Is it time to decide on kitchen flooring in your home decorating project? It can be a difficult decision when you’re not sure of exactly what you need. Kitchen floors need to be tough enough to handle the mistreatment that it receives every single day. It must be easy to clean and maintain. There will be many food spills so carpet is not a good choice for the kitchen. It is not just difficult to clean but it’s also not very hygienic. Contaminants can be trapped in the fibers of the carpets. So, what kind of flooring would be appropriate? There are many types to choose from: hardwood, marble, slate, ceramic tile, vinyl, and wood laminates.
If you are drawn to wood floors, your best choice would be laminate. Laminate looks like wood but is very durable. It has the added benefits of being easy to install, repels stains and isn’t easily damaged by water. It is also more affordable than slate or tile. True wood floors don’t handle water damage and stains well since they absorb any moisture that falls on them. They usually have to be sanded and restained on a regular basis. If they’re badly damaged, the floor will have to be ripped out and replaced. Wood floor maintenance is a tricky business because any moisture must be wiped up, and dried off, immediately.
Many people like to use slate or ceramic tiles in the kitchen because of their durability. The range of color choices and styles also makes them a good choice from a decorating point of view. The three forms of tile to look for are porcelain, ceramic, slate and quarry. One reason tile is so popular is that if one tile should break, you can simply replace it with another one without having to redo the entire floor. To prevent accidents when using slate tile, be sure that the slate used in kitchens is of the low-gloss type. High-gloss slate can become very slippery when wet. Both ceramic tiles and slate tiles are very durable. You don’t have to worry overly about water damage or stains.
Vinyl flooring is making a come-back. It is not quite as durable as tile, but is still water resistant. You can purchase vinyl either in sheets or in tiles. It’s very easy to install and easy on the feet when you have to stand in the kitchen to cook and wash dishes. Vinyl tiles are less water resistant than sheet vinyl. Another drawback is that lighter colored vinyl has a tendency to stain easily. The color choices for vinyl are many; you can find some vinyl that looks just like marble or slate without the expense.
Linoleum has come a long way since its beginning. You can now find a huge choice of styles and patterns. Linoleum is very easy to clean and is also quite resilient.
Your decision for the type of kitchen flooring should take into account your taste as well as durability and maintenance.