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Floor coverings for kitchen


Best Kitchen Flooring Options Of February – Forbes Home

Renovating a kitchen can be a complicated process. Unlike a bedroom or living room with few built-in components or complicated wiring outside of a TV or computer set-up, kitchens have a lot of considerations; appliances, plumbing, and electricity all have to come together to make the most of the space and ensure that it works safely.

When considering a kitchen remodel, don’t forget your flooring. Flooring should account for approximately 7% of the remodeling budget if you’re tackling the whole kitchen. It needs to be done earlier in the process, too; painting your kitchen walls may come first, but flooring and cabinets need to come before the countertops, backsplash and appliances. While you may be able to DIY some of these, it’s always a good idea to bring in a professional flooring installation company to ensure the job is done perfectly. Pros and cons of some of the most common and best flooring options for kitchens are below.

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1. Hardwood

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One of the most traditional options, hardwood is still a popular choice for kitchen flooring today. Although not waterproof, solid hardwoods with the correct finish are water-resistant. Spills should be cleaned up immediately to avoid damage.

Hardwood floors can be refinished to revamp their look, which can especially come in handy if you’re doing a smaller kitchen renovation and don’t want to overhaul the entire floor to make it match the new aesthetic. Like tile flooring, hardwood can be laid in different patterns for added interest. Lately, reclaimed, recycled and environmentally sustainable hardwood has been of particular interest.

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2. Tile

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Tile is a go-to option for areas with frequent exposure to water, like kitchens and bathrooms. Ceramic, porcelain and stone tile are all common choices for kitchen flooring options. Tile comes in many sizes and colors and can be laid out in a variety of patterns to suit just about any design theme.

Tile is incredibly long-lasting but in some instances, the grout needs to be resealed to keep it stain-resistant. A DIY approach is not recommended when installing tile flooring.

Ceramic and porcelain tiles are similar; ceramic tiles are even more durable than porcelain. Both are highly resistant to damage, although due to their hardness, dishes dropped on them will likely break, and because of their weight, they are not recommended for a second-story floor. Porcelain, in particular, is waterproof and easy to clean, but tile can be slippery and grout is prone to stains, so any messes should still be cleaned up right away.

Stone tile is more expensive and also requires more upkeep than ceramic or porcelain. With the proper care, it can be as tough as other types of tile and it’s also more likely to be non-slip because of its porous surface. Stone tile used in flooring includes travertine, marble, slate and granite.

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3. Vinyl

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Vinyl flooring has seen a resurgence in recent years because of the modern upgrades it’s received. Engineered vinyl flooring is now available in tiles and planks that mimic the look of hardwood and stone. It’s completely waterproof, has an almost springy feel underfoot, is incredibly easy to clean and is one of the best kitchen flooring options if you want to take the DIY route.

The biggest drawback of vinyl flooring is that it is softer than other options. Large appliances can dent or scratch it, so use caution when moving or upgrading things in the kitchen.

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4. Laminate

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Laminate has long been a less expensive alternative to hardwood flooring. Like vinyl, it can mimic the look of hardwood for a lower cost; unlike vinyl, it is not always waterproof, but waterproof versions are now available as well. Also, like vinyl, laminate flooring is a great option for DIY installation because the planks can be attached to one another and glued down or “floated,” allowing them to be put over an uneven subfloor.

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5.

Cork

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Cork is a relatively new addition to the kitchen flooring market, and it’s another budget-friendly DIY option. Cork flooring can be purchased as peel-and-stick, glue-down or snap-together assembly to look like tiles or planks. Unlike many other flooring options, cork won’t feel cold to the touch, and it has a soft, even springy feel, which makes it a good option for absorbing sound.

Made from ground-up cork combined with resins, cork flooring is available in a variety of gray and brown shades. It resists stains but isn’t waterproof; spills should be cleaned up before they can soak in. However, if it does get stained, cork flooring can be sanded down and then retouched with stain and sealer.

The floor can be dented from heavy appliances, but it has the ability to spring back given time. It can also fade in direct sunlight, so closing the curtains during the brightest time of day is recommended.

Pros

Cons

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THIS IS AN ADVERTISEMENT AND NOT EDITORIAL CONTENT. Please note that we do receive compensation for any products you buy or sign up to via this advertisement, and that compensation impacts the ranking and placement of any offers listed herein. We do not present information about every offer available. The information and savings numbers depicted above are for demonstration purposes only, and your results may vary.

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6. Concrete

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Concrete flooring might sound too harsh for a homey area of the house, but it’s actually a very durable option for the kitchen. Stained concrete can be styled to look like wood, stone or even tile, and it can be sealed to be almost completely waterproof—although mats are still recommended near areas of excessive moisture, like in front of the sink or dishwasher.

One of the biggest perks of concrete is its price; it is a much cheaper flooring option, and since it can be designed to look like something else, it doesn’t have to look inexpensive.

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7 Durable Options for Kitchen Flooring

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Kitchen floors go through a lot of wear and tear. Between spills and drips, heat and dropped utensils, as well as the constant plod of feet, the flooring in this space needs to handle multiple hazards and look good while doing it. Not every material is well suited for this location, and some kitchen flooring options will last longer than others and with less maintenance. Balancing style, function, and comfort is the key to making the right choice.

Here are seven different kitchen flooring options to consider for one of the highest-traffic areas of your home.

Kitchen Flooring, Which Floor to Choose for the Kitchen

Kitchen flooring can cause a lot of trouble during operation or quietly serve faithfully for many years. It all depends on the chosen material and the quality of laying the floor. A bad example of is laminate on HDF board without waterproof treatment: after 1-2 years of regular changes in humidity levels, the fiberboard will begin to dry out, the floorboards will creak, and the parted seams will quickly fill with dirt, blacken, and become moldy.

As for the design value, almost all modern coatings - porcelain stoneware, PVC tiles, cork flooring, parquet boards, waterproof laminate, linoleum - are represented by a wide variety of collections with decors for wood, natural stone, matting, with patterns and classic ornaments, and also with thematic drawings. Thanks to this, there is always a suitable decor, it remains only to figure out which floor is better to choose for the kitchen according to technical characteristics and cost.

Basic requirements for kitchen flooring

Best Choice: Kitchen Floor Coverings

Quartz Vinyl Tile

Quartz Vinyl or PVC Tile - not perfect, but probably the closest floor covering: absorption of dyes, compatibility with underfloor heating (effective heat transfer, but there is also a limitation on surface heating - 26-28 ° C).

Under the vinyl floor you will need a perfectly even base, especially under adhesive PVC tiles, the thickness of which is only 2-3 mm, and all screed defects will be displayed on the finish surface.

✔ Details about the pros and cons of quartz vinyl tiles.

The Polov catalog presents a chic assortment of lock and adhesive vinyl tiles with wood and natural stone decors. In addition, we offer the latest SPC laminate, "pressed stone": flooring on a rigid PVC composite board and a mineral filler, usually calcium carbonate. Due to the rigid base (not inferior in density to porcelain stoneware), base defects are allowed, as well as the use of a warm floor with increased heating - up to 40 ° C. The shortcomings of quartz vinyl tiles have been eliminated without increasing the cost.

Porcelain stoneware

Ceramic tiles are a classic for kitchen floors. With all the obvious advantages - water resistance, strength, wear resistance, a variety of decors, practicality - porcelain stoneware has a number of significant disadvantages: expensive and complex installation (with the involvement of a tiler), difficult cutting, slippery and cold surface, blackening of seams. However, all the flaws are offset by the low cost of porcelain stoneware.

Cork floor

Cork is the choice for connoisseurs of natural finishing materials. Cork flooring is quite expensive (the price is comparable to a solid board or oak parquet), but very practical flooring for the kitchen: elastic, but durable structure, 100% natural material, wear-resistant varnish, a variety of decors (natural veneer or wood or stone photo printing) ), moisture resistance and water resistance, additional sound and heat insulation. At the same time, the floor surface is warm without heating due to the very low thermal conductivity.

All of the above advantages apply only to a glued cork floor: the interlocking variant with HDF in the structure does not tolerate moisture changes and does not blend well with the operating conditions in the kitchen. For laying the adhesive cork, as well as for PVC tiles, a perfectly even screed is required.

Natural wood flooring

Wood flooring is not the best, but it is possible for the kitchen. Three-layer parquet board is resistant to moisture, but only with moderate drops. As for massive parquet, the water resistance is even less due to the natural property of wood to absorb and give off excess moisture. Wood is a pleasure to walk barefoot on: a chic choice for a bedroom or living room, but a more practical material is needed for the kitchen.

Laminate on HDF board

Unless waterproof treatment of HDF base is provided, the laminate is not suitable for the kitchen. Fibreboard is stable only in rooms with moderate humidity: with regular drops, ordinary laminate slowly delaminates, the edges swell, blacken, mold. Even a waterproof laminate, for all its practicality, will not last more than 3-5 years in the kitchen.

Linoleum

PVC linoleum is a budget choice for kitchen flooring. Rolled floor covering is durable, wear-resistant, water-resistant, unpretentious in maintenance, unbeatable in price. However, linoleum is too popular and competitive material: there are many cheap and dangerous fakes on the market. Choosing a more expensive option, it is appropriate to consider quartz vinyl tiles.

We invite you to Polov showrooms in Moscow and Odintsovo: look at samples of kitchen floor coverings, ask related questions to managers, order inexpensive delivery!

features of choice, photos, pros and cons

High requirements are put forward for finishing materials for the kitchen, since the room is the most quickly polluted in the house. Among the main factors affecting the flooring are: greasy dirt, spilled liquid, damage to dishes and furniture. In this regard, the question arises, which flooring for the kitchen to choose so that it is wear-resistant and lasts for many years. Further in the article, we will consider the main options for materials, their pros and cons, and also give recommendations on the selection of floor products.


Features of choosing a kitchen cover

The kitchen is rightfully considered a high-traffic area, since it is this room in the house that we visit most often. In the process of selecting the optimal products for arranging the floor, one should pay attention to possible differences in temperature, humidity, the presence of fumes during the cooking process, which can adversely affect the protective properties of materials.

Kitchen floor coverings must meet a number of criteria:






The most popular types of floor coverings

After reviewing the main criteria for selecting floor coverings for the kitchen, you can consider the main types of products recommended by manufacturers for this type of premises.

Laminate in the kitchen

For installation, it is recommended to use a waterproof laminate, in which the HDF plate and lock are treated with special water-repellent compounds, due to which water spilled on the surface does not penetrate into the coating and under it. Manufacturers guarantee that the product can withstand contact with liquid for 2 to 24 hours, while it retains its primary properties and does not deform.


However, in the event of a serious “flood”, the coating may not withstand: the edges will swell (become a “house”) or, in extreme cases, the locks will disperse, which is observed in the coating of the cheap segment.

The use of modern technology allows the laminate to be highly durable and resistant to abrasion, but if a really heavy object is dropped on the surface, a chip may form.

Porcelain stoneware for the kitchen

When choosing tiles for the floor, many people prefer porcelain stoneware, due to its high technical and operational characteristics, in comparison with classical ceramics. In the production of products, clay, fine-grained quartz sand and mineral pigments are used to color the products.

There are no pores and voids in the structure of porcelain stoneware, so the coating is characterized by high strength, resistance to moisture, chemical composition and mechanical stress. Despite the fact that the protective layer of the coating is higher than that of the laminate, if a heavy object is dropped, chips can also form. To make such defects less noticeable, it is recommended to choose porcelain stoneware painted in mass.


The disadvantages of porcelain stoneware include:

PVC or quartz-vinyl tiles

Vinyl tiles belong to the group of waterproof coatings. Installation is carried out in two ways: locking or adhesive. Adhesive tiles are an order of magnitude cheaper than products with a lock connection, but the cost of the installation itself is more expensive. Among the advantages of PVC tiles note:

Vinyl tiles protected from abrasion with a layer of polyurethane. The surface itself is relatively resilient, so objects falling on it are cushioned, thereby reducing the risk of chipping or denting. Despite the noted strength, the coating can be damaged by sharp or cutting objects.


SPC coatings

SPC coatings are comparable in their properties to quartz-vinyl, the difference lies in the increased rigidity of the base. This feature makes it necessary to use a substrate, and it is allowed to lay on softer types of substrates intended for laminate, while installation of quartz-vinyl is possible on a solid base without a substrate, or only on a specialized one.


Assembly is also carried out in two ways: glue and lock, and the cost of SPC and quartz-vinyl are in the same price range. Among the advantages, there is improved contact with the warm floor, as well as the ability to lay in a single field on an area of ​​​​up to 400 sq.m. (against 100 sq.m. for pvc tiles).

Other kitchen flooring

There are cases where natural flooring is used, which is less resistant to wear and damage. For example, the parquet board in the kitchen creates a unique design due to the natural pattern. However, when choosing this material, it should be understood that the parquet board is not waterproof, expensive in cost, and traces of dents and scratches easily remain on its surface. These defects can be corrected during restoration.

Another option for the kitchen is glued cork (the cork is afraid of water). It is used extremely rarely, since the products, together with the installation, are quite expensive. The cork flooring is glued and then covered with a layer of varnish, which ensures reliable resistance to moisture and damage.


There is also the option of combining floor coverings, such as porcelain stoneware with natural parquet or laminate.


Characteristics of floor coverings

In order to determine the type of material for finishing the floor in the kitchen, we will present the advantages and disadvantages of the coatings in question.

Variety Pros Cons
Laminate 1. Affordable price.
2. Ease of installation, work can be done independently without the involvement of a master.
3. Wide range of colors and textures.
4. Easy maintenance, grease and dirt can be cleaned with special chemicals.
5. There are waterproof collections.
6. Increased wear resistance. 		1. Products of cheap segments are less resistant to moisture, so the locks diverge.
2. The slats may be damaged if an object falls from a height.
3. The protective layer shows scratches from moving furniture.
Porcelain stoneware 1. Water resistance and increased strength.
2. Easy maintenance.
3. Will not deform under load.
4. Moisture resistance, chemical resistance.
5. Hygiene. 		1. High price.
2. Installation difficulties.
3. Expensive styling.
4. Cold and hard tactile.
PVC tiles 1. Easy to install and dismantle (glue or lock).
2. Maintainability of individual dies.
3. Moisture resistance, resistance to temperature changes.
4. Abrasion resistance due to polyurethane layer. 		1. Can be deformed by cutting objects.
2. High requirements for evenness of the base.
3. Small thickness, difficult to join with other coatings.
SPC coatings 1. Glue and lock installation.
2. Moisture resistant.
3. Resistant to temperature changes.
4. Possibility of laying on a warm floor system (up to 40 degrees).
5. High strength and wear resistance.
6. Laying is carried out on any kind of substrate.
7. Possibility of laying in a single field on an area up to 400 sq.m. 		1. Synthetic base.
2. The surface is easy to damage with a sharp object (knife).
3. Small thickness, difficult to join with other coatings.
Parquet board 1. Natural environmentally friendly material.
2. Sound and heat insulation properties.
3. Maintains performance for a long time with proper care.
4. Can be restored. 		1. High price.
2. Special care required.
3. Subject to moisture and temperature changes.
4. Cracks and chips may form on the surface under mechanical stress.
Cork 1. Heat and sound insulation properties.
2. Natural and environmentally friendly.
3. Not hygroscopic.
4. Resistant to moisture, chemicals.
5. Long service life.
6. Pleasant to the touch. 		1. High price.
2. Complicated installation process.
3. The need to frequently renew the varnish layer.
4. Marks from heavy furniture may remain on the surface.

Before you buy kitchen flooring, you need to prioritize. If the price is in the first place, here the primacy belongs to the laminate, it is the cheapest. In second place in terms of cost are PVC tiles, followed by porcelain stoneware, parquet and cork. If, however, durability and practicality are a priority, here the leading positions belong to porcelain stoneware, PVC and SPC tiles, then laminate and cork, and parquet board last.

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