Flooring | The Kitchen

What’s the first thing I should think about when considering kitchen flooring?

The kitchen is a key part of the home, a space where you spend plenty of time working. Making a decision on the type of flooring you install depends on a number of factors:

• maintenance: how easy is it to clean?
• style: does it fit with your kitchen design and overall home decor?
• durability: will it cope with knocks, spills and stains?
• ease of installation: can you install it yourself?
• is it cost effective: can you afford it?

If your home is an older property, it’s advisable to get a professional flooring company to assess the base of your kitchen to see what can be laid on top. Following their guidance, you can then make an informed decision about what type of flooring you want, based on your needs, budget and kitchen suitability.

A lot of kitchen floors tend to be laminate these days – what can you tell me about laminate flooring?

It looks like wood, but it’s not wood. This type of flooring is made up of processed wood materials and has a wood-finish applied over the top. This flooring system is great for kitchens as it’s easy to install and relatively cost effective, plus scratch and water resistant laminate flooring is perfect for busy kitchens.

Cleaning these floors is also easy and you’ll notice a reduced noise level when walking on it (or when you drop a plate by accident!) thanks to its processed finish.

Have a look at the IKEA range of laminate kitchen flooring options

My kitchen has solid wood floors – is it OK to have wooden floors in a kitchen?

If you’ve got solid wood floors in your kitchen, you’re lucky! This is definitely one of the more attractive kitchen floor finishes as it lends a real sense of rustic charm to your home. You can sand and seal the floorboards for a lovely finish.

You can buy solid wood flooring in a number of timber types, though this is definitely leaning towards a higher price. Oak is the best and most popular thanks to its hardwearing finish and enduring quality. The only downside is the colder feeling that you get when walking on solid timber. Think about offsetting this with a rug or underfloor heating if your budget allows.

Tiles don’t seem to be as fashionable now as in the past – are they still worth considering?

Tile flooring is still very popular, especially in new homes. There’s definitely been a shift towards more laminate flooring ideas in recent years thanks to the lower cost, but tiles provide amazing durability and an old-world charm.
Tiles are highly resistant to water and are easily cleaned, though grouting can sometimes get dirty and look unsightly.

Other downsides to tiles are their hardness – if you drop a plate on these floors it’s likely to break on impact. Also, tiles become slippery when wet, so for young families it may be better to go with a different flooring option.
However, tiled kitchen floors could definitely be useful for adding an attractive finish to your home, perfect if you’re looking to sell.

Stone seems expensive, is it worth me investing in it as a kitchen flooring option?

Stone’s relatively high cost is down to its toughness and durability, along with the processes required to cut and finish it. It’s amazingly practical and if the kitchen is busy, will literally last forever!

If your kitchen is next to a patio, having the same flooring throughout adds a sense of continuity and space in your home – worth considering if you’re undergoing extensive renovations.

Slate, limestone, granite or soapstone are popular options. Stone’s easy to clean too – you just need to make sure you use a stone flooring impregnator or sealant every few years.

Stone is more expensive, but if you’re planning to stay in your property for years to come, in the long run it’s a highly attractive and durable choice of kitchen flooring.

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