The kitchen is almost the main room in the apartment, in which a variety of family affairs are performed - from cooking and dining to work and children's games. We often drop something on the kitchen floor, spill something, walk a lot on it and wipe it often. Therefore, increased demands are made on the kitchen floor!
The most common questions that arise when choosing the floor for the kitchen:
- Is it possible to put laminate on the kitchen floor?
- What material is better: laminate, tile or linoleum?
- What is the difference between ceramic and porcelain tiles?
In this article we will try to answer these and other questions, give useful tips and consider the 5 main types of flooring with their pros and cons, evaluate the characteristics of materials on a 3-point scale in the table by the following 7 criteria:
- Hygienic - The kitchen floor, of course, must be easy to clean, because every day it is exposed to a lot of dirt, moisture, fats and household chemicals;
- Moisture resistance - in terms of humidity, the kitchen loses only to the bathroom, and, in addition, sometimes liquids are spilled here. Which floor is best tested by water?
- Wear resistance - the coating should not wear out, dim and deteriorate, a good kitchen floor can last for at least 10 years;
- Impact resistance - Falling sharp and heavy objects sometimes happen in the kitchen, what kind of floor with dignity will withstand the attack of a cast-iron pan or knife?
- Price - the perfect floor in the kitchen is not necessarily expensive, and the expensive is not necessarily perfect. Which floor is more profitable for an average Russian citizen?
- Appearance - the choice of flooring design is a matter of taste, but we will try to evaluate this subjective question. We appreciate decorativeness, ability to imitate natural materials and variability in color and textures;
- Ease of installation - which floor can be installed independently, and in which case it is better to use the help of the wizard?
The main types of flooring in the kitchen
Today the floor is most often made from:
- ceramic tiles;
- ceramic granite;
- natural stone;
- laminate flooring;
- linoleum.
Each of these materials has unique properties, its own advantages and disadvantages, which can be briefly reflected in a table (where "3" is the highest indicator and "1" is the lowest).
| TOTAL: | 15.5 points | 18 points | 14.5 points | 14 points | 17 points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ceramic tile | Porcelain stoneware | A natural stone | Laminate | Linoleum | |
| Moisture resistance | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| Wear resistance | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Impact resistance | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Hygienic | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Appearance | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1,5 |
| Price | 1,5 | 1 | 0,5 | 3 | 2,5 |
| Ease of installation | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
So, as you can see, the choice of a floor for a kitchen is an individual question, and there is no universal solution, and the high cost is not a guarantee of an ideal floor in all respects.
Based on this data, identify your favorites and learn more about their pros and cons later in this article.
Ceramic flooring - the most popular floor in kitchens around the world
Perhaps the most popular option among flooring is ceramic tile floor. With the help of ceramic tiles you can create a unique floor design for your kitchen. Manufacturers offer a great variety of tile pattern variations - one-color of various colors, with floral or floral motifs, geometric and abstract patterns, as well as imitations of natural stone, various metals and wood.
No less variable material and method of laying - the tile is mounted diagonally or in parallel, in a checkerboard pattern, and even "herringbone."
- BENEFITS: Practicality, high hygiene (it is not by chance that tiles are put in our hospitals), wide variation in the choice of masonry and tile design, environmental friendliness, total non-electrical conductivity, resistance to UV light and the effects of household chemicals, the possibility of local repair;
- MINUSES: The ceramic floor is cold (so when choosing this option, consider installing the system "warm floor"), The tile can be damaged when falling kitchen utensils, in addition, this type of floor is difficult to install for non-professionals, the cost of the tile varies greatly and now you can find a decent tile at an affordable price, but still, it is more expensive than laminate or linoleum.
Useful tips:
- For the kitchen, materials of 3-4 classes of wear resistance and hardness of 4-5 units are preferred;
- Choose matte ceramic tiles that will not slip when moisture gets in;
- You can get an interesting spatial effect if you complement the floor tile with a similar (by color or texture) material in facing the kitchen apron;
- When choosing a ceramic tile, carefully check its quality - the plates should have smooth edges and exact, identical sizes.
See the material on the topic: How to lay tiles on the floor with their own hands.
Porcelain tile - an alternative to ceramic tile and natural stone
Porcelain tile - in its composition is the closest relative of the usual facing tile, but it is made by another technology, so that it becomes almost indistinguishable from natural stone. In terms of performance, porcelain tile benefits both stone and ceramic tile (due to lower porosity, greater density and lack of microcracks).
People increasingly choose porcelain stoneware for their kitchens, but this material has not only advantages, but also some disadvantages.
- BENEFITS: High strength, fire resistance, durability, decorative (this material adequately imitates stone, wood, metals and even fabric), does not fade in the sun, is completely eco-friendly and easy to clean;
- CONS: High cost, installation complexity (it is better to trust a professional to put a tile made of porcelain stoneware), this type of floor is cold, so it is advisable to supplement such a covering with a heating system.
Natural stone on the kitchen floor - the choice for a luxury kitchen
The floor for the kitchen of natural stone - it is luxurious. Noble, special, unique - this will be your kitchen if you decide to use natural stone.
- BENEFITS: Appearance, high strength. Its service life is measured in decades - and throughout this period the floor in the kitchen will remain as beautiful as it was immediately after it was laid;
- MINUSES: This material is much more expensive than all other types of coatings, it is difficult to maintain and does not store heat well (it also requires the installation of a “warm floor” system), the installation itself is difficult, and it also has significant weight - and therefore may even need reinforcement overlaps.
Laminate - the favorite of Russian kitchens
No less common than the tile version of the kitchen floor and a worthy replacement floorboard. Most often in the kitchen they put it in an effort to withstand a single design of the whole apartment for reasons of economy, or simply because it looks pleasant and familiar. But is laminate flooring suitable for the kitchen? Yes, it is suitable, but only its moisture resistant type with increased water repellency!
- BENEFITS: This is the most affordable flooring option, so if you often change the interior, your choice is laminate. It is not very susceptible to mechanical damage. Traditionally, the surface of the laminate imitates wood, and it does it very well;
- DISADVANTAGES: It can withstand only the lingering effects of steam, water, fat and, if you pour beet juice, most of the laminate floors are painted. This is a synthetic material that can absolutely not be suitable for fans of naturalness and environmental friendliness.
Useful tips:
- Laminate in the kitchen needs increased attention - make sure that the pipes do not leak, the neighbors do not flood you, and spilled liquids quickly wipe;
- Be careful with the beetroot - the laminate floor can easily be painted and then not washed off!
Linoleum - deserved and well-known material
The floor for the kitchen of linoleum - for someone it seems irrelevant in our day, the coating comes from the 90s. But this opinion is erroneous, because today linoleum is made in a different form - more qualitative and modern. In addition, it is really practical and profitable solution.
- BENEFITS: The number of various colors and textures is impressive - there are various (and very good) imitations of wood, marble, tiles and even snake skin. This material has an attractive price, high performance and durability - the average life of the material is 9 years. This flooring is undemanding in the care and can be mounted by the owner of the premises with his own hand, which is also an indisputable advantage;
- MINUSES: To make linoleum look beautiful, you need to have a perfectly even floor in the kitchen.
Useful tips:
- Which linoleum is better for the kitchen? The durability of a material largely depends on its category — household linoleum is the least durable, and semi-commercial and commercial type coatings are almost resistant to wear due to the increased thickness of the protective layer;
- If sustainability is important to you, choose linoleum with a natural backing;
- Linoleum can be simply put, and can be glued. The second option is much better.
Well, so we compared the main types of kitchen floors. It remains only to prioritize, evaluate your budget, choose the color and design, make measurements and find your perfect store floor.
We wish the floor in your kitchen as rarely as possible to encounter the fall of sharp knives and heavy pans, with spilled beet juice and liquids. May it always be beautiful, well-groomed and serve your family for a long time and truly!
(Rate the material! Already voted:32 average rating: 4,53 from 5)
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I do not like ceramic tiles on the kitchen floor. Slippery, cold. In extreme cases, some carpet or carpet is needed.
It is a pity that I saw this article just now, and not before buying tile for the floor in the kitchen in the country. Although it seems to me, it would not be bad to compare ceramic tiles, porcelain stoneware, and as an option (I don’t know if the “Warm Floor” system is used together with natural stone) natural stone in combination with a floor heating device. This refers to thermal conductivity, the duration of heating and cooling (heat transfer), and possibly other significant parameters.
Hello, thanks for the article, but tell me how about a self-leveling floor? Would you like a bathroom, and what about manufacturers? We were recommended to take from the company disbon, quality at the height, who knows what?
Thanks for the tips, helped in the choice of floors for the kitchen!