Since we spend a considerable amount of time in the kitchen, it makes much more sense to put in the same energy and love as we do when making a homecooked meal to transform it into something more beautiful. So, what kitchen flooring options are meant for you?
There is a wide range of kitchen styles you can opt for depending on the type of kitchen layout you have. One good example is the coastal-styled kitchen layout that lets you connect to the beach by providing you with a variety of light beachy colors such as blue, white, gray, and sandy tan.
On the other hand, a cozy-styled kitchen layout comprises vintage color accents that are also a great way to upgrade the look of a small kitchen.
Unfortunately, when presented with options for kitchen flooring, you may find it challenging to settle for just one. To help point you in the right direction, we have prepared a small list of things you should consider when shopping for the right flooring for kitchens.
Things to Consider When Shopping for Tiles
The Kind of Life You Live
The kitchen can get messy as food and water accidentally spill when cooking. Therefore, we recommend getting waterproof and stain-resistant flooring. If you have a busy kitchen where people regularly come in and out, consider a floor that can withstand a lot of foot traffic.
Your Preferred Style
Many kitchen styles guide you when choosing a kitchen floor, from coastal style, homey style, farmhouse style, and the now trending farmhouse style. Each of these kitchen styles has unique features that might work better with some floorings types than others. Therefore, you must learn about the type of kitchen style you have at home so you can choose kitchen floor tiles that will match them much more easily.
Level of Comfort
If you stand in the kitchen for long hours, you donโt want to settle for just any kitchen floor you find. A soft, resilient floor will be better since you wonโt feel too uncomfortable while cooking. Wood floors might serve you better since they are resilient and elastic, thus providing you with the level of comfort that ensures your feet donโt develop fatigue even if you stand on them for an extended period.
Ease of Cleaning
Your kitchen floor will likely become stained as food, oil, and water keep spilling to the floor. If you donโt want to have a hard time cleaning the stains off your kitchen floor, choose a flooring material that is waterproof, easy to clean, and not prone to staining.
Cost of Flooring
If you are on a limited budget but still want value for your money, consider getting an affordable kitchen floor well within your budget. First, measure your kitchen floor to know how much square footage you need to cover. Also, take into account additional costs you are likely to incur, such as payments for delivery, removal of your old tiles, and installation of new flooring materials.
Before you decide which kitchen floor to get for your kitchen floor plan, here are some of the best kitchen floors according to our findings.
Vinyl Flooring
Luxury vinyl tiles, also known as luxury vinyl planks, are flooring type that resembles real hardwood floors and are not susceptible to water damage. It has a bottom layer with integrated natural cork underlayment that is comfortable to stand on. It also features individual tiles that can be removed and repaired in case of damage, reducing the repair cost per square foot. In addition, its click system does not need glue, significantly reducing the effort during installation.
Vinyl flooring has wide planks and can be bought in a wide variety of colors and styles of floorings. Sheet vinyl floors are stain-resistant and waterproof, making them an excellent choice for kitchen flooring since it is easier to clean up spills. In addition, since sheet vinyl is slightly soft at the bottom, glasses and plates have a higher chance of surviving a fall if they accidentally slip, making them a popular option.
Laminate Floors
People usually confuse laminate flooring with engineered hardwood flooring since it uses fiberboard, similar to plywood. However, its strong resemblance to hardwood floors is owed to its image layer, which is further protected by a layer of durable wear.
There is a waterproof option of laminate floors that are much more suited for kitchen flooring. It is also significantly cheaper than hardwood flooring, making it suitable for people on a limited budget.
Bamboo Flooring
Bamboo is an excellent alternative to hardwood floors. It resembles solid wood flooring and is environmentally friendly since it is entirely plant-based. The major downside of bamboo flooring is that itโs pricier than hardwood floors and needs regular maintenance.
Concrete Flooring
You can choose concrete flooring for your kitchen since itโs significantly cheaper than other flooring methods. Polished concrete tiles are cheap to buy and install, and you can color them to make them look more attractive. To get this type of flooring, you must pour it on your sub flooring, and you can shape how you like. Once dry, you can proceed to style the concrete floor and even add textures to make it less prone to slipping.
Hardwood Floors
Real hardwood floors perfectly combine beauty, durability, comfort, and warmth. In addition, they are comfortable and soft underfoot, thus an excellent choice for those of you with open-floor kitchen plans since they can be installed on the entire floor.
Professional hardwood flooring installations guarantee more moisture resistance, but youโll need to wipe off spills from the floor immediately to prevent staining.
You can get hardwood floors in two different variations: solid wood and engineered wood planks. Engineered wood planks have a veneer made of real wood at the top that is supported by a plywood layer making them more stable and less vulnerable to humidity and temperature.
Cork Flooring
Cork floors are another waterproof kitchen floor option. They are resilient floorings and thus are comfortable to stand on even for extended periods. Its textured surface makes it slip-resistant, while its intricate patterns make it captivating.
This type of flooring is sustainable and good for the environment since it is made from tree bark, a sustainable material that regrows without depleting valuable resources. Although cork floors come in a prefinished state, they do not have underfloor heating, and youโll still need to reseal them every four years to protect them from scratches and stains.
Porcelain Tiles
Porcelain is a good choice for people looking for durable, good-looking tiles for their kitchen floor plans. Although they are made from manmade materials, the process involved in making porcelain tiles is more rigid and less porous than ceramic tiles making them a better and preferred choice for use as kitchen floors.
Glazed porcelain tiles have a glass-like coating and are available in various colors guaranteed to give you an attractive kitchen floor, while the unglazed version looks more natural. The Americans with Disabilities Act has certified some porcelain kitchen flooring tiles as slip-resistant, making them a popular choice since they are safer to use in living spaces with toddlers and people with disabilities.
Ceramic Tiles
Ceramic tile flooring is another manmade material inferior to porcelain tile flooring. Although cheaper and more slip-proof than porcelain, they are made from less refined clay, which makes them less resistant to water and staining.
Natural Stone Tiles
These are tiles made from natural stones such as onyx, marble, granite, and limestone. The granite and limestone tiles are much more affordable real stones, while the onyx and marble are considered luxurious and therefore more expensive. How these stone tiles perform will highly depend on the type of stones used.
Epoxy Flooring
This flooring is becoming more and more popular by the day. Epoxy flooring is a safe coating for hard floors and is slip and shock-resistant. Furthermore, itโs less abrasive than concrete and is also water-resistant. Installing epoxy flooring will ensure your kitchen floors are well protected from harsh chemicals that can easily damage other kitchen flooring types.
Verdict
Since there are many flooring options, we have mentioned popular flooring options for kitchen floors. Luxury vinyl flooring is durable, waterproof, and easy to install but doesnโt appeal to everyone since itโs made from plastic.
If you have pets or kids that like to check in with you while you are busy in the kitchen, go for solid hardwood flooring. It is strong and thus can withstand heavy foot traffic with ease. The only downside to this type of flooring is the regular repairs and maintenance it needs to undergo to keep it in tip-top shape.
The most durable floorings are made of concrete. Concrete kitchen flooring is cheap, easy to install, and water-resistant. It might not look as attractive as other options in the flooring market but will last for years even without undergoing regular maintenance.
Choosing a flooring type for your kitchen is not easy. We cannot choose the perfect option for flooring for everyone since people have different needs and tastes. Take a look at the โthings to consider sectionโ for guidance on the styles of floorings for a contemporary kitchen design.
