Kitchen Flooring – Available Options Part 1

Choosing the correct type of flooring for the kitchen is important and requires serious attention. The kitchen is an area of the house that sees heavy, everyday use, whether it's foot traffic or the endless spills and kitchen accidents, the kitchen floor has to be able to take it and bounce back.

For this to happen you need to make an informed choice and be familiar with the available flooring options which will work for the kitchen. Wood is of course the first choice that springs to mind, it gives the kitchen a distinct character and timeless appeal. Wood is also quite warm underfoot and tends to insulate the room or area quite well from any sudden temperature drops. A downside to wood is that it doesn't tolerate water too well, even the best sealed woods still show signs of water damage after some time. Maintenance is also another aspect – wood floors need to be cared for or they will simply rot away. Wood is also more expensive as compared to other floor options.

Vinyl is another option, this time for the budget minded. Vinyl can be purchased in two forms – a large sheet cut down to size and vinyl tile flooring. Both of these are suitable for use in the kitchen and will not sustain much water damage, even after while. Installing vinyl flooring installation may be easier than working the large vinyl sheet around into place as the tiles are smaller and give you room to experiment and try different layouts. For homeowners that don't want to part ways with the wood look, but want a durable and affordable alternative – laminate is the thing you need. Laminate is extremely durable in comparison to wood, requires little or no maintenance and is cheap to buy and install. Ceramic tiles should be your flooring of choice if you are after a great variety of styles and colours, tiles outnumber and outdo other flooring solutions when it comes to abundant designs. Certain types of ceramic tiles cost significant figures, so know what you're looking for and save.
We will continue the discussion in part 2, you can find it here.