Flooring dilemma

jonnydeppiwish!

Hi all, and thanks in advance for your opinions.

I’ve purchased 75m Kahrs engineered oak flooring, intending to floor the entire downstairs over the next few weeks.

Total cost with underlay - £2,350

The dilemma comes with we’ve now seen some tiles we’d love to have in the kitchen/dinner. Due to the uneven floor levels (20mm in some places, we’d need to have self levelling compound. In addition, Heat Up under floor heating. It’s a 60s house, so additional insulation required.

Total Cost - additional £4,800

Would you stay with the wood floor, or opt for the tiles. Money is not a major issue but I’d rather buy a log burner and new sofa!

jonnydeppiwish!

Here’s the wood flooring https://www.doorsandfloors.co.uk/kahrs-oak-lino-smoked-white.html?srsltid=AfmBOootQdWYTCksLzqlUoP0rPdtn5kOr8-OuqdsZKL3Umw3uqTQJX_W

Cherryfudge

Just from the kitchen/diner point of view: wood is less tiring on the feet and ankles if you have long days on your feet or other reasons to add a bit of comfort.

The look of wood throughout would add continuity which is supposed to make a place look larger, but on the other hand, how much time are you going to spend looking at the divide between the two?

If anyone's in the habit of dropping plates (again, when tired, distracted etc, not necessarily Greek wedding style or unsuccessful juggling), they will be more likely to smash on tiles than on wood.

Tiles, however, are generally easy to clean and will last ages.

If you change the kitchen, tiles might restrict your choice of colour.

There might be half-way compromise of something like a wooden inset under the table in a tiled kitchen floor? It has a 'friendlier' feel and might be quieter if chairs are dragged over, but then could be a faff to clean.

I remember my Dad wanted to buy an Indian carpet for the dining room back in about 1960 (so I heard, I wasn't born!) and Mum put him off because it was a long-term purchase and they might tire of it. So would you tire of the wood, or the tiles? Either is likely to be long term.

So much is up to who you are and the lifestyle you need to accommodate!

PS Lovely flooring!

silvercar

jonnydeppiwish! said:

Here’s the wood flooring https://www.doorsandfloors.co.uk/kahrs-oak-lino-smoked-white.html?srsltid=AfmBOootQdWYTCksLzqlUoP0rPdtn5kOr8-OuqdsZKL3Umw3uqTQJX_W

I wouldn't be putting engineered wood flooring in a kitchen. Too great a risk of water damage. That particular link suggests it would benefit from an oil coating once laid. That would  also put me off.

moneysaver1978

Lovely flooring but I would avoid wood in the kitchen at all costs. I would opt for tiles for the kitchen (be sure to keep some extras for emergency repairs!)

Emmia

I'd personally have glued down LVT in the kitchen, rather than either tiles or wood. Waterproof, softer underfoot than tiles and not likely to crack.

Albermarle

Emmia said:

I'd personally have glued down LVT in the kitchen, rather than either tiles or wood. Waterproof, softer underfoot than tiles and not likely to crack.

I would say in fact almost impossible to crack.

Slinky

LVT is warmer on bare feet than tile if that's a consideration.

My SIL had engineered wood throughout her ground floor, that got ruined when neice had a party and one guest had a damaged stilleto heel and marked the floor on every one of her extensive steps all through the rooms. Couldn't afford to replace it, just had to learn to live with the dents.

jonnydeppiwish!

Thanks for all your comments. We have no kids at home any more, and had engineered oak in the last house and kitchen.

Such decisions!

gzoom

I love the engineered wood we have put down in our 1sr floor study area, but way would I want the same wood in our kitchen which has large format tiles with underfloor heating. The titles are so much more resistant than the wood.

Are your costs including fitting? If so, you have got some great deals!! Our total fitted flooring costs per square meter is around double what you have paid for the wood!!!

We didn't want LVT or lino flooring.

jonnydeppiwish!

gzoom said:

I love the engineered wood we have put down in our 1sr floor study area, but way would I want the same wood in our kitchen which has large format tiles with underfloor heating. The titles are so much more resistant than the wood.

Are your costs including fitting? If so, you have got some great deals!! Our total fitted flooring costs per square meter is around double what you have paid for the wood!!!

We didn't want LVT or lino flooring.

Looks immense! Tiles is fitted price - OHs best friend’s husband is fitting so we only pay a daily rate for it. 

As for the wood, I’ll fit that myself as it’s pretty simple if you are yet to install the skirts/architrave