Kitchen Flooring GuideWhen high-traffic, water and household products is a constant factor, some flooring materials are just not tough enough for the job! Here you'll find the type and kind of materials considered to be the best performers as kitchen flooring. You may be over-whelmed with all the colors, textures and designs available to choose from, so it is always helpful to be informed about the product before you go shopping... That is what you'll find here, lots of information!
Resilient Flooring
Very environmentally friendly, cork sheets or tiles are extremely durable, low-costing, practical and easy to maintain. It also makes a great insulator and noise buffer... There is a huge choice of colors and designs available, and installation is quite easy.
When it comes to the enviromnent, vinyl is not biodegradable and contributes to land-fills. Manufacturers have made little progress in solving this BIG issue. Otherwise, vinyl makes a very good kitchen flooring material.
Linoleum is practical and inexpensive. It is resistant to moisture and dents, and is not affected by sunlight. With a wide selection of colors, patterns, and designs available there is no problem finding something to fit any life-style. Choose from sheet or tile form. Self-adhesive tiles are available, but are usually of poor quality and not recommended. Linoleum is more flexible than vinyl, easier to handle, and installs with less difficulty.
You have many colors to choose from, and it will never fade because it is throughout the thickness of the flooring, not just on the surface... Available in tiles (interlocking) and sheets, it is more costly than the other resilient flooring (except leather). Made from recycled rubber, it is extremely durable, easy to clean and requires low maintanence. One very significant feature is rubber is hard to burn!
Hard Flooring (Natural Stone & Ceramics)Most natural stone materials are very sensitive to anything acidic and may need to be sealed when installed in a kitchen or bathroom. Always follow the manufacturer's advise. When in doubt, ask your flooring distributor...Better safe than sorry! Cleaning and care is fairly simple... BUT using cleaning products made for natural stones is a must! An excellent cleaning product, and I recommend, is Scp-DAILY CLEAN... Safe and effective, it has everything you'll need to preserve the qauality of the stone and keep your floor looking like new! Stone flooring materials are expensive! All but slate should be installed by an expert, thus increasing your costs. But the end result is worth every penny if you can afford it... Natural stone flooring is either tile or slab, with many sizes available. Another option is to have them cut to specification. Nature is very generous, she has provided an abundance of colors, veining and textures for every type of natural stone... Granite has the most colors and patterns of all the natural stones. Literally hundreds (maybe thousands) to choose from... However, all are hard and cold underfoot, so you may want to consider radiant floor heat underfoot. Acidic products may cause etching on marble and granite.
Economical for the budget-minded, they require little care or maintenance, and can be easily installed by a (DIY) do it yourself! Ceramic tiles can be found in every color, design, pattern and size imaginable, and their flexibility will let you be more creative when planning your floor design. Porcelain tiles are softer in appearance, with many neutral tones of various shades, and present a warm, inviting, calm effect... For wet areas, ceramic or porcelain must be sealed. Buying them already sealed from the manufacturer will save you the trouble of doing it yourself... However, the grout will need to be sealed after installation is completed. When buying your tile, always add an extra box so you'll have them on hand. You never know when one may chip or crack, especially during installation... Terrazzo TileBeautiful, sleek, modern, extremely durable, waterproof, very easy to maintain and difficult to install, terrazzo flooring comes with a BIG pricetag, too! You'll find there is no other flooring like it and nothing you don't like about it, if you can afford it!... You can make your own design with a mix from chips of marble, glass, sea shells, etc., or keep it solid. You can choose the whole shebang! Choose from either having the material mixed and poured on-site, or made into tiles. Either way, you are definitely going to need it done professionally... Terrazzo does costs an arm & a leg! But if you can afford it there is nothing like it. Just picture it as your kitchen flooring... you would never see another like your it! Polished to a mirror reflection gloss, but not necessarily slippery. It will be years and years before it will need refinished or replaced, if ever!
Laminate WoodsLaminate woods make exceptional kitchen floors, and an excellent alterative to solid and engineered wood floors, but without the headaches...They are in high-demand because they are economically priced, nearly maintenance free, and you could do the installation yourself, it is that easy to do! Built tough to withstand heavy traffic, resist scratches, dents and moisture, and the best ones in the industry will out-perform solid hardwoods for a lot less money and maintenance... Available in different length and width, with a variety of grain patterns and colors. Large spills left unattended can damage laminate, but this applies to other flooring materials as well. Unlike solid hardwoods, laminate cannot be refinished. However, considering the price difference between the two, you won't break the bank to replace it! Flooring materials of solid hardwoods, bamboo, carpeting, leather, and natural fibers make wonderful floor coverings, just not in the kitchen.... It doesn't mean you can't use them as kitchen flooring, but there are many other types of exceptional materials to choose from that will work much better, so why ask for problems when you can avoid them... plus the expense..
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