Flooring Options To Consider for Your Kitchen Renovation
Posted on: 1 November 2021
A kitchen floor faces a lot of challenges. It's regularly covered in spilled food and drink. And it exists in an environment with fluctuating humidity, as the steam of cooking builds up and flows out the windows or vents. So the flooring needs to be constructed with a resilient material. It should also add to the beauty of your kitchen. Here are several options to consider.
Timber
Wooden planks give a kitchen a homey feel. They'll especially help in a white kitchen that can otherwise look sterile. However, timber planks suit a variety of styles, including industrial, traditional, and Scandinavian decors. Lay honey-toned wood for a classic look or pale blonde in a modern space. As well as picking between diverse species, you can choose from different widths. Wider planks leave fewer join lines and give a cleaner look.
However, timber can encounter problems, as it can rot, shrink, or expand when exposed to moisture and temperature fluctuations. To overcome these weaknesses, you could consider engineered planks, which use more resilient plywood at their core. A hardwood veneer is then stuck on top. When you walk on engineered floors, you can see and appreciate this timber veneer.
Faux Wood
You can also install faux wood flooring that doesn't feature timber on top but uses a photograph that looks like the real thing. For example, laminate boards have an MDF core covered with a photo of blackbutt wood, which is then encased in protective hard plastic. Similarly, vinyl uses a photograph imprinted onto the top of the planks. Vinyl resists water and is ideal for kitchens. It's also softer on the feet and quieter than hardwood and engineered wood. Laminate, though, can suffer from similar problems to solid planks if water gets to the MDF inside, which can swell and become damaged.
Natural Stone
Other flooring options include natural stone tiles such as slate. Slate comes in grey, blue, gold, and tan shades, decorating your kitchen in attractive colours. Natural rock shows natural variations, so you can choose more uniform grey tiles or colourful ones that mix hues. Stone will give your kitchen an earthy feel and prevent your flooring from looking like plastic. You could also choose lighter travertine tiles that exhibit ivory, peach, pink, and fawn.
Ceramic Tiles
Another kind of tile to consider are ceramic ones, especially porcelain, which are impervious to moisture. Ceramic tiles come in a broader range of colours and patterns than timber or natural stone. You can lay brightly patterned cobalt blue and white tiles or amber terracotta flooring. You'll have an endless array of colours and patterns to pick from. Ceramic tiles can also mimic other elements like stone and timber.
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