The material you choose to use for your kitchen flooring can have a big impact on the overall feel of your room. Therefore, it’s important to understand the different options available for use for your kitchen floors. This article reviews the most common material choices for kitchen flooring and outlines the characteristics of each.
Wood Options
Pine
Pine flooring is a beautiful option in a classically designed luxury kitchen that features cherry wood cabinetry. Pine flooring is typically light in color, though it can be stained to be darker. Light staining on pine flooring creates a golden glow in a space that is particularly beautiful for traditional construction homes.
Bamboo
Bamboo is a plant that is known for its quick growth. As a result, it’s considered fairly abundant in the natural world. Therefore, using bamboo flooring is a very green option. Similar to pine, bamboo offers a natural glow that creates a great deal of warmth in the kitchen space.
Walnut
Walnut is on the softer side of woods that are used in the kitchen, and therefore it’s not as durable as one might desire for a high-traffic kitchen area. However, it’s a very stylish choice, particularly for modern kitchens. Due to its coloring, which is darker than pine, it’s often used in contemporary kitchens that need to blend with a more traditional home.
Maple
Maple has a rustic, natural look that’s great for many traditional high-end kitchens. It pairs easily with other woods.
Wide-Plank
Made in a variety of woods, wide-plank or colonial flooring gives a really interesting look to a kitchen. Used more in traditional design than contemporary, wide plank wood flooring features knots and graining in the wood, creating a really natural feel.
Tile and Stone Options
Tiling:
Ceramic
Ceramic tiling has long been considered one of the more durable options for kitchen flooring. Ceramic tiles are stain and water resistant. Because they come in a wide range of colors, ceramic tiles are considered one of the most customizable flooring options available for kitchens.
Slate
Slate is a very heavy, very durable material. Therefore, for high-traffic luxury kitchen areas such as in homes with busy families, slate is a preferred option. In addition to being difficult to damage with foot traffic or by dropping something, slate is also resistant to water and staining. Slate tile can also create a great deal of texture in the flooring.
Tumbled Travertine
Considered a rustic material, travertine is a warm and durable material that can either be tumbled, honed, polished or brushed. Tumbled travertine especially is radiant and adds a great deal of warmth to a kitchen.
Other Options
Laminate
Laminate is more affordable than true hard wood but gives off a very similar natural and beautiful look. Laminate is a great choice for high-traffic kitchens that are prone to spills because it’s incredibly easy to maintain.
Concrete
Concrete is extremely durable and is often chosen as an alternative to ceramic tiling. Concrete is moisture and stain resistant. Additionally, because ceramic can be stained, it is considered highly customizable