you’re faced with the dilemma: should you use tiles or wood for floors?
Flooring isn’t cheap and is time-consuming, so your decision can make or break your coffers. It might also affect the overall resale value of your property in the future. To help you decide, learn to compare both in the following categories:
1. Cost
Solid wood is expensive. It can be at least $100 per square meter. Compare that to a floor tile, which can cost you around $70.
The good news is that you now have many wood options. For example, if you’re on a tight budget, you can go for engineered wood. This material is comprised of different layers of wood bonded together.
Another choice is marine plywood, which is light and easy to stain according to your preferred shade or color.
2. Installation
For a lot of people, tiles are easier to install than wood. For one, the latter may still require pre-treatment on-site. Tiles are also available in a variety of sizes, so they are less likely to need significant adjustments to fit the space.
Because tiles are more natural to work with, they may cost less when it comes to labor, and they can get the job done more quickly.
Some types of wood, though, feature groove joints. Not only do they serve as guides, but they also speed up the installation process.
3. Moisture Resistance
Moisture is the number one enemy of flooring. Unfortunately, kitchens can have high levels of it. Once it seeps through the floor, it may cause the material to rot.
It will also introduce mold and bacteria. You don’t want them in your kitchen.
Solid wood flooring is less likely to deal with moisture well than tiles. The material is organic, so it’s already prone to decomposition. The high absorption level can also cause it to bend or warp.
But sealing it usually with polyurethane can help minimize or even avoid the problem. It acts as a protective barrier against water.
While tiles, such as ceramic and porcelain, are more resistant to moisture. Still, they are not immune to damage. It happens when work is shoddy, leaving gaps between the flooring.
4. Traffic Capabilities
When it comes to foot traffic, the kitchen is probably among the top three. You need flooring that’s resistant to scratching and stains. Most of all, it is strong enough to handle a lot of people walking on it.
Different tiles can vary when it comes to PEI ratings. It means that it’s easier to find tile flooring that matches the heaviness of foot traffic and other kitchen activities. Wood flooring innovations, however, make the material also likely to withstand high foot traffic.
First of all, they are durable materials. With proper maintenance and installation, they can last for a lot of years. Second, they can deal with scratches and scuff marks. You can already find products that can conceal them quickly. Best of all, they are more comfortable to stand on than tiles, and they provide more warmth to your feet.
These days, it’s easy to pick tiles over wood. They seem to be cheaper, easier to install, moisture resistant, and capable of handling high foot traffic. If you look close enough, though, you’ll find that wood can be a good option, if not better a one.
