The two most important factors when choosing kitchen flooring are durability and cleanability. Durability is significant because kitchens are high-traffic areas. Cleanability is also vital because sometimes you will need to clean the floors more than once a day.
What Is the Easiest Kitchen Floor to Maintain?
Criteria
The kitchen is often described as the heart of a home. It’s a busy place where family meals and memories are made. Today, many families are busy, with little time for high-maintenance flooring care. Over and above durability and ease of cleaning, it is important to consider the look of the flooring, especially if you’re remodeling the kitchen. Your new floors need to complement the new style of the kitchen. Some folks may want to factor in eco-friendliness as well as pet-friendliness.
Comfort is another key factor to consider. Some flooring has more give to it than others. This can be easier on a cook’s back when they are on their feet cooking for hours. Also, think about the ease with which the flooring can be repaired or replaced in part if damaged. Apart from these criteria, the flooring choice for your kitchen should also reflect your personal style and design choices.
Kitchen Flooring Options
The choice of kitchen flooring material depends on your personal preference, family size, and age. You might also consider whether you are replacing just the flooring or doing a complete kitchen upgrade. Lastly, always keep your budget in mind. There are several great kitchen flooring options to choose from. While the budget is important, longevity and resale appeal are critical as well.
Hardwood Flooring
Solid hardwood floors are always a popular choice. However, they are at the higher end of the flooring price range. Not only do they look good, but they also have a warm feel to them. Hardwood floors are good for open floor plans as they blend the spaces together. Not to mention, they are easy to maintain and only need to be refinished instead of replaced in the long term. This helps make hardwood flooring long-term budget-friendly. Hardwood floors are a good example of how an investment in flooring can add value at resale time as well.
Engineered Wood Flooring
Engineered wood flooring has the appearance of real wood and it is cheaper. It has a veneer on the top in order to enhance its durability. Engineered wood flooring can be sanded and refinished only once since the surface hardwood layer is relatively thin.
Tile Flooring
An evergreen choice, floor tiles are made from stone, ceramic and porcelain, and are available in many different colors, styles, shapes, and sizes. Incredibly durable, they are best suited for high traffic areas as they are easy to replace (keep spares) and easy to clean. The grout between tiles can be a challenge to keep clean and maintain though, and tiles are not the cheapest flooring option.
Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl flooring is known to be resilient and is also a budget-friendly flooring option. Furthermore, vinyl flooring is relatively comfortable and soft on the feet. The softer quality means less chance of dropped items being broken or damaging the flooring. Vinyl comes in planks or large sheets, therefore installing vinyl flooring requires accurate measurements and true cutting. Some of the planking is engineered for easy installation, so compare vinyl options. The big advantages of vinyl flooring are the variety of colors and styles, including a wood look. This flooring style is also easy to clean. One major disadvantage of vinyl flooring is that it can dent when heavy appliances are left on it for a long time.
Cork Flooring
Cork flooring is becoming an increasingly popular kitchen floor option. Its appeal is the comfort underfoot and unique look. Moreover, it is eco-friendly as it is made from discarded tree bark, which is a sustainable material. Cork flooring is easy to install and affordable. However, cork floors are susceptible to dents and scratches and will need replacing around every three to four years. Check out the manufacturer’s guidelines on how to clean and maintain cork flooring properly.
Flooring Textures
In addition to colors and styles, consider flooring with a texture.
Distressed
The distressed look makes a wooden floors look as if it is aged and has been subjected wear and tear. By design, distressed flooring often has burn marks and scratches.
Hand-scraped
Hand-scraped wood has a variety of scratches and scrapes. This gives the floor the appearance of having been crafted by hand.
Wire-brushed
Wire scratches are introduced to the wood, but in a uniform way and are smooth. They can appear smoother and more uniform than other textures.
Reclaimed
Reclaimed wood flooring is recycled from pallets, barns, and old flooring. This type of flooring can be installed in different ways such as in a herringbone pattern, in chevrons, in wide planks, or square tiles. Some would say it has a historic or romantic appeal.
Additional Reading: Affordable Kitchen Flooring Options for Your Next Remodel
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