Types of Kitchen Flooring

The three main factors to consider when deciding on the type of flooring for your kitchen are durability, use, and style. The right kitchen flooring can not only make your life easier, but it has the ability to set the mood for the entire room.

Hardwood Flooring 

Solid hardwood floors come in strip flooring which are nailed to sub-flooring, plank flooring which has wider boards, and parquet flooring which comes in squares or geometric shapes to create different patterns. With its warmth and inviting tone, hardwood flooring creates a traditional feeling in any kitchen.
Hardwood floors come in two types: solid and engineered. One of the most popular types of hardwood floors is oak which is neutral in color and very durable.
Engineered flooring is created by laminating thin sheets of wood together in a crisscross pattern for strength. When purchasing hardwood floors for your kitchen, you want to make sure that it has already been finished. Hardwood floors are known for their beauty and prestige and are sturdy surfaces that are easy to clean. Solid flooring is cut from single pieces of wood and worked into desired shapes.
Engineered hardwood floors come in strips and planks.

Laminate Flooring 

In the lifespan of one laminate floor, carpet would need to be replaced 2 to 4 times, solid hardwoods would need 3 to 5 refinishing treatments, and vinyl flooring would need to be replaced 3 times.
Laminate flooring is extremely durable, which makes it a great choice for families with busy kitchens.
Although not considered to be on the same level as wood and marble flooring, laminate can be created to imitate such looks.
Laminate is a cost-effective choice for kitchen flooring that is both long-lasting and easy to maintain.
Laminate flooring will not lose color over time, while flooring such as hardwood tends to fade.
Most laminate flooring comes with a manufacturer's warranty of 25 years or longer.
Laminate flooring has an impressive life span.

Vinyl Flooring

 Inlay vinyl flooring, which is only available in tile form, offers great wear resistance since the colors and patterns go all the way through the flooring material.
With inlay vinyl, color and pattern are imbedded into the vinyl layers, while with rotovinyl only a single layer of vinyl is printed with color and pattern.
Vinyl flooring is often referred to by the popular manufacturers' trade names Linoleum® and Congoleum®.
Vinyl flooring is an affordable and aesthetically pleasing choice for kitchen flooring.
Vinyl is made of plastic, or more specifically polyvinyl chloride - abbreviated PVC - to which other compounds are added.
Another reason for its popularity is that it can, much like laminate, be made to imitate other flooring materials such as stone, marble, and wood.

Marble Flooring 

Although the preferred choice for some, marble flooring is not the optimal choice for kitchen flooring as it is porous and prone to staining. Since marble surfaces can become very slippery when wet, you should choose finishes to help create traction for your floor; these include tumbled and honed finishes.
Marble flooring comes in many styles and always adds a unique look to a room because no two slabs of marble are identical. Marble flooring is known for its natural beauty and unbeatable durability.
Marble flooring also requires regular maintenance to last a long time.
Although grade A marble is the most expensive, it is the recommended choice for kitchens because it is the most durable. When choosing marble for your kitchen floor, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Marble is a type of metamorphic rock that is formed beneath the earth's crust.

Ceramic Tile Flooring 

There are four basic decisions to make when choosing ceramic tile for your floor: size, shape, color, and finish. Ceramic tile flooring is a very popular type of kitchen flooring in the United States - it is one of the oldest and longest-lasting flooring materials known. Shapes include square, rectangular, diamond, hexagon, octagon, triangular, round etc. - depending on your budget, you can get ceramic tile in any shape you can possibly imagine. Ceramic tile is especially well suited for areas with high traffic and exposure to water and dirt, such as entryways, bathrooms, kitchens and hallways.
Ceramic tile ranges in size from 1/4" square to 12" x 12" squares and even larger.
Glazed tile is simply more water resistant and easier to clean than any other finish.
Color choices are endless, from black and white to everything in-between, and as far as finish is concerned most people opt for the glazed finish.

Tile Flooring 

Granite tile flooring is one of the better options for kitchen flooring because it is denser and more durable than other stone options. Factors such as room size, layout, materials used and amount of labor required will all affect the cost of your kitchen remodeling project. A kitchen remodeling project can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $50,000 or even $150,000 - you can regulate the cost of your kitchen remodeling project by making product choices that fit your budget. Since kitchens can become busy and messy places, you should choose stone tiles that are resistant to moisture damage and staining.
Although this flooring option can be expensive, stone tiles have the potential to last a lifetime.
Stone tile flooring has a natural look and is strong and durable.
Your project is going to cost more if you are starting from scratch with a complete remodel rather than just replacing a couple of items. Stone tile floors are generally easy to maintain, usually requiring only a mop for cleaning. A new kitchen is a major investment, so take your time choosing colors, finishes and features - and remember to have fun. Stone tiles can look traditional and rustic or contemporary and elegant.