Kitchen flooring: review and comparison of coatings

Selection criteria for kitchen flooring?

The room where food is prepared is much more prone to contamination than the rest of the rooms in the apartment, which means the floor should be:

• Durable to withstand frequent washing and cleaning with household chemicals.
• Durable to withstand continuous stress.
• Fireproof: When exposed to high temperatures, it is important that the floor does not emit toxic fumes and also does not ignite.
• Moisture-proof: the porous coating absorbs moisture and grease and promotes the development of various microorganisms, which should not be in an apartment.

What kind of floor can I use?

Before laying any material, it is necessary to make waterproofing, which will increase the protection of the room from water, and level the base. Consider the most popular and practical types of kitchen flooring.

Linoleum

Inexpensive material with a lot of advantages. It fits exclusively on a flat prepared surface, otherwise all dents and irregularities will be noticeable. The wear of the coating depends on its characteristics: for the kitchen, you should choose class 31-34, which will last about 15 years.

In the photo there is a loft-style studio kitchen. The floor is covered with wood imitation linoleum.

Linoleum has both pros and cons, let's consider them in more detail:

Laminate

Quite an acceptable option for the kitchen, if you do not choose too cheap material (33 grade is suitable). It has many textures and colors, it can look like natural parquet.

In the photo there is a kitchen in the style of a modern classic, the floor of which is covered with laminate.

What other features does it have? The answers are given below:

I advise you to look in more detail about features of the selection of laminate for an apartment.

Tiles and porcelain stoneware

The most practical option for a kitchen floor. Tiles are quite slippery and less durable, and cracks may appear on them during use.Porcelain stoneware is more resistant to mechanical stress and does not fade. Recommended choose a dark groutso that dirt between the seams is less visible.

In the photo there is a Provence style kitchen, the floor of which is decorated with ceramic tiles with a patchwork pattern.

Let's consider the operational characteristics of porcelain stoneware in more detail:

Wooden floor

This segment is represented by natural wood materials: parquet and deck boards. Most designers love this floor, but not all consider it suitable for the kitchen.

In the photo there is a Scandinavian-style kitchen, the floor of which is covered with natural boards. They soften the austere atmosphere and add coziness to the interior.

We weigh all the pros and cons of wood flooring:

Self-leveling floor

A relatively new and expensive way to decorate your kitchen floor. As a result of pouring, a homogeneous glossy surface is obtained without seams and drops.

The photo shows a modern kitchen with a white self-leveling floor.

Consider the pros and cons of a polyurethane coating:

Cork floor

Elastic material in rolls or slabs made from shredded wood. Compressed with thermosetting resins, the coating is elastic and rough. The surface is covered with special protective compounds.

It is worth getting to know the unusual material better:

Combined floor

Some kitchen owners combine two materials with each other in order to make the floor as practical as possible without giving up their useful properties. As a rule, wood or linoleum is combined, covering the dining area with a warmer coating, and the tiles are laid in the cooking area.

There are several reasons for this decision:

What is better to make a floor: a comparative table

This table summarizes the characteristics of each kitchen flooring:

See also how to combine tiles and laminate in the kitchen.

Today, the construction market allows you to choose flooring without sacrificing aesthetics for the sake of practicality: kitchen owners can only decide on their preferences and budget.