Kitchen Flooring Options

 

There are a few things to keep in mind when considering a floor for your kitchen. Durability is definitely one of the most important aspects of a floor that is expected to have as much traffic as the kitchen. For the most part, you will be standing when in the kitchen so comfort is another important aspect to consider. Another important thing to consider is cleanability since typically a lot of debris is spilled in the kitchen. Moisture resistance, as well as stain resistance, is vital to choosing the right floor for your lifestyle. Last but certainly not least is the style of the floor that appeals to your eye. However you want to prioritize, there is a solution for you and your kitchen. Keep in mind that there is no perfect floor for a kitchen, so take note of all the considerations above and choose the best fit for you. Let’s take a look at your options.

 

Hybrid Flooring

Hybrid flooring is a great option for people who cannot afford expensive natural stone because these types of flooring are budget-friendly. But despite its low price, it still retains and does not compromise quality and looks. Hybrid flooring is beautiful to look at if installed properly and it is definitely worth placing on your floor.

Whether it’s a sheet, plank, or vinyl tiles all of these are great choices for your kitchen. When it comes to moisture resistance, hybrid vinyl flooring is your best option. Upgrading to a higher end vinyl is recommended because durability will be needed. Vinyl is a very comfortable choice for your kitchen. There are products with fiberglass backing which is an even better option for those of you with achy joints. A great alternative to tile or stone is Luxury Vinyl because it will not be as hard on your feet and will also have high durability ratings. These products simulate the look of real tile or stone without the disadvantages of hardness and clean ability. Many of the luxury vinyl tiles have the option of being installed without grout. Most people don’t like the idea of cleaning grout so a luxury vinyl tile is a great option.

Top Three Vinyl Recommendations:

1) Armstrong Alterna
2) Congoleum Duraceramic
3) Armstrong Luxe Plank

Hardwood

A great option for your kitchen floor is hardwood. Quality of finish, as well as species of the wood, should be very important aspects of your decision. Quality finish directly affects the day to day wear and tear. If you decide to choose an inferior finish it will result in traffic patterns and ultimately require you to get a refinish sooner rather than later. The harder the species of wood the less likely dents or other structural damage there will be to your kitchen floor. Consider the beatings that a kitchen floor will take when deciding on the floor of your choice. Right now one of the more trendy choices is hand-scraped or distressed hardwoods. Not only do these hardwoods look great, but give a worn or beat up appearance so any damage done due to traffic will be less of an eye soar. One of the drawbacks of a hardwood floor is water, water and wood do not co-op well. If a spill is left for a period of time then most likely there will be damage, however, if cleaned up in a timely manner hardwood will resist typical moisture. When it comes to cleaning, most hardwoods are easy to keep clean. Try to avoid floors with a large bevel to avoid more work for cleaning.

Top Three Hardwood Recommendations:

1) Indusparquet
2) Kahrs
3) Urban

Laminate

Laminate floors are an excellent choice for your kitchen floor, but before you pick one there are a few things to look at. The durability of a laminate floor is now measured by an AC Rating. An AC Rating of 3 or higher is recommended when choosing a laminate floor. Anything below 3 will work just fine, but will not last as long and you will notice wear patterns sooner rather than later. Due to most laminates being installed by the floating method, the floor will be easier on your feet. The floating installation has more give which is ideal for the kitchen where you will be on your feet a lot. With the possibility of drips, spills, and floods in the kitchen reaction to moisture must be considered. The core of the laminate will determine how the floor reacts to moisture. Be sure to select a laminate with an HDF core. Laminates are easy to clean which makes them a great option for your kitchen. Similar to hardwood, you probably want to avoid a product with a large bevel.

Top Three Laminate Recommendations:

1) Quickstep Laminate
2) Armstrong Laminate
3) West Coast Laminate

Cork

Cork has become an increasingly popular choice because of a few factors. If you select a pre-finished cork floor with a quality finish then you will get the durability aspect for your kitchen. Most cork floors are low maintenance when it comes to keeping the floor clean. Durability and low maintenance are vital to picking your floor, but the most intriguing aspect of a cork floor is comfort. With the kitchen being where you will spend a lot of time on your feet, cork flooring will provide comfort for those achy joints. Cork is considered to be the most comfortable hard surface floor on the market.

Cork Recommendations:

Now that you are aware of the options for a kitchen floor it is time to choose a category that best suits you. Try to pick one type of floor then select a product using the tips that have been previously mentioned. Kitchens get a lot of traffic and abuse, so if there is a room that could use an upgrade in your home this is the one.

Swiftlock And Pine Laminate Flooring

Swiftlock Laminate Flooring

Are you thinking of doing some improvements to your home? If you are then the quickest and simplest way of making such improvements is through laying some new flooring. However, don’t limit yourself just too new carpeting. Instead it is worth considering laying some Swiftlock laminate flooring.

As you will soon discover when it comes to laminate flooring including that made by Swiftlock is not only does it make a room look more attractive, but also it is far more durable. Plus when it comes to Swiftlock laminate flooring it doesn’t take too long to install and you can even lay it over top of the existing floor surface.

So why is the kind of laminate flooring made by Swiftlock worth considering installing? Below we take a look at just some of the reasons for installing Swiftlock laminate flooring in your home.

Reason 1 – As a floating floor technique is used to install this type of flooring unlike conventional hardwood floors you don’t need to use nails or screws to make sure that it remains in place once laid. However, you must make sure that gap around the room is left to ensure that the boards once in place have room to expand and contract when temperature and humidity levels in it change.

Reason 2– As mentioned above no nails or screws are needed to ensure that the boards once laid remain in place. They simply lock into each other and this is what ensures that they stay together. This type of system also means that you don’t have to worry about using any form of adhesive to help lock each board together. As a result you will find that the whole project of installing such flooring in a particular room can be carried out over the weekend.

Reason 3 – When it comes to Swiftlock laminate flooring you are not limited to the rooms in which it can be installed. This is the kind that you can also if you wish have laid in a bathroom. If you do intend to lay such flooring in your bathroom it is crucial to use a small amount of flooring glue that you run along the top of the tongue as this will ensure that the boards remain in place. Remember the humidity and temperature levels in this room vary much more compared to any other. Also will prevent moisture from seeping through to underneath.

Pine Laminate Flooring

With the correct set of instructions, you will find that laying pine laminate flooring is not as complicated as some people make it out to be. In fact when it comes to laying any kind of laminate flooring all you need to is a dry surface that is also level and firm.

However, along with choosing the right sort of pine laminate flooring for you home the other thing you need to decide upon is the kind of underlay that you use as well. It is the underlay that will ensure that the surface on to which your flooring is then laid is not only firm but also level. As you will soon discover when you start looking at what underlay to use there are many different kinds to select from.

The first kind is known as poly foam underlay and of the kinds available is the least expensive to buy. Yes it does help to ensure that any moisture in the surface below cannot seep through to your pine laminate flooring. But as it isn’t very thick you may find that when walking on the flooring it feels hard.

The next kind of underlay worth considering using and which tends to cost more is the type known as combined underlay. This is made up of two different materials and is somewhat thicker than the poly foam type. Along with it providing a more cushioning affect when you walk across pine laminate flooring it have great sound insulating properties as well. Certainly if you are intending to install laminate flooring in an apartment or condo then this is the kind of underlay you should be considering using.

If you are intending to lay pine laminate flooring on to a surface which is somewhat uneven then wood fiber board should be used. This is the thickest kind of underlay that you can purchase today and is the reason why it is so suitable for using on surfaces that are uneven. As with the previous type of underlay this again has great sound insulating properties and can also help to retain heat in the room far better as well.

Installing Laminate Flooring

When it comes to installing laminate flooring you first have to decide what type you want to install. No longer are you restricted to laying the kind that looks like different types of wood today it copies other forms. If you want you could have laminate flooring that looks very similar to brick, ceramic tiles or even slate if you wish.

Once you have decided on the style of laminate flooring you want for a particular room, say slate for the kitchen or wood for the dining room. Then you need to start preparing the floor on to which the new flooring is going to be laid.

First off you need to make the surface on to which you are installing laminate flooring is flat. If you are laying yours on to a floor made of concrete you will need to sand down any high spots and fill in any low ones. Then the floor will need to be cleaned thoroughly to make sure that any of the filling compound, adhesive from previous flooring and other types of debris has been removed.

Once the floor is ready you must make sure that you remove all trim from around the room including the based board and any doors that lead to and from it. This is important as after laying the laminate flooring you will then need to install quarter round molding. The molding is what helps to disguise the expansion zone for the laminate flooring around the edge of the room.

After you have removed all trims and doors you now need to lay the appropriate kind of material as the laminate flooring underlay. However, be aware that in some cases today the laminate flooring you choose to install may come with the underlay attached. But if it does not then use the type recommended by the manufacturers of the laminate flooring you have chosen to install. The whole aim of the underlay is not only to provide cushioning to the flooring laid but also help reduce the amount of noise created as the floor is walked on.

If as you are laying the flooring you notice that the drywall of the room doesn’t meet with it any particular point then you need to create a solid wall surface. To do this you apply a facing strip of 6mm (1/4”) plywood to the stud measuring between 5 to 7 cm (2 to 3”) wide.

Sheet Vinyl Flooring

The main benefit of laying sheet vinyl flooring in your home is that it is a lot easier to maintain than other kinds of flooring you have installed. But also you will find that the cost to install such flooring is considerably less than it would be to install say wood or laminate flooring instead.

However, although it is durable if not cared for in the right ways it won’t last as long as you would have hoped. So below we offer some tips you may find useful that will help to ensure that your sheet vinyl flooring looks as good as when it was first laid. Plus will help to ensure that it lasts for many years to come.

Tip 1 – You must make sure that you regularly sweep or vacuum and mop the vinyl flooring you have installed. If you allow dirt and grime to remain on the surface for any amount of time it can eventually lead to it being trodden onto the surface and create stains on it.

Tip 2 – When washing the floor regularly make sure that the mop head is clean. Again if you don’t then any dirt already on it will be distributed across the surface of your flooring and result in stains developing. Plus you will find that the lustre of the floor will be lost over time as well. Plus make sure you never use any cleaning products that may contain harsh chemicals in them. Although they may work they could actually cause damage to the surface of the floor causing it to look much older and dirtier than it should.

Tip 3 – In order to make sure that your sheet vinyl flooring looks as good as when first laid it is important to remove any moisture from the surface. But along with wiping up spills as soon as they occur you should also make sure that you don’t allow any crayon, lipstick, varnish, or shoe polish to come in contact with it. Should this occur take a paper towel or clean cloth to wipe them off? However, if they have already hardened use a plastic scraper (similar to the one you use for getting ice off your car) to try to remove them.

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Vinyl Flooring Tips

The main reason that so many people are choosing to lay vinyl flooring in their homes is because it not only is very durable but is designed to last for many years to come. However, if one does not take care of it correctly then over time the condition and look of the flooring can be badly affected. Certainly, if you don’t care of this type of flooring then it may need replacing much sooner than you expected. In order to help keep yours looking good, we offer some vinyl flooring tips to care for it properly.

So what things need to be done to take care of your vinyl flooring? Below we take a look at some of the things you should do to keep your vinyl flooring in tip top condition.

Tip 1 – Immediately something is spilt on its surface you must wipe it up as quickly as you possibly can. To do this make sure that you use some paper towels or a soft cotton cloth that is clean.

Tip 2 – You must make sure that you regularly vacuum or sweep this type of flooring to remove any abrasive materials such as dust, dirt or grit from its surface. If allows to remain on the surface it can actually cause the vinyl material to become scratched. This in turn can allow water or other fluids to be absorbed by the flooring and as a result damage its integrity.

Tip 3 – To help prevent too many abrasive substances coming into contact with the surface of the flooring place mats by any doors that will lead to the exterior of your home. Also make sure that as people enter your home they wipe their feet thoroughly on the mats before then stepping into your home.

Tip 4 – You should be looking to mop the floor at least once a week or month. This will of course depend on the amount of people that will be walking over the flooring. Also when it comes to cleaning vinyl floors make sure that you don’t use the rag style mops as these have the ability to help water get into cracks between the vinyl flooring.

Tip 5 – Make sure that you use a cleaning agent that is recommended by the manufacturer of the flooring made from vinyl that you have installed. This is the kind that is gentle and contains no kinds of abrasive agents in it. Not only can abrasive cleaning agents damage the surface of the flooring by scratching it, but can also lead to its color fading.

Tip 6 – Another important one of the vinyl flooring tips we give in this article relates to the moving of furniture. When it comes to moving furniture in a room where this type of flooring is laid although you may want to slide it across the floor you shouldn’t. Instead you should either lift the furniture up completely off the floor or place some protective material over the feet of the legs to then move it over the floors surface.

Guide To Hybrid Flooring

Hybrid flooring was created to have the look of hardwood floors; except that it can be purchased and installed for much cheaper. There are a number of advantages to installing hybrid flooring in your home, with very few drawbacks. These items will be discussed in detail below.

First of all, hybrid flooring was created as an alternative to the expensive hardwood floor options that are out there; except you still get the expensive look! Because it is made out of cheaper material, you can often find what you are looking for, for half the price.

Hybrid is a manufactured product, therefore, it can be made in really any color under the sun. Typically, it is made to reflect the common choices of hardwood floors: oak, maple, and other wood materials.

Hybrid flooring is also very easy to install; faster than hardwood floors. You can completely change the look of your room in the space of an afternoon. This is definitely a job that you should be precise with; however, it is not too complicated for the amateur person to attempt on their own. When you purchase your flooring, there will be complete instructions on how to install it, and these should be followed in order to prevent any mistakes.

Some of the disadvantages of hybrid is that you must you the correct cleaner. If you use the wrong type of cleaner on your hybrid flooring, you may actually rub off the finish of it; causing it to look worn or old. The flooring manufacturer will certainly have prescribed cleaners that you can use. Don’t worry, most of these are readily available.

Overall, if you are looking for a professional look of hardwood floors for a fraction of the cost; then hybrid plank flooring may just be the way to go. It is easy to install and can last for a long time. You will be able to find virtually any look that you are looking for.

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