Every woman wants a practical kitchen where she can cook without worrying about spillage and the floors getting dirty. She may also want her kitchen to look beautiful, particularly the flooring. If you too are among such women, let’s take a look at the best flooring for kitchen that you can choose from.
Ceramic Tile Flooring
The perfect kitchen flooring surface, it pays to go with ceramic tiles since it suits all kinds of budgets and styles. There are innumerable styles, shapes, colours and patterns available so that you can create your own look in the kitchen—whether sleek and contemporary or retro. People prefer ceramic tiles for their durability, ease of maintenance, various price options and its ability to have a custom pattern no matter how low your budget. And not to mention its durability.
But ceramic tiles coe with their own set of cons. It can crack if something is dropped on it. It can feel cold underfoot especially in winters. Besides, long standing in the kitchen with ceramic tile flooring may prove uncomfortable to the cook. Moisture makes one slip on these tiles. Lastly, grouting may need sealing from time to time.
Natural Stone Flooring
Natural stone encompasses limestone, granite, slate or travertine. Whichever of these you may choose to go with, you’ll be spoilt for choice by their sheer variation. You’ll find that no two stone pieces are alike in color, texture or pattern. Stone also has an elegance all its own, that makes your kitchen look very smart.
Stone is also ideal for high traffic areas like your kitchen. They are cool underfoot and durable, requiring minimal maintenance. However, natural stone is expensive and dirt can get trapped into its tiny holes. It can also get chipped and scratched and peel with time.
Solid Wood Flooring
Wood is one of the best flooring for kitchen. It is a popular choice as it feels warm underfoot and can last forever and ever, if cared for well. You may live in a humid environment and have a lot of traffic into your kitchen each day, yet wood is durable, so will endure.
Over time, it will develop a rich silver-gray patina, which can be refinished. If using prefinished wood flooring, it can withstand water stains and heavy traffic. Maple or pine is good in the kitchen, particularly since you can sand and refinish it whenever you need to.
Here are a few cons you should be aware of. Spills can damage the floor if you don’t wipe it away immediately. Wood flooring also dents and scratches, so you will need to refinish it often.
Vinyl Flooring
What began as a price-efficient flooring material has now become a chic range of finishes and designs. Vinyl today is no longer the poor man’s choice of flooring. You can get it in tiles or sheets resembling wood, stone, ceramic tiles, etc.
Vinyl flooring is available in a range of options at a fraction of the cost of other flooring material. It’s easy to clean with a comfortable feel. It can also be installed in DIY manner, thus making it more cost-effective.
However, it dents, curls or bubbles with time. It can be torn by sharp objects and dirt and grit can scratch it and dull its sheen. Strong sunlight also fades it, so overall it has a shorter lifespan than other competing flooring types.
Linoleum Flooring
Made from resins, linseed oil, wood flour and other ingredients, linoleum is extremely versatile and can amaze you in a variety of colors, both bold and subtle. It can be cut into various patterns and is low maintenance, affordable and durable.
However, it erodes with time and fades fast too. These days, its lifespan is extended by manufacturers adding a protective layer before selling, else it will need waxing and polishing. It’s not easy to work with.
Cork Flooring
This all-natural product is distinctive for its texture, strong patterns, warmth and eco-friendliness. Cork flooring is also durable, versatile, water-resistant and absorbs impact noise. It is also resilient and provides comfort to any traffic in the kitchen. It also absorbs shock resulting from a dropped plate. It also protects the flooring from rot, pests and mildew due to its content of protective suberin.
However, it needs care. Since it can be scarred by dirt and grit, it will need to be swept and vacuumed regularly, besides also resealing it with wax or polyurethane. It also fades with time.
Overall, if you are looking for the best flooring for kitchen according to your needs, these are the few good kitchen materials that you can consider for your flooring. Much depends on how much you intend using your kitchen. Based on this you will have to choose a flooring type, which will prove to be the best for you in time.
