Kitchen flooring ideas
Kitchen flooring and which type to use for this application is one of the most debated of any room.
The right flooring for your Kitchen will not necessarily be the same as someone
else's. The flooring professor knows that
finding the best flooring choice for a kitchen flooring job is subject to many factors that you should carefully consider before making your purchase.
The kitchen is one of the most active rooms in your home and the floors face a variety of
challenges! We can help you to ask yourself the right questions and have the confidence that you are making the right choice for your
new kitchen floor.
Hardwood kitchen floor
We will first cover using
hard wood flooring in a kitchen as this in our main market today is the most popular.
Often customers worry about moisture when using a wood floor in a kitchen flooring application. Wood flooring
is an excellent choice in many cases. The pros and cons that we have gotten feedback on are..
Advantages of kitchen hard wood flooring
- Easy to clean and maintain
- Has decent resilience, making it easier on the knees when you compare
wood flooring vs ceramic tile for example.
- Can be re-finished to extend longevity
- Adds value to your home
Disadvantages of hardwood flooring in kitchens
- Wood flooring can present somewhat of a challenge when
coordinating your overall room design (with regard to trying to
make your design idea work with your wood cabinets.)
- IF you have a water related disaster (ie: dishwasher breaks/overflows, sink stops up and overflows..etc..)
the wood floor will be damaged and need repair or replacement. (however, we find it necessary to insert here the thought that
IF something of such a nature happens it is an accident and not daily use, and would likely merit a legitimate
insurance claim.)
- Hardwood flooring CAN dent or ding if heavy or sharp things are dropped on them. (many would consider this "character",
we suggest you ask yourself how you would feel about it)*note* this will also be directly tied to quality of finish and
hardness of the species of wood floor selected.
Ceramic tile kitchen flooring
Ceramic tile is another very popular option for kitchen flooring. So what are some of the pros and cons
of using ceramic tile in your kitchen? below you will find an overview of the feedback we get from customers every day.
Remember to use ANY list of flooring pros and cons that we offer as a guideline only, and use all the other tools on this site
to make an educated decision for your kitchen flooring that best fits your circumstances.
Advantages of ceramic tile kitchen flooring
- Ceramic tile can be wet mopped without fear of damaging the floor in any way.
- A quality ceramic tile kitchen floor is very scratch resistant and will last for many years
under even the most severe foot traffic.
- Ceramic tile offers nearly endless design possibilities
- Ceramic floor tile is easy to coordinate with your wood kitchen cabinets
- Ceramic tile will not dent in the event something is dropped on it
- A single ceramic tile can be repaired/replaced in the event of damage without having to replace the entire floor.
Disadvantages of ceramic tile flooring in kitchens
- Ceramic tile grout can often be difficult to keep clean. Especially if not properly sealed.
- Ceramic tile Kitchen flooring can be very hard on the joints especially if you stand a lot in your kitchen as it has no "flex"
like may other flooring types do.
- Most grouts require regular sealing, adding to maintenance and care time and effort.
- Ceramic tile can "feel" cool on the feet. (although much of this is state of mind, some job conditions will lend themselves to
the tile being cooler under foot).
- A Ceramic tile kitchen floor can become chipped or cracked over time especially from certain things being dropped on them.
Laminate flooring in kitchens
In recent years,
Laminate
kitchen flooring has become very popular for kitchen floors. Remember each consumers individual circumstances
will always determine which flooring choice is best. Use the list of Laminate kitchen flooring advantages and disadvantages
as a guide in making your decision.
Advantages of laminate kitchen flooring
- Laminate flooring offers superior impact resistance to wood flooring or vinyl
-
Laminate flooring is very easy to clean and care for
- Laminate floors have superior stain resistance to most other flooring materials
- A Laminate kitchen floor is easy to install yourself if you would like to, and save on installation costs.
- Laminate flooring offers a wide range of colors and styles today that can be
coordinated with any Kitchen decor!
Laminate floor disadvantages in kitchen
- Like a wood floor, a laminate floor is sensitive to excessive moisture
- If the humidity levels in the home are not properly controlled (Just as with any other wood based flooring product)
the joints can experience some gapping
- some people are not enthused about the appearance of standard laminate flooring, both from the standpoint of picture quality,
and how the lower grades will have the appearance of multiple planks on one board.
Cork Kitchen flooring
Using cork flooring in kitchens is gaining popularity. Cork floors are a growing segment of the residential flooring market
and consumers are definitely using them in kitchen applications. The kitchen cork flooring pros and cons we have experienced to date are:
cork flooring advantages in kitchens
- The new generation of cork is easy to clean (about the same as hardwood)
- Most cork flooring comes in tiles, or easy to click together planks that install with the
floating floor installation
method, like most laminate flooring.
- cork flooring is extremely resilient and offers a cushioned feeling making it very easy on the joints
especially if you stand a lot in your kitchen.
- Cork floors offer a wide range of colors as well as unique patterns that can enhance any kitchen design plan
disadvantages of cork kitchen flooring
- Traditional refinishing methods are not in place for most cork floors like with hardwood
- Cork flooring planks in most cases can have sensitivity to excessive moisture (like wood and laminate flooring)
- Purchasing a quality cork floor because of it's limited supply compared to other flooring products is a bit on the more expensive side by comparison
Sheet vinyl kitchen flooring
Sheet vinyl floors have been a primary choice in kitchens for years. The product category has evolved in recent years after losing popularity.
It is now seemingly gaining popularity again. There are a variety of qualities available which can greatly affect it's ability to perform in a
kitchen flooring installation. Some of the pros and cons of sheet vinyl flooring are listed below.
Advantages of sheet vinyl flooring in kitchens
- Sheet vinyl is arguably the easiest type of flooring product to clean and maintain,
it can be mopped using traditional mopping methods.
- Sheet vinyl offers a unique variety of patterns and colors unlike other flooring products
- Often times
sheet vinyl can be installed without any seems making a more watertight floor
- Premium quality sheet vinyl is durable, and difficult to scratch or damage with today's new technologies
- vinyl flooring offers a softness or resilience superior to all others except for cork
Sheet vinyl kitchen flooring disadvantages
- Sheet vinyl floors will need to be replaced more often than wood, or ceramic tile for example.
(especially if top of the line vinyl is not purchased)
- Sheet vinyl cannot be re-finished like wood flooring for example.
- A new vinyl floor will usually require an underlayment be installed and
sometimes this is a height issue on a job site.
These are just some of the kitchen flooring options, they are the most
often considered but more choices are available. As you can see, the vast
amount of choices make it very important that you ask yourself the right
questions and consider your choice carefully. consult our
consumer flooring guides section for more in depth assistance. Kitchen
flooring is one of the many important factors to consider as part of your
overall kitchen design. for more help with designing other aspects of your
dream kitchen and other related kitchen flooring and design resources visit
our friends at the links below.
For additional Kitchen design information
Kitchen Ideas
- Inspirational kitchen ideas and kitchen design advice for you to discover about every
aspect of kitchen remodeling. Turn your dreams and ideas into a beautiful and functional kitchen.
Hints and advice on what pitfalls to avoid when buying your dream kitchen.
ikea kitchen secrets
Considering a kitchen remodel using ikea kitchen cabinets? If so Bret Spottke has alredy experienced all the growing pains
and has aorted through a mountain of potential concerns. He has put al of
his knowledge together to make your project go smoothly As a bonus he
also includes a great bonus on how to save money on your hardwood
flooring. Way to Go Bret!
Our consumer flooring guides could save you
thousands of dollars! That's right thousands! We have seen
almost daily how consumers are coaxed into dangerous misconceptions about
flooring products, the differences in long term performance, and overall value.
These consumer flooring guides will arm you with the information you need...
If you are a flooring dealer, installer, cleaning company, inspector, vendor, or individual flooring professional you can enhance your business
with the help of the flooring professor!
If you have a flooring or other home improvement related website You can greatly enhance your visitors experience by exposing them
to the vast flooring information resource offered by The Flooring Professor...
Flooring Professor University was established to
help educate those Industry professionals, repeat purchasers (such as Builders, designers, facilities managers, architects, real estate professionals,
and yes even consumers)who wish to take their flooring knowledge to the next level...
Design
Tips Flooring design Ideas
Fashion Cents
is a great place to start for great ways to use
flooring to design a unique space in
your home!
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