Timber Flooring in the Kitchen: Is It a Good Idea?
The short answer
Can you put timber flooring in a kitchen?
Yes. Engineered timber flooring works well in a kitchen if you put a mat at the sink, wipe up spills straight away and never leave water sitting on it. Our warranty doesn't rule out kitchens, but it doesn't cover water left for long periods, leaks or floods. If your kitchen sees a lot of water, hybrid is the safer floor.
Timber is one of the warmest floors you can put in a kitchen, and it lets one floor run from the kitchen into the living areas. Here's what our own warranty and care guide say about water, the habits that keep a timber kitchen floor looking good, and what it costs at our prices.
Is engineered timber good in a kitchen?
Yes, for most homes. Engineered timber is a real oak or Australian hardwood top layer over a stable layered core, so it handles the kitchen better than solid boards. It's real wood underfoot, softer to stand on than tiles, and it can carry straight through an open-plan kitchen, dining and living area.
It does need looking after. Water left on it can swell the boards, oil, wine and curry can stain if they sit, and a dropped pan can dent it.
What our warranty says about water
Our engineered timber comes with a lifetime structural warranty and a 25-year product warranty for homes. Kitchens aren't excluded. What the warranty won't cover:
- Boards exposed to water or spills for long periods.
- Doming, cupping or peaking caused by too much moisture.
- Leaks, floods, rising water or standing water.
- Floors where they could sit in water, like bathrooms or any room with a floor drain.
So the rule in a kitchen is simple: water should never sit on the floor. Read the full terms in our timber warranty.
How to look after timber in a kitchen
These come straight from our timber care guide:
- Put a mat in front of the sink. Choose a breathable one. Rubber or vinyl backs trap moisture and can mark the floor.
- Wipe up spills straight away with a dry or clean cloth. Oil, wine, coffee, tea and curry can leave a stain if they sit.
- Clean with a damp mop, not a wet one, and a pH-neutral floor cleaner. Never steam mop or wet mop.
- Put felt pads under stools and chairs, and replace them when they wear.
- Keep indoor humidity between 45 and 60%. In a humid summer, a dehumidifier helps.
More in how to clean timber floors.
What timber flooring costs for a kitchen
Here's a 4 x 3 m kitchen, 12 m², in each of our engineered timber floors. The boxes include the extra our calculators allow for cuts: 10% on planks, 15% on herringbone and 20% on chevron.
| Floor | Per m² | For 12 m² | Floor cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classique Oak, 14mm plank | $78.83 | 5 boxes | $1,138.35 |
| Oak plank, 15mm | $92.99 | 5 boxes | $1,342.80 |
| Australian hardwood, 14mm plank | $108.99 | 7 boxes | $1,511.37 |
| Oak herringbone, 15mm | $103.99 | 12 boxes | $1,497.48 |
| Oak chevron, 15mm | $123.13 | 11 boxes | $1,842.06 |
To price your own room, use the calculator in our engineered timber cost guide.
Timber, hybrid or vinyl in the kitchen?
Choose engineered timber if you want real wood and you'll wipe up spills as they happen. If your kitchen sees a lot of water, or a busy family, hybrid flooring is 100% water resistant and costs from $33.99 a m². Glue-down vinyl planks are 100% water resistant too, from $22 a m².
Compare them in engineered timber vs hybrid and vinyl kitchen flooring.
Laying timber in a kitchen
Leave the expansion gap our install guide asks for: at least 10 to 15 mm at every wall and fixed edge, kitchen cupboards and islands included. Herringbone and chevron are glued down by a floor layer. If your planks float, read kitchen cabinets and heavy furniture on a floating floor before the cabinets go in.
Timber in the kitchen: common questions
Can engineered timber get wet?
A spill wiped up straight away is fine. Water left on it, leaks and floods can swell and cup the boards, and our warranty doesn't cover that damage.
Is timber flooring OK in a laundry?
Not where there's a floor drain. Our timber warranty doesn't cover floors in bathrooms or rooms with floor drains. Hybrid, which is 100% water resistant, suits laundries.
Do I need a mat in front of the kitchen sink?
Yes, our care guide asks for one. Pick a breathable mat: rubber or vinyl backs can trap moisture and mark the floor.
What type of timber flooring is best for a kitchen?
Engineered timber. Its layered core makes it steadier than solid boards in a kitchen, and a hardwearing species like oak or blackbutt takes everyday traffic well. If you'd rather not worry about water at all, hybrid is 100% water resistant and costs from $33.99 a m².
