23 Mar Top 5 Flooring Materials for A Kitchen Remodel
One of the most exciting parts of a kitchen remodel is choosing the flooring material. Your kitchen floor is a statement all by itself. It’s going to largely dictate the color palette, texture, and definition of the overall room. That’s why we highly encourage homeowners to review all possible options before making a final choice.
And there are a lot of options on the market—believe us. If you need some help narrowing down your choices, here are the top five flooring materials we think are perfect for any kitchen remodel.
Cork
Cork is a nice, safe choice for practical homeowners. It’s waterproof, moisture-resistant, and very durable. It comes in interesting grain patterns, too—perfect for adding a bit of texture and depth to an otherwise neutral color palette.
Cork is also a highly sustainable (therefore, eco-friendly) material. It’s made from tree bark, so sourcing and manufacturing aren’t too harsh on the environment. Its naturally textured nature makes it quite slip-resistant, consequently making it a safe flooring option. As far as maintenance goes, prefinished cork tiles and planks will need to be resealed every three or four years to prevent scratches and stains.
Ceramic Tile
Ceramic tile is a popular choice amongst homeowners simply because of all the benefits it has to offer. You can see it as an elegant, low-maintenance, and virtually indestructible flooring option. Plus, it’s budget-friendly too!
It exhibits a clean, crisp, and downright classy look. So if aesthetics is your primary concern, don’t worry; even the lowest-priced ceramic tiles can look high-end and trendy. A certified home remodeling contractor should have no problems helping you find one that fits your desired visual theme and your financial plan.
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Do take note that with ceramic tiles, the grout joints need to be carefully sealed. Otherwise, they’re prone to trapping dirt and debris, making it challenging to keep them clean.
Porcelain Tile
Not too keen on ceramic tiles? Porcelain is the best alternative. It’s durable, robust, and stunning as long as it’s well-maintained. It’s manufactured differently, too. It’s a lot tougher and a lot less porous than ceramic, which means it’s not as fragile or as prone to breaking.
Some porcelain tiles are also certified slip-resistant by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If slipping and sliding is a huge concern in your household, this is a safer option.
Porcelain tiles come as either glazed or unglazed. The glaze gives the tiles a glass-like coating. It also comes in a variety of colors, so finding one that suits your kitchen’s aesthetic shouldn’t be too difficult. Unglazed tiles come in varying shades of the natural, earthy color of clay.
Laminate
Another kitchen flooring option that has risen in recent popularity is laminate flooring. It is the best choice for homeowners who want to achieve a particular style or look without breaking the bank. It can be manufactured to convincingly mimic the look of other types of flooring—from hardwood to ceramic tile, from natural stone to colorful vinyl.
Of course, the illusion won’t hold up against professional inspection, but many happy homeowners have sworn that they can barely tell the difference.
Laminate also happens to be a very inexpensive option, which a lot of people love. It gives you the chance to mix and match different flooring materials at a wallet-friendly price. Installation is also quite easy, making it the top choice for homeowners who love DIY projects. Still, professional installation is highly recommended.
The only downside is that it’s not as durable as ceramic or porcelain tiles, and the seams between the planks are vulnerable to leaks and water damage. But rest assured, most laminate floors are covered in hard resin that is stain- and scratch-resistant.
Hardwood
A true, time-tested classic, hardwood floors has been a dream of many homeowners. They’re warm, luxurious, and insanely comfortable on the feet. Though they’re not typically used in traditional kitchens, homeowners who love contemporary styles or solid neutral palettes might want to look into this flooring for their kitchen.
It’s a particularly good choice if you want an open floor plan and the kitchen extends to the common living area.
Hardwood floors are durable and surprisingly low-maintenance—as long they’re properly finished and installed. They’re not exactly vulnerable to moisture, but we do recommend wiping up spills immediately.
A kitchen remodel, like it or not, is just one huge process of seemingly endless choices. There are a lot of factors to take into account and a lot of elements to define (and sometimes redefine). A good way to make regret-free decisions is by familiarizing yourself with all your options and then systematically removing the ones that don’t resonate with your vision.
