Kitchen Flooring Options
Your kitchen is often the most used room in your home and the floor, therefore, endures more foot traffic, spills, and stains than any other area of the house. Whatever materials your kitchen floor is made of, it should be long-lasting and easy to keep clean. With so many options to choose from it is important to consider two factors above all else: functionality and durability.
No matter what your style, there is bound to be a suitable option for your kitchen floor that is easy to maintain. Following are some of the most durable kitchen flooring options, their pros and cons, and special considerations to consider.
Besides durability, preparing meals sometimes requires long periods of standing and walking back-and-forth. Ergonomic flooring options with some form of cushioning can be helpful, particularly for those who suffer from back issues.
The most durable kitchen flooring options are:
- Concrete
- Rubber
- Tile
- Stone
- Wood laminate
- Vinyl
The most ergonomic kitchen flooring options are:
- Bamboo
- Cork
- Rubber
- Carpet tile
- Wood
- Vinyl
- Hardwood laminate
Kitchen Flooring Materials
The most popular flooring materials with Australian homeowners are tiles, hardwood, and engineered wood. Most of the 66% of homeowners who renovated their kitchens in 2018 chose one of the following three types of flooring:
Hardwood Floors
Stained or unstained hardwood flooring is one of the most popular flooring choices for new kitchens and renovations. It is a misconception that wood is not an ideal choice for kitchen floors due to the number of spills, scratches, and stains a kitchen floor endures. On the contrary, hardwood works very well in kitchens as long as it is well sealed to withstand contractions and expansions.
To prevent moisture from seeping into gaps you should choose to have on-site finishing done to cover the gaps between boards rather than ordering pre-finished options that allow moisture to penetrate between the gaps. With its attractive natural and warm looks, hardwood flooring can add a sophisticated and refined look to any style of kitchen.
While hardwood is durable and resilient, it is an expensive option that requires a fair amount of maintenance. It can be refinished numerous times to get rid of deep scratches and stains and linseed oil can be applied to unfinished wood to enhance its natural beauty.
Tile Floors
Ceramic or porcelain tile flooring is a durable, low maintenance, and water-resistant solution for kitchen flooring. The latest designs mimic the textures and patterns of other materials like wood and have a unique reflective quality that creates the appearance of space, especially in smaller kitchens.
Some of the latest designs come in large, rectangular shapes instead of the traditional 12-inch square tiles that were exclusively available in the past. Today’s tiles are available in a wide range of styles, shapes, and colours. They are far more affordable than hardwood or stone flooring but are prone to cracking and can be slippery when wet.
Ceramic and porcelain tiles are versatile and can be extended to the walls or splashbacks for a continuous design.
Luxury Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl is an affordable flooring material that comes in a variety of styles and textures that mimic other materials like wood and stone. It is one of the most moisture-resistant options available, highly resistant to scratches and stains, and is very easy to install. The disadvantage of sheet vinyl is that it requires a flawless substrate to install on and can gouge easily.
Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring is a simple, modern kitchen flooring solution that is durable, affordable, and very easy to install. The top layer can withstand an enormous amount of abuse and comes with the longest 25-year warranty possible for flooring.
With a thin, foam, manufacturer-recommended padding beneath the boards, it becomes a soft, ergonomic option that cushions shock when walking or standing. It comes in a wide variety of colours, patterns, and textures that mimic other natural materials such as wood. It is not re-finishable and can be noisy and slippery.
Best Flooring for Your Kitchen
The best flooring for your kitchen will depend on your personal choice of materials, the amount of foot traffic your kitchen endures, and ergonomic considerations. Concrete kitchen flooring, for example, can lend a contemporary look and tone to a kitchen that is hard to match. It is extremely durable and moisture resistant, however, if long-standing is required for cooking purposes is can be cold and hard on the feet.
Concrete flooring comes in a wide variety of finishes that can give your kitchen a customised look. Concrete can be polished, stained, waxed, stencilled or stamped to suit almost any kitchen style.
On the other hand, cork flooring is a good ergonomic option that offers padded comfort underfoot. It is a natural insulator that helps to reduce noise and handles temperature changes well. Cork tiles are easy to install and can be refinished periodically. With a durable finish, it is able to repel moisture and damage is easy to repair with spare tiles.
Are you looking for some flooring options for your kitchen? Please call Let’s Talk Kitchens & Interiors today for all your kitchen flooring options in Melbourne and the surrounding suburbs.
