When building a new home or remodeling your existing home, one of the most important decisions you will make is the type of flooring you choose for the kitchen.
The flooring you choose can either make your kitchen look very average and more quickly outdated or bring out the 'WOW' and increase the value of your home. The two main requirements for the flooring in the kitchen are durability and moisture resistance
There are many different types of kitchen floor products to choose from including vinyl or resilient floors, tile, hardwood or laminate. Another flooring product that is fast becoming a popular choice is cork.
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Two big factors to consider are whether there are children in the home and how much time you spend in the kitchen.
Resilient floors, made from vinyl or polyurethane, are one of the most flexible, stain and moisture resistant, easy to install and simple to care for and maintain of all flooring products.
Resilient floor coverings come in a myriad of colors, patterns, textures, and styles as well as in tiles or the old fashioned linoleum. The softness of vinyl makes it comfortable to walk on. The lower price of resilient flooring is also a distinct advantage, making this a very affordable choice.
Ceramic tiles are hard fired slabs of clay and come in a variety of colors, shapes, patterns, and finishes. The easy maintenance and the durability of these tiles are two of its top advantages.
The selection of these tiles ranges from the natural stone look which is one of the most popular to marbleized tiles which have a more classy and formal look. The purer the clay, fired at higher temperatures, is considerably higher end with a price tag to match but is also better wearing
Hardwood floors create a warm look which feels good and can be refinished although many consider the natural wear of these floors to create its character. The most commonly used woods are oak, maple, and birch. Another option is a high pressured laminate that imitates the real wood but is easier to install and some would say easier to maintain and care for.
Cork, a totally renewable resource, has become one of the most popular flooring choices for almost every area of our homes, the kitchen included.
It is extremely resilient being by far one of the most durable products in todays flooring market. It is also a great value costing as little as half the price of other flooring and because it helps reduce allergic reactions it makes it a healthy choice as well.
When choosing your kitchen floor covering, like every other room in your house, you want to select something that will enhance the décor of that particular room and your house overall. However, you want to consider both your budget and your lifestyle so that your final choice will be one that will suit your family and help you to enjoy your home for many years.
by Diana Fiege
