Fear of Frying!
by Ron Call
Many times through the years as I’m measuring a customer’s home for new flooring the same question arises time after time. I think I might want hardwood in my kitchen but I’m afraid of it getting wet. There are many factors to consider when choosing new flooring such as cost, appearance, wear etc. Each type of flooring whether choosing wood, laminate, tile, sheet vinyl or vinyl composite tile (VCT) all have advantages as well as drawbacks.
Tile is hard under the foot when standing and cooking and is cold on your feet when you’re making your morning coffee at 6 am. If the rest of your home and adjacent areas like your dining room or breakfast nook have beautiful hardwood, using sheet vinyl or VCT will probably detract from the overall look of your home. Have no fear; I’ve installed hundreds of kitchens with great success. Here are a few things to keep in mind when your floor is being installed. Make sure your contractor fills the entire perimeter (expansion gap) at cabinets behind the refrigerator and around islands with flexible clear silicone. This will prevent spilled water from getting underneath your floating floor or you’re glued down floor. Even a major spill can be mopped up before you can do much damage. Also never use inexpensive water based adhesive to glue down your hardwood floor in possible wet areas. Use a good urethane adhesive like Urban Four. I’ve seen glued down engineered floors completely flooded that once dried sustained no visible damage. Also if you’re a do-it-yourselfer and you’re planning on using one of the new glue less fold and lock floating floors in your home just use a little waterproof Titebond wood adhesive in the tongue and groove when you’re installing in the kitchen. This will prevent topical spills from seeping between the planks giving you time to mop up the spill. Lastly make sure you have a couple left over boxes of the original wood stored away in your home in case a few planks need replacing. Bon appetit..