Your Many Kitchen Flooring Options
When choosing your kitchen flooring options some of the first questions you should ask are how much you are willing to spend, and what you expect from your flooring.
Are you looking at pure durability, or are you looking at something that will wear well, yet look great over the years? If you happen to have kids, you want to make sure that the floor is spill resistant. If you love to cook and spend substantial time in your kitchen, you want the kitchen flooring to be kind to your feet.
The ideal thing, of course, is to look for something that complements your cabinetry, your countertops, and your kitchen appliances, since the right kitchen flooring ideas can make all the difference in the world. We already know that the kitchen is a high traffic area, so its flooring must also withstand this traffic.
With the large number of online retailers and kitchen designers, it is easy to do your research and get familiar with all the variety of kitchen flooring materials available so that you can make an informed decision about whether you want your kitchen floor to be made of concrete, vinyl, tiles, wood, laminate, travertine, granite, etc.
If you want to go environmentally friendly, then you might be thinking of cork or bamboo. Read on to get an overview of what you can choose from:
Concrete Kitchen Floor
Concrete kitchen flooring
is the kind that used to be considered rather boring, but not anymore. These days, you can get your concrete floor treated to look decorative. The best thing about concrete kitchen floors is the ease of laying it. Invariably most types of flooring have a concrete layer under them. The advantage is, they don’t heat up and they keep your kitchen cool. If you have underfloor radiant heating, then concrete is the ideal floor.
To make the concrete attractive, it can be stained to get the look you want. Easy to maintain, you get get your concrete to look like tile, hardwood, slate or marble floors but without the related expense. These floors can even be laid without professional help. Once stained, the concrete floor is sealed with wax and sealant to make it get a good finish.
Ceramic Kitchen Floor
Quite sturdy and attractive,
ceramic tile kitchen floors
are very easy to maintain. The stone type ceramic can give you a beautiful kitchen floor. Depending on where you live, the cost could vary. The stone ceramic tiles are sliced from boulders, so you might get that ethnic look with the flooring.
Laminate Kitchen Floors
Laminate Kitchen Floors
are among the most popular. These synthetic floors can be made to look like whatever type of flooring you want. Laminate floors are made with actual photos. Several layers of material with a tough plastic layer on top makes up a laminate kitchen floor. You can laminate over an existing floor. These floors are durable when installed properly.
Linoleum Kitchen Floors
One of the oldest types of floors,
linoleum kitchen floors
are made from natural ingredients like linseed oil, wood powder, pine resin, etc. These floors are very budget friendly and can be made in different finishes like matte and marbleized patterns to give it that nice retro look.
Rubber Kitchen Flooring
Ask any chef and you will be told that
rubber kitchen flooring
is the best. Rubber flooring last long, are easy to clean and can take a rough beating. You can have them in the colors of your choice. For those who spend a lot of time in the kitchen, rubber flooring is comfortable on the feet.
Slate Kitchen Flooring
Slate kitchen floorings
are made of non-porous rock material and do not stain. Plenty of colors are available in this good-looking flooring, with the most popular being black, gray, rust, greens and maroons. Slate is also slip resistant.
Travertine Kitchen Floor
Travertine kitchen floors
are stone floors available in different colors and rough or smooth texture, depending on what you like. These are sturdy flooring material and can even withstand an acid cleaning. Italian travertine is considered good.
Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl kitchen flooring
is quite common and you can get them in sheets or tiles. These can be installed quickly and are easy to maintain. Vinyl is long lasting and ideal for those who are budget-conscious. Different qualities are also available in vinyl flooring. The higher end vinyl flooring comes with a layer of urethane to make them retain their shine. While vinyl sheets need professional installation, the tiles are relatively easy for anyone to install.
Hardwood Kitchen Flooring
Hardwood kitchen flooring
is the kind of flooring option that lasts a lifetime and looks cozy. Best of all, it goes with just about any décor. Wood floors can be installed as strips, planks or parquet squares and you can choose what you like in terms of colors and grain.
Bamboo Kitchen Flooring
Bamboo kitchen floor
is the hot new trend in kitchen flooring and is environmentally friendly as well. Cost wise, it is much less than hardwood, which is expensive. It looks beautiful and warm. Bamboo is a fast growing grass that can be cultivated and matures in a much shorter time than other woods.
Cork Kitchen Floors
Cork kitchen flooring
is another recent trend. Though on the expensive side, most people think it is worth every cent. It looks unique and can take the kind of finish you want. It feels good under your feet.
Cork also has antimicrobial properties, making it a good choice in the kitchen especially where you prepare food. Most families appreciate cork floors most when something is dropped on it, and stays intact without breaking. For busy cooks, cork also helps cushion the feet.
With all the choice listed above, you can decide the kind of kitchen flooring that will work best for you whether you are looking at the cozy feel of hardwood, durability of travertine or slip resistance of rubber. You would also need to look at the color scheme you want to match. The right choice in kitchen flooring can make your kitchen appear spacious or congested, so choose with care.
Kitchen Flooring Options back to Kitchen Flooring
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