I am doing a kitchen remodel project + plan to install hardwood floors in my kitchen. My house is an 1891 Victorian in San Francisco. The floors in the remainder of the house are 5/16" thick x 2" wide oak (original) with ebony stain (dark stain). The contractor is suggesting 3/4" Oak in the kitchen with the same ebony stain as the rest of the house. Regardless of the thickness of the wood, he will apply 3 coats of Pallmann pal x 98 waterborne finish which is intended for heavy duty commercial application.

The question - should I install 5/16" oak wood in the kitchen to keep the flow between the living room + kitchen constant? Using 3/4" in the kitchen will require an additional transition piece between the kitchen + living room as there will be approximately 1/2" difference in thickness. Another consideration...I'm opening up the space between the kitchen + living room to make the area flow better + feel more open. My only concern - will the 5/16" oak wood in the kitchen warp over time due to water damage? Will I end up in a situation where I need to replace the floors within 5-10 years? Or, will the heavy duty waterborne finish take care of these concerns? Basically, I'm trying to decide if I should forgo function (3/4" = more durability) for design / better flow (5/16" to match rest of house).