There is lots of debate among interior designers and contractors about the best materials to use for kitchen flooring. Many people claim that tile is the best option for sanitary reasons and ease of cleaning, while others insist that laminate flooring is the best option. Still others love the warmth and character of hardwood flooring.
Each possibility has its own pros and cons, depending on your unique situation and personal sense of style and taste. We’ll take a quick look at the various options with an eye towards the best flooring for a kitchen, to help you decide which will work best for you in your space.
Tile Flooring
An oldie but goldie – and classic for a reason. Tile is available in a wide variety of styles, shapes and combinations, and it’s an absolute cinch to clean up. Simply spray down with the cleaner of your choice and wipe clean with a sponge or cleaning cloth – it’s that easy. However, and this is a big ‘however’ for DIYers, tile can be real pain to install. It requires concentration and patience, as well as a steady hand with a tile saw to get a really effective result. Grouting (the stuff between the tiles) can also need replacement, which gets to be a real hassle.
Laminate Flooring
This is the new challenger to the area, and it’s becoming quite popular for use throughout the house. Water resistant and easy to clean, it’s also a snap (ha ha!) to install – most new laminate flooring literally snaps together, making it a boon for the new DIYer. It’s basically as simple to clean as tile flooring, and there’s no messing around with grouting or tile saws – a simple wood saw will do the trick if you need to cut down any pieces.
Hardwood Flooring
This is becoming less and less of a popular option, although it still looks great everywhere in the home. It’s not the most eco-friendly material, of course, and because it’s real wood, it’s prone to shrinking and swelling with humidity changes. Additionally, if you ever have any kind of serious plumbing problems, your floor could very well be permanently ruined – a problem, since it’s also the most expensive option listed here.
Hopefully, this quick overview will help you decide what to use in your project – if your serious about DIYing this, be sure to check out this great review from Elle Decor!