Whether you’re renovating your entire kitchen or just making a few changes, new kitchen flooring is likely on your list. There are many flooring materials to consider, not to mention the countless styles, in any part of your home. As you think about the best option for your kitchen, there are three things you should consider beyond style:
- Comfort for Standing
- Cleaning & Maintenance
- Water/Moisture Resistance
Flooring Comfort
There are few rooms in your home that you spend so much time in standing up. From preparing meals to cleaning, you’re standing and walking around your kitchen. Most people would agree that, generally, carpet is the most comfortable flooring material on which to stand, however it’s impractical in a kitchen. After carpet, you have laminate and hardwood flooring and vinyl. Tile is the hardest of flooring materials and not comfortable to stand on for long periods.
Cleaning & Maintenance
Although tile flooring is easy to clean, and popular in many Florida kitchens, no one like to keep grout clean. Especially after a spill of tomato sauce or wine. Laminate and vinyl flooring are both easy to clean have virtually no maintenance. Hardwood flooring requires occasional refinishing but it will outlast virtually all other flooring materials and you’ll need just a damp mop to clean it.
Water/Moisture Resistance
Tile is the most water resistant of flooring materials as is evident by how often it is used in bathrooms and laundry rooms. Wood flooring is the least water friendly, however, as long as you don’t allow standing water, it’s not a real issue. Once water gets underneath vinyl, the edges will curl and you’ll need to replace your floors again so they’re not much better than hardwood flooring. Laminate flooring is more water resistant than all other options except tile.
Which is the Best Material for New Kitchen Flooring?
There are two clear winners in our opinion for new kitchen flooring and both can fit into any style kitchen. First is hardwood flooring. Cleaning and maintenance are both very low and it’s easy to stand on over time. As long as you avoid standing water, you shouldn’t experience an issue with water damage. Next is laminate flooring. If you don’t have the budget for hardwood, it’s a great option as it’s comfortable for standing and easy to clean. As for water, laminate can withstand about the same amount of moisture as hardwood.
Authentic Hardwood Flooring can help you choose the right flooring material for your kitchen or the rest of your home. We’re a locally owned and operated flooring company and offer free estimates. Call us today to schedule yours – (727) 786-6330 or fill out our contact form.
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