Kitchens are becoming the social areas of the modern living spaces. In other words, the kitchen is the most frequently used area in the household. Whether you’re renovating your current one or furnishing your new home, you should opt for a good flooring solution. Here’s a detailed analysis on the latest flooring trends.
Wood
If you are wondering whether wood is a good choice for kitchen flooring, the answer is yes. Many people love the fact that they can introduce the natural look of wooden floors to the kitchen. Wood flooring can be made from planks of solid wood or it can be engineered with many layers of ply, forming a strong and stable core board. The most common hardwoods used for kitchen flooring are oak and maple. In terms of style, wood is the best choice for creating an authentic rustic appearance with darker wood tones, whereas bright wood flooring can be seen in coastal style kitchens in many beach houses.
Durability
Since it’s a natural product, wood can expand and contract due to moisture and temperature levels. Therefore, engineered wood flooring is recommended for kitchen floor solutions because timber can withstand the atmospheric challenges.
Apart from it, water is a potential issue when it comes to kitchen wood fitting, so you need to make sure there will be no excess water sitting on the surface. The best thing you can do is create easy access inspection points that will make things easier and safer.
Installation
Wood flooring is installed onto a level wooden subfloor or a cement foundation. If the subfloor structure is not even, the wood can bend over time, and an expansion gap is required around the floor perimeter, which will allow the boards to swell and contract from all the moisture in the kitchen. Only a well-sealed wooden floor is a quality floor.
Appearance
Wood floors are very attractive – they offer elegance and value to your home design. Due to the natural tones and grain, wood gives a seamless finish to any interior. It can be found in a wide range of colours, from neutral to reddish, depending on the type of wood used in the manufacturing process.
Maintenance
Avoid dust and scratches with daily mopping and try using specifically designed products for preventing moisture getting trapped in the wood surface. That way you’ll minimize potential damage and keep the wood flooring in top condition for longer.
Vinyl
Vinyl flooring is made of synthetic material, reinforced with fiberglass. It has a thick core layer, with an overall thickness ranging between 1.5 mm to 5 mm. This composition makes it an excellent choice for your kitchen floor. Some types of vinyl floors are waterproof, such as wood and polymer composition or thee stone composite vinyl. They are available in a huge range of trending styles, so you can find vinyl flooring styled as kitchen floor tiles or wooden floor, and what’s best – it feels the same. Softer than hardwood, your vinyl floor will be easier on your feet when you’ll need to cook for longer.
Durability
Vinyl is a highly-durable material mainly because it’s moisture resistant, which makes it useful throughout all the areas area of the home. However, if not maintained properly, the vinyl kitchen flooring might get susceptible to scratches over time.
Installation
It can be installed as a floating floor over many types of subfloor, like wood or concrete. Vinyl flooring comes in planks that use the click and lock installation method. Some of them are easy for DIY installation, while for others professional installation is required. Another option is to glue the vinyl to the surface, but make sure it’s properly cleaned before the installation begins.
Appearance
As mentioned above, vinyl kitchen floor tiles can mimic many different styles and give your kitchen a modern, chic look. If properly installed, vinyl flooring looks so authentic that makes hard to tell vinyl from any other material.
Maintenance
Taking care of vinyl flooring is simple and easy. It just requires regular moping with good quality cleaning products that will keep the floor clean and germ-free.
Laminate
Laminate is a synthetic product, with a fiberboard core made from wood byproducts bonded with resins. It is a very flexible material, with overall thickness between 6 mm to 12 mm. Laminate flooring was designed to mimic the look of wood for an affordable price. It is very similar to vinyl planks and people easily get confused between the two of them, but there are some main differences as you’ll see below.
Durability
The limited ability of laminate to withstand against moisture makes it a questionable choice as a kitchen floor option. Even if it’s perfectly installed, this material can tolerate water for a short time only and is more suitable for low moisture areas of the house.
Installation
Very similar to the vinyl, laminate flooring is installed over other floorings and subfloors, using the click and lock method of installation, which is an easy way for DIY projects, however you may always ask for a professional installation or help.
Appearance
Laminate flooring allows realistic prints on its surface, with images of the materials such as wood, ceramic or stone. Laminate planks can be found in various colours, offering a look that suits your personal style.
Maintenance
Unlike wood or vinyl, laminate is best cleaned with dry methods, and it is one of the easiest flooring types to maintain.
Eco-Friendliness
Engineered hardwood is considered a sustainable flooring, which was not the case with vinyl in its early production. The good news is that lately many manufacturers have improved their techniques and now produce eco-friendly and low-emitting vinyl materials. In the case of laminate, things are improving as well, but it is always best to do research before purchasing and make sure that you get high-quality and non-toxic products.