The right kitchen
flooring can not only make your life easier, but
it has the ability to set the mood for the
entire room. The three main factors to consider
when deciding on the type of flooring for your
kitchen are durability, use, and style. We’ll
start by taking a closer look at some of the
most popular choices in kitchen flooring.
2.1.3.1
Hardwood Flooring
With its warmth and
inviting tone, hardwood flooring creates a
traditional feeling in any kitchen. Hardwood
floors are known for their beauty and prestige
and are sturdy surfaces that are easy to clean.
One of the most popular types of hardwood floors
is oak which is neutral in color and very
durable. Other popular types of wood used for
flooring are ash, cherry and walnut.
Hardwood floors come
in two types: solid and engineered. Solid
flooring is cut from single pieces of wood and
worked into desired shapes. Solid hardwood
floors come in strip flooring which are nailed
to sub-flooring, plank flooring which has wider
boards, and parquet flooring which comes in
squares or geometric shapes to create different
patterns.
Engineered flooring
is created by laminating thin sheets of wood
together in a crisscross pattern for strength.
They are then topped with a veneer of hardwood
to add strength. Engineered flooring holds up
better than solid flooring when exposed to
changes in moisture and humidity. This makes it
a good choice for below-ground floors.
Engineered hardwood floors come in strips and
planks.
When purchasing
hardwood floors for your kitchen, you want to
make sure that it has already been finished.
Pre-finished hardwood is your best bet for
several reasons. First of all, pre-finished wood
flooring is less prone to damage and easier to
maintain than its unfinished counterpart.
Secondly, it is more durable and will in most
cases come with long-term manufacturer
warranties. Lastly, pre-finished hardwood floors
are offered in a wide variety of stain colors
and can be easily re-stained to match future
remodeling projects.
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Laminate Flooring
Laminate is a
cost-effective choice for kitchen flooring that
is both long-lasting and easy to maintain.
Although not considered to be on the same level
as wood and marble flooring, laminate can be
created to imitate such looks. It is made of
several layers and can be installed over
existing floors.
Laminate flooring
has an impressive life span. In the lifespan of
one laminate floor, carpet would need to be
replaced 2 to 4 times, solid hardwoods would
need 3 to 5 refinishing treatments, and vinyl
flooring would need to be replaced 3 times. Most
laminate flooring comes with a manufacturer’s
warranty of 25 years or longer.
Laminate flooring is
extremely durable, which makes it a great choice
for families with busy kitchens. It will resist
damage from traffic, spills, and scrapes and it
makes cleaning and maintenance very simple.
Laminate flooring will not lose color over time,
while flooring such as hardwood tends to fade.
It is offered in many different styles and
patterns, and can imitate other types of
flooring such as wood, rock, gravel, and
concrete.
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Vinyl
Flooring
Vinyl flooring is an
affordable and aesthetically pleasing choice for
kitchen flooring. Because of its durability and
moisture resistance it is primarily used in busy
areas of the home such as kitchens and
bathrooms. Another reason for its popularity is
that it can, much like laminate, be made to
imitate other flooring materials such as stone,
marble, and wood. Vinyl flooring is often
referred to by the popular manufacturers’ trade
names Linoleum® and Congoleum®.
Vinyl is made of
plastic, or more specifically polyvinyl chloride
– abbreviated PVC – to which other compounds are
added. It can consist of either multiple layers
of material or just one layer.
It is manufactured
using one of two processes: inlay or rotovinyl.
With inlay vinyl, color and pattern are imbedded
into the vinyl layers, while with rotovinyl only
a single layer of vinyl is printed with color
and pattern. Both manufacturing processes
require a protective coating overlay in order to
boost durability. Inlay vinyl flooring, which is
only available in tile form, offers great wear
resistance since the colors and patterns go all
the way through the flooring material. Rotovinyl
comes in both sheet and tile form. Resistance to
wear is dependent on the type of protective
coating used during the manufacturing process.
Vinyl floors are very easy to maintain. Sweeping
or using a dust mop is often all that is needed.
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Marble Flooring
Marble flooring is known for its natural beauty
and unbeatable durability. Marble is a type of
metamorphic rock that is formed beneath the
earth’s crust. Although the preferred choice for
some, marble flooring is not the optimal choice
for kitchen flooring as it is porous and prone
to staining.
Marble flooring comes in many styles and always
adds a unique look to a room because no two
slabs of marble are identical. It comes in a
variety of colors such as pure white, deep
green, brown, grey and blue. It is ranked in
grades A through D, A being the strongest with
the least natural imperfections and D being the
softest with most faults. Although grade A
marble is the most expensive, it is the
recommended choice for kitchens because it is
the most durable.
When choosing marble for your kitchen floor,
there are a few things to keep in mind. Since
marble surfaces can become very slippery when
wet, you should choose finishes to help create
traction for your floor; these include tumbled
and honed finishes. Marble flooring also
requires regular maintenance to last a long
time. Because it is porous, marble is
susceptible to stains from common household
liquids so it is important to apply a sealant to
protect it.
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Ceramic Tile Flooring
Ceramic tile flooring is a very popular type of
kitchen flooring in the United States - it is
one of the oldest and longest-lasting flooring
materials known. Ceramic tile is especially well
suited for areas with high traffic and exposure
to water and dirt, such as entryways, bathrooms,
kitchens and hallways.
There are four basic decisions to make when
choosing ceramic tile for your floor: size,
shape, color, and finish. Ceramic tile ranges in
size from 1/4” square to 12” x 12” squares and
even larger. Shapes include square, rectangular,
diamond, hexagon, octagon, triangular, round
etc. – depending on your budget, you can get
ceramic tile in any shape you can possibly
imagine. Color choices are endless, from black
and white to everything in-between, and as far
as finish is concerned most people opt for the
glazed finish. Glazed tile is simply more water
resistant and easier to clean than any other
finish. It does tend to be more slippery when
wet, but you can easily get tiles that are
glazed with a non-slip material, which should
take care of that problem.
Ceramic tiles are very strong, durable,
cost-effective, and require little maintenance –
making it an attractive alternative to many
other flooring materials.
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Tile Flooring
Stone tile flooring has a natural look and is
strong and durable. It comes in several textures
and colors and no two pieces are the same. Stone
tiles can look traditional and rustic or
contemporary and elegant. Although this flooring
option can be expensive, stone tiles have the
potential to last a lifetime.
Stone tile floors are generally easy to
maintain, usually requiring only a mop for
cleaning. For extra durability, stone should be
periodically sealed. Since kitchens can become
busy and messy places, you should choose stone
tiles that are resistant to moisture damage and
staining.
Granite tile flooring is one of the better
options for kitchen flooring because it is
denser and more durable than other stone
options. Granite is still susceptible to stains
so it should be sealed and periodically resealed
for regular maintenance.
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