What Should Be Known about Kitchen Flooring?
2009-10-19

For the room that is the “heart of the home” the choice of flooring can be especially important. Your choice will depend on many things.Appearances are important when it comes to new floors, but don't choose a material based on looks alone. Go ahead, take off your shoes and stand on the floor in your stocking feet. Is it comfortable? Now put your shoes back on and go for a walk. How does the floor sound?

Because the kitchen is typically the busiest spot in the house, you will want a floor that wears well, too. Children, pets, heavy foot traffic and kitchen spills can all take a toll, so when weighing flooring options, think about a floor's durability and ease of maintenance.

Wood FlooringWood fits a variety of decor styles, is warm underfoot and easy on the legs, and is a quiet floor option. The maintenance and durability of a wood floor depends greatly on what species of wood is being used and how that wood is finished. One of the worries with wood is that it may scratch, but remember that wood floors can always be sanded and refinished.

Laminate FlooringFor homeowners who like the look of wood, but want a floor that is extremely durable and requires little maintenance, laminate is an option. Laminate is factory-finished, and it can be put in over an existing floor, making installation a snap. While laminate has its advantages, it lacks the warmth typically associated with natural wood and some people may find it noisy.

Tile it is hard to match this type of flooring for durability, as evidenced by the countless historic buildings across Europe. Tiles are hard and resistant to water, making cleaning and maintenance easy, usually just with dilute all-purpose cleaner and hot water, although it is important to rinse thoroughly. However, this hardness also means that anything dropped can easily break and it may not be so comfortable underfoot, especially if you are standing for hours by the kitchen sink!

Other options 

There are several other types of flooring that are gradually gaining in popularity, such as cork which is an environmentally friendly, natural product and is warm, comfortable, hard-wearing and easy to maintain. It is also hypoallergenic and relatively affordable.However,Bamboo, another green option, provides the look of wood, but is made from bamboo grass, a rapid-renewable resource. If you choose bamboo because it's eco-friendly, make sure the factory finish is formaldehyde-free.