Kitchen Flooring Guidelines
Kitchen flooring must be good-looking, tough, easy to clean and in sympathy with the style of the kitchen. Many types of flooring can be bought, either as tiles or sheet. Tiles are easier to lay and many people like their versatility. Others prefer the smooth look of sheet flooring and it is marginally easier to clean. The different options for kitchen flooring include:
- Ceramic, quarry and slate tiles. - These are good-looking and reliable, but hard and ungiving, deliciously cool in hot countries and can be both cold in winter and for children's play. You can cover them with rugs and matting but these tiles must have some form of backing or underlay to prevent slipping and rucking. All tiles should be either secured with suitably strong adhesive onto ply or blockboard, or bedded into a solid sub-floor, such as concrete, for example. Tiles are heavy, so always check their overall weight before laying them in an upstairs room.
- Stone, brick: stone is available in similar thicknesses to tiles, but traditional flagstones are likely to be much thicker. Finish with a wax polish. Not ideal for those who have children. If you like brick, use paving bricks or brick tiles. Check whether the bricks you choose need any special treatment. Your local tile merchant will be able to advise you on this.
- Linoleum: comfortable, hardwearing material, made from natural products including wood, linseed oil and cork. Agreeable feel and texture; good for children's play. Sheet or tiles; good colours available; not difficult to cut and lay.
- Vinyl: this is the most common of all the kitchen floorings that are now available and comes in a wide variety of finishes, colours and textures. Can imitate almost any sort of flooring, from brick and wood to tiles. Some vinyls are cushioned. Good for children's play. Available in tile or sheet. Easy to cut and lay.
- Wood: excellent for kitchen floors, provided you look after it. The surface should be thoroughly sealed. You can use polyurethane for a high shine, or shellac and wax for a more natural look. Wooden floors can be painted with special floor paint (with additional varnish, this can last a long time). Stencil designs and colored stains can be used as well. Hardwood is expensive, but more durable than softwood.
- Cork tiles-, good material because it is soft and comfortable, but tough to available in different colours and textures. Good for children's play. Must be sealed; can be damaged by sharp objects; should be laid on hardboard or plywood. Cork is good insulation material.
- Carpet and matting: standard man-made fiber carpets and carpet tiles are suitable for kitchens. Carpet tiles are probably the best choice because you can wash them individually and lift and replace them when they get stained or when damaged. Matting can be comfortable in kitchens, but is not as easy to clean as the smoother floorings. It nearly always has a rubberized backing to stop it from rucking up and can be painted, stencilled or you can even add decorative borders, if you wish.
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