When you choose new flooring for your kitchen, you have several things to consider. The flooring should be durable since the kitchen gets a lot of foot traffic. The floor should also be easy to clean and tolerate a few spills since food and beverages will end up on the floor occasionally. The floor you choose may depend a lot on style and appearance too. Here are a few good kitchen flooring options to consider.
Cork Floors
Cork flooring has an attractive appearance, and it is suitable for use in the kitchen because it tolerates spills as long as you clean them up in a reasonable amount of time. Cork is also soft, so it is comfortable to stand on for long periods while you cook or wash dishes. This flooring is also easy to install. It comes in planks that lock together so it's possible you could install the floor yourself and save money.
Engineered Wood
If you love hardwood floors, you may want them in your kitchen but fear they won't hold up to spills. Hardwood isn't used in kitchens often, but engineered wood is suitable, and it looks the same. Engineered wood planks don't swell and shrink as much as natural wood, and they can tolerate spills. Engineered wood flooring is a more expensive option, but the wood is very durable, so the floors should last a long time and give you value for your investment.
Ceramic And Porcelain Tile
Tiles made of ceramic or porcelain are ideal for kitchens because they resist water damage. You won't have any worries at all about damage due to spills that don't get mopped up right away. The tiles are sealed with grout so that water won't seep under them either. The tiles come in a variety of colors, so you have a lot of options to choose from. Tile floors are easy to clean and maintain. The only drawbacks are that they are hard and they can be slick when wet. Your feet and legs may get tired if you have to stand in the kitchen a long time and your kids might get a bad bump from falling on the hard tiles.
Natural Stone
Stone is another option for tile flooring. It's also very durable and water resistant. It stands up so well to foot traffic, temperature changes, and humidity that it can even be used outdoors if you want a smooth transition from your kitchen to an outdoor eating area. Stone floors are easy to maintain with frequent mopping and sweeping. The downside to stone flooring is that it is more expensive than some other options for kitchen flooring.
