Photo: Armstrong
While the design, color, and surface attractiveness are important considerations, you also want kitchen floors that suit your lifestyle and offer the comfort and durability that you need. Here are some favorites with their pros and cons:
Related: Kitchen Floor: 8 Popular Choices
Natural stone. Durable and easy to clean, stone has a timeless appearance that is suitable for almost any kitchen decor. Choose larger pieces for a more seamless appearance with fewer grout lines. Disadvantage? There’s no denying that the look is impressive, but you will likely need a strong subfloor and some cash to get the job done. Tile and stone can also be cold and uncomfortable if left in place for a long time. (One solution is to place a padded mat where you stand most often to reduce foot and leg fatigue.)
Cork. This often overlooked natural material is available in a variety of colors and patterns and is sustainable, warm and lightly padded. Seal it to prevent water damage and clean like a hardwood floor.
Linoleum. Easy to clean linoleum is available in slabs or tiles in a variety of colors. Many consumers confuse linoleum with vinyl, but vinyl is a synthetic material with a pattern on the surface, while linoleum is natural throughout.
Vinyl. This budget-friendly material (around $ 10 to $ 13 per square meter) improves its image as it can better imitate the look of stone, wood, tile, and leather thanks to new technologies. Vinyl comes in 6 or 12 foot wide slabs, or 12 to 18 inch tiles, which are ideal for home improvement. Vinyl is easy to clean and soft underfoot.
Ceramic tiles. There is plenty of choice for this category, and most of the choices are extremely durable and quite inexpensive. Choose large pieces if you want a more seamless look with fewer grout lines. The disadvantage? Pottery can be cold and uncomfortable if you stand for long periods of time.
Hardwood. Improvements in products and sealants make wood a useful floor covering in kitchens. This is good news for people with open floor plans who want to use the same material in adjoining living areas. In addition, wood gives a sense of timelessness and warmth that goes with any style, from urban lofts to cozy cottages to traditional homes.
You can find more information about floor coverings at:
Prefabricated vs. unfinished wood floors
10 reasons to love bamboo floors
Bamboo floor 101
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