What Is the Best Flooring for Your Kitchen?
The kitchen is prone to hot spills from water and oil and is very much prone to wear and tear. Investing in good kitchen flooring is necessary especially if you will sell your house in the future. Below are some of the types of kitchen flooring you may choose from.
Hardwood
This has been one of the most favourite flooring types over the years. You may choose from light-toned woods to dark ones. There are 2 types of hardwood, solid wood and engineered hardwood.
Solid hardwood is composed of a piece of wood milled lumber while engineered hardwood is composed of 3-10 layers of plies and is glued together to add stability.
Finished hardwood can withstand scratches from pets and water spills. You just have to make sure that there are no plumbing leaks since the wood may absorb the water and later on produce stains.
Ceramic tiles
Ceramic tiles are considered to be durable and can last longer than other flooring. They are made of clay and come in different shapes and sizes. They can either be glazed or unglazed depending on how you want your flooring to look.
A glazed tile is easily cleaned and can withstand stains. Ceramic tile is also resistant to fire and water.
The disadvantage of a ceramic tile is that it is cold which may be uncomfortable when walking. Also, glasses can easily be broken if dropped on a ceramic tile. If water is spilt, the floor can be slippery and may cause accidents.
Vinyl
Vinyl is from synthetic plastic that can be produced in different colours and patterns. This type of flooring is very resistant to mould, moisture, mildew and spills; making it a popular choice for kitchens and homes over the past few decades.
There are 2 types of vinyl, vinyl wood flooring and vinyl tiles. Vinyl wood flooring mimics hardwood planks while vinyl tiles emulate stone, porcelain, metal or slate. Vinyl flooring is also one of the cheapest flooring types on the market.
Laminate
This type of flooring mimics tile, hardwood or slate for a cheaper cost. It is composed of 5 different layers. The bottom layer softens impacts and can reduce noise. Next is a melamine resin layer to make it moisture resistant. Then fibreboard to make it stable and durable. The top layer shows the design it aims to imitate.
The disadvantage of laminate flooring is that once it shows signs of ageing, you won’t be able to refinish it.
There are four types of laminate flooring – embossed, hand-scraped, smooth and textured.
Since a lot of options are available on the market, you can be quite overwhelmed. Your kitchen will be exposed to spills from water, oil, and dishes as well as kids running around. The most essential thing to consider in choosing the right flooring for your kitchen is its function and durability. Also, you may want to consider picking a flooring that will blend nicely with your home interior, is low maintenance, and can resist wear and tear in the long run.