No wood is 'waterproof' in fact no flooring really is waterproof. Some floors can handle more water than others. Engineered flooring is more stable than solid flooring in conditions where moisture fluctuates. There are some woods that are harder than others. For example Oak or Hickory are harder woods than Walnut. A lot of people do put wood throughout the entire home, and have not had problems. You will need to be diligent about wiping up spills through, otherwise, overtime it could cause some problems.

I've had pets and site-finished hardwood floors now for a very long time - most recent ones are 17 years old and still look great. It depends on how one lives. If you have water splashed on your floor constantly and no one cleans it up, you will have problems. The pets cause no problem - I have a "Water Hog" mat at the door so they track in very little. Helps with two-pawed creatures, too!

I do use high gloss/gym floor finish. It wears far better than satin and is so easy to clean.

The concept of vinyl off-gassing is now an 'urban myth' at this point. It is an issue ONLY with the cheapos out of the 'nasty' factories in China (China can produce very good products OR really bad products...the price dictates which one you are looking at).

What you are looking for with vinyl is "Phthalates Free". Phthalates are the 'off-gas' products for vinyl. You want to stay away from them.

So long as you work with the HIGH end products ($4.50/sf or more) you will be fine. Remember: anything that comes in a "plank" will NOT be water proof. Every SEAM offers the *chance that a large puddle of liquid (think 1 gallon of milk on the floor over night) will sink through to the subfloor.

Sheet vinyl gets rid of that issue. Ceramic/porcelain/stone tiles get rid of that concern. Wood flooring does NOT get rid of that issue. A SITE FINISHED HARDWOOD can REDUCE the issue but it won't deal with the 'wet wood' problem (1 gallon milk over night).

You will also have to define (for yourself and for us) what "durable" means. In the flooring industry "durable" means it does not WEAR THROUGH. This is NOT what most homeowners mean by 'durable'. For MOST homeowners 'durable' means 'looks AMAZING' after 25 years.

I'm always hesitant to suggest 'wood' in a kitchen to someone who is scared of scratches, dents, dings, water hitting the floor, etc. Wood is an amazing product but it SHOWS WEAR. Again, 'wear' means scratches, dings, stains, etc. That is NOT the same as WEAR THROUGH.

Wear through means the FINISH of the product is GONE and the EXPOSED AGGREGATE (be it white/black vinyl, raw wood, raw cork, etc) is showing through. It means the FINISH has worn through to the raw material.

As you can see the INDUSTRY'S idea of durable is VERY different from most homeowner's ideas of 'durable'.

Can you define 'durable' for us? What are your GREATEST fears about a kitchen floor?

Thank you so much. I had solid oak in my last home and understand characteristics. Before selling, I used a Bona restore product self-applied, which revitalized it.
That was the only refinish type work that floor ever had. Was it perfect, no. it had wear over years, scratches, a few dents, it seemed to always have a film of dust even after cleaning it. Today, there are newer wood products to learn about. ********Durable to me means how a floor sustains everyday living. Fears - 1. Ceramic is hard. In a winter climate it is cold. Easy to clean. Very permanent. 2. Vinyl - A tile can be replaced. A sheet can not. Easiest to clean. I have seen a name brand vinyl that discolored around heat vents. Vinyl exists presently in house. It is a practical choice yet it does not excite 3. Engineered - If it had to be refinished, how many times would it last. Is it any more toxic than other products. How would it wear day to day with traffic patterns. Could small damage be fixed. A product I don't understand. 4. Solid wood - probably not ever the smartest choice in a kitchen even though I had it before. How it might hold up as a main traffic route and with the big dogs. Expensive, scary yet exciting because it is real. Thank you!

SJ, thank you for the gallon of milk example. With my last wood floor house I experienced a leaky dishwasher unknown and overni ght. It warped the wood yet no one noticed the damage if I didn't point out the bow. Now I will only buy a Bosch dishwasher. Your example is so helpful.

Install water sensors with automatic shutoff valves under the sink, at the dishwasher, and refrigerator. Some you can install yourself, without having to call a plumber.

Tile has been used for thousands of years. And is still usable in the archaeological digs which have exposed it. Are modern people so much more delicate about “hard” surfaces than ones who went virtually barefoot on it for their lifetimes? We even have cushy kitchen clogs available with famous chefs endorsement. The commercial restaurant world lives on quarry tiled floors because it’s the easiest to clean, non slip, and is the cheapest surface available long term. It’s functional. If they can do that for 12 hours days, anybody ought to able to for a 30 minute dinner prep.

Tile is easy to warm up with a warming system, or to put a rug down. It’s simply a non issue to those who wear shoes, or those who wear inside shoes. Or even those who go barefoot regularly and have the tough feet that goes with that.

4th century masterpieces.

After working in both restaurant kitchens and retail stores where the floors were tile I would NEVER have tile in a kitchen it is too hard on knees , feet and backs. Even tile is not truly waterproof if you have a flood. Wipe up spills when they happen and enjoy a floor you love. I have both laminate and vinyl plank in my home becuase I have 3 huge dogs that would have destroyed any wood floor in no time. There are many choices for vinyl that does no harmful off gassing . I need to know what the rest of the flooring is in the main living spaces off the kitchen.

Agree with Patricia. Had tile throughout my last home and after 20 years my feet and knees and back always hurt. I moved to a home with carpet and love that my heels are not screaming every night. The other issues I had with tile were grout stains, cracks (I was in Southern California and Tile can crack when you have an earthquake), and the number of dishes, glasses, serving pieces that broke. It is unforgiving. You drop a plate and the plate will be broken. Sometimes things that you drop also break the tile and in one instance a toddler fell and broke their front tooth.

I don't like carpet, so I am replacing the carpet with LVT. My sister had hardwood and when she built her new home she installed LVT and loves it. She has had LVT for about 6-8 years and it is in perfect condition. She told me that if she had it to do over the only thing she would change in her home is the paint color in the living room and she would have designed the kitchen without an island or with a much smaller island. She would make the same flooring decision again.

Engineered hardwood *CAN be refinished as many times as a solid hardwood - if you purchase the RIGHT TYPE. An engineered hardwood can be SITE FINISHED...if you purchase the right type.

Both of those 'types' are EXPENSIVE. The only reason engineered hardwood is 'recommended' for kitchens is it's DIMENSIONAL STABILITY. That's it. That's all. That's the WHOLE REASON.

In fact, engineered hardwoods are recommended in homes that have LESS THAN IDEAL indoor living conditions. The reason: DIMENSIONAL STABILITY.

The 'funny' thing is, a NARROW PLANK solid hardwood rift & quarter sawn does the SAME THING as engineered hardwood. It has DIMENSIONAL STABILITY. Rift and Quartersawn is a snick more expensive than a traditional cut....but no where NEAR as expensive as a high-end engineered hardwood floor. Not even close.

So....if you like the idea of solid hardwood AND you have had it before AND you are OK with a narrower plank (nothing trendy...just good ol' fashioned hardwood floors) then you can eat your cake and have it too.

It all depends on the LOOK you want out of the hardwood as well.

Look at COREtec Plus. Just got some for a mudroom, as well as a rec room, in a home with mostly 1951 oak floors. It was recommended by a designer as well as the flooring company (independently). Took some home to entertain them, thinking there was no way I'd purchase, then ended up liking it better than all other options. LOVE the look and feel and very easy to clean! Do NOT do ceramic tile. It will likely crack at some point, and whatever glass you drop on it will as well. Gets cold. Good luck!