The flooring types used in your kitchen is a major factor for kitchen remodeling. It will get a lot of foot traffic. You will be standing on it for a long time and be subject to have more moisture than other floors. The durability of the flooring, ease of clean up and stain resistance are other factors.
Manufacturers have tested their flooring extensively and developed a stronger, easier to care for product. Even linoleum which are mopped and waxed by another generation has re-entered the marketplace with little maintenance needed. You have a wide choice in appearance, durability, comfort, installation and price.
Flooring Considerations
Moisture is not a major problem today. Except for emergencies of busted or leaking pipes, you won’t expect to have much water on your flooring. A spill or clogged refrigerator drain does happen. Floor moisture is still something to consider. Sheet and Tile vinyl are highly resistance to moisture problems.
Stain resistance is another factor in selecting flooring. Every household has the occasional spill. Beet juice is definitely going to stain just about any floor and needs to be wiped up quickly. If that happens frequently in your house, pick flooring that is the most stain resistant like ceramic tiles. The grout will need to be sealed. Periodically, you may need to have stained grout areas dug out and re- grouted. Sealing the surface of granite or marble will help but the sealant does wear off and needs to be re-done every six months.
If your kitchen needs a traffic light, durability is a factor. Nothing is as durable as stone. Granite, marble and ceramic tile will last for many years but the hard surface will be difficult on your legs and back. Just about anything dropped on stone will break but so can your stone floor. Drop a cast iron skillet and your floor will crack. Sheet and tile vinyl have suitable durability for heavy traffic and just enough sponge-quality to not break things dropped on it. Vinyl can have the problem of getting dents and tears in its surface.
Flooring Types and Price
Sheet vinyl comes in 12 foot widths allowing you to have no seam in the middle of the floor for smaller kitchens. These sheets usually have a five to ten-year warranty based on the quality of the vinyl. Vinyl comes in a variety of patterns which can also resemble wood, tile or stone. Many types have a no-wax shine to them. Prices range from $2 to $5 per square foot uninstalled.
Vinyl tiles are generally in square tiles to be laid up against each other. Other tiles which resemble wood are shaped as planks like the wood. If stained or broken during use, they can be easily removed and a new tile inserted in its place. Prices range from $1.25 to $5.50 per square foot uninstalled.
Ceramic tile is clay, water and other ingredients which are fired at high temperatures. It comes in many shapes, sizes and colors. Some are designed to create an overall pattern or colors can be laid to create an interesting pattern on your floor. The tile’s hard surface resists scratches. Prices are from $1.50 to $8 per square foot uninstalled.
Laminated wood is multi-layers of wood referred to as sandwiching. The top layer is an image of wood in clear, tough melamine. The tongue and groove edges snap together but glue can be applied to this area also. Prices range from $3 to $6 per square foot uninstalled. Typical installations range from $3.00 per square foot.
Engineered wood flooring has 1/16″ to 1/8″ of finished wood showing on top surface which can be hickory, oak, bamboo or other woods. It is applied to non- finished plywood planks. These planks have wood layered in opposite directions to give it strength. Dents, scratches and stain may be lightly sanded. You can buy this flooring which has been engineered for three different installation methods. They can be nailed or glued down to the floor or can have the tongue and groove edges snapped together or glued to float above the existing floor. Prices range from $8 to $12 per square foot uninstalled.