Kitchen Flooring Types

Are you thinking about replacing your old kitchen floor for a new one? With so many different choices available, it might seem difficult to choose the right kitchen flooring for you and your needs.

Vinyl Flooring

The most common kitchen flooring used is made of vinyl. Vinyl is resilient as well as comfortable on the feet and it comes in either tile for sheet form. It is also easy to install and comes in many colors and designs.

The advantages of vinyl include:

* Variety of colors and designs
* Besides the everyday sweeping and mopping, it requires no maintenance
* Scuff and stain resistant
* Not having to worry about water discoloration

Disadvantages to a vinyl floor include:

* It can be easily dented by pointed heels
* The vinyl may peel up if the flooring is not installed properly and as free of seams as possible
* Even though it is stain resistant, it is not stain proof. You have to clean the spills quickly before they stain the vinyl.

Linoleum Flooring

Linoleum is a material that is made out natural products such as felt or canvas and is coated with linseed oil, cork, and resins. Often associated with older kitchens, linoleum is an environmentally friendly product that has come back in fashion. It comes in plain or decorative designs and is often confused with plastic vinyl because they both come in sheet form.

Advantages to linoleum are:

* It is durable and will take a lot of effort to dent it
* Oils, fats, and greases will not damage it
* It is environmentally friendly
* It is elastic, smooth, quiet and comfortable

Disadvantages to linoleum are:

* Standing water can damage linoleum
* Linoleum has fewer choices of colors and designs than vinyl.

Wood Flooring

People who choose a wood flooring for their kitchens often choose maple or oak. If a worn effect is desired, they go for pine. Wood floors are installed prior to the cabinets and are often laid in the form of narrow strips, planks or patterned parquet squares.

Advantages to a wood floor include:

* A variety of looks
* Can keep it clean with a broom or vacuum if the floor is polyurethane-coated

Disadvantages of wood include:

* It may warp and buckle if water seeps between the boards.
* Can be prone to fading and therefore you have to be careful where you place mats and throw rugs.
* The entire floor needs to be refinished to get rid of scratches.
* May not be practical for a kitchen due to the maintenance involved. Wood floors also can be slippery.

Stone Flooring

The stones that are often used for kitchen floors include slate, marble and granite.

Advantages of stone floors include:

* It is durable
* Can be used over a radiant heat system

Disadvantages of stone include:

* It is slippery and can be dangerous to fall on
* The stones may chip
* Color of the stone that arrives at your home may differ from what you choose in the showroom if taken from a different lot.
* Stains and dirt will show on the light colored grout between the stones.
* Having to apply sealants periodically to prevent stains.
* Stone is uncomfortable on the feet.

Laminate Flooring

If you want the look of wood or stone with the easy maintenance of vinyl, you might want to consider laminate. Laminate gets it's look of natural materials from plastic laminate adhered to fiberboard or particle board.

Advantages to laminate include:

* Not having to worry about stains or fading for at least 10 years.
* It is durable and can handle a lot of foot traffic.
* Requires less maintenance and cost compared to wood.
* Easy clean up with a broom and mop.
* Liquids will not damage the floor.

Disadvantages of laminate include:

* The laminated layers could break up if water gets into the cracks.
* The whole floor has to be replaced when it wears out.
* It is more prone to chipping than wood.
* The surface is not as smooth or even as wood.

Tile Flooring

There are several different types of tiles available. Quarry tile is a mix of shale and clays with some color and is unglazed. Ceramic tiles are made from pressed clays that are covered with a glaze of metallic oxides and ceramic stains or finished with a matte surfaces. Porcelain mosaic tiles are clay tiles that are thicker than ceramic tiles and are baked at a higher temperature. These tiles are laid and assembled by using grout.

Advantages of tile are:

* It's durability
* It is stain resistant if they are glazed.
* It is suitable for radiant heat.
* Tile comes in many different colors designs and sizes.

Disadvantages to tile are:

* May be slippery and dangerous to fall on.
* Tile can be hard on the feet.
* Individual tiles may crack over time.
* Tile that is unglazed needs to be treated occasionally with sealants.

Carpet

It is advisable that if you choose to place carpeting in your kitchen work area that you choose a stain resistant carpet that is made out of a material like olefin.

The only advantage to a carpeted kitchen is the comfort that it will provide. The disadvantages are that it does not have the durability of other types of kitchen flooring and that is very high maintenance in cleaning and upkeep.