Your kitchen flooring is an important place to keep in mind when planning a remodel. The floor must be able to resist heavy foot traffic in addition to the stains and splatters that are a given in today’s kitchen. It must also match your vision, support smart home upgrades and fit your spending limit.
It can be challenging to balance these requirements and ultimately have a successful kitchen floor. Services like the Professional Property Management Group of Northern Virginia are helpful here.
We’ve also helped you with information about the best kitchen flooring to increase your rental’s value. Journey with us as we help you understand the qualities a kitchen floor should have and which possibilities satisfy those requirements.
Top 5 Kitchen Flooring Options
1. Hardwood Flooring
Hardwood, one of the oldest possibilities, is a preferred material for kitchen flooring today. Solid hardwoods with the right finish are water-resistant, even if not waterproof. However, you should scrub spills once in a while to prevent harm.
Suppose you’re planning a minor kitchen makeover and don’t want to rebuild the entire floor to make it reflect the new aesthetic. In that case, hardwood floors are a great choice to update their appearance. Hardwood can be put in various patterns, like tile flooring, to offer visual appeal. Salvaged, repurposed, and environmentally friendly hardwood have recently attracted much attention.
2. Tile Flooring
Tile flooring has been a well-liked alternative for kitchen floors for many years. Tile gives homeowners a lot of customization options because a variety of choices exist. They range from porcelain to stone and ceramic. In addition, tile flooring is available in various styles, dimensions, and designs. For a creative touch, you can even lay it out in different ways.
Tiles are a fantastic option for houses in high-traffic areas because they are renowned for their durability. They are also simple to keep and sanitize. However, the grout between the tiles is one disadvantage of tile flooring. Therefore, it would help if you resealed them to avoid stains regularly. Moreover, tile flooring may cost more than other types of flooring.
3. Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl flooring is a durable, affordable option noted for being soft and comfy underfoot. In addition, some reinforced vinyl planks are simple to install and offer more sturdiness and dent resistance.
This flooring is waterproof, stain-resistant, and simple to tidy once installed. Many designs and hues are available, including some closely mimicking wood flooring. However, one drawback of vinyl flooring is that, over time, it may become prone to dents brought on by the weight of large appliances.
4. Cork Flooring
Due to its greater ease compared to some conventional materials, cork flooring is increasingly gaining popularity as a trend in kitchen flooring. This material has a distinctive appearance that might improve the interior style of your house. It’s also a sustainable option for flooring. Because cork is made from tree bark, it is a durable resource for flooring tiles and planks.
It is also economical and an excellent option for do-it-yourself homeowners. However, it can sometimes be more readily dented and scratched than other flooring kinds. As a result, it might need more frequent maintenance and replacement every three to four years.
5. Laminate Flooring
Laminate has been a less expensive option for hardwood flooring for many years. It can imitate the appearance of hardwood for less money than vinyl can. While it isn’t usually waterproof, there are also waterproof variants. Like many flooring options, laminate flooring is also an excellent choice for do-it-yourself installation since the planks can be joined together and bonded down, which allows you to lay them over uneven subflooring.
Benefits of Upgrading Kitchen Flooring
1. Value Addition
Houses with more current flooring are worth more than those with more worn-out, obsolete flooring. This is because your home’s floor occupies the most significant area after the walls, so you can be sure that when interested customers enter, they will notice the discolored rug or dented floors. This is why updating your floors is preferable to increase your house’s worth.
2. Visual Upgrade
A new floor can radically remodel a room because it occupies a significant portion of any space. However, there are situations where no matter what decor you select, your preferred look needs to come together. In such cases, a floor makeover might be precisely what you need. Nothing brings a stunning interior aesthetic together like a fresh flooring color or design.
3. Health Benefits
Old floors may be home to dust mites, mold, and mildew, which can aggravate allergies and weaken the immune systems of those sensitive to them. Putting a hypoallergenic laminate or vinyl floor is a fantastic way to renew them.
4. Time Saving
With low-maintenance floors like vinyl and laminate, you can spend less time cleaning and more time enjoying yourself. You can finally end dirty buckets of water and the days of getting caught up in vacuum lines because they only need a quick sweep or dust mop.
5. Reduced Costs
Some types of floors provide higher insulation than others, maintaining the temperature in your house. As a result, you’re less likely to depend on heating and cooling as heavily throughout the year due to fewer temperature changes. In addition, it means you can anticipate making additional utility bill savings.
Top 3 Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing a Kitchen Flooring
1. Choosing a floor that doesn’t fit your lifestyle
Choosing flooring that will work for you and your family is essential. Presentations can be quite attractive, and it is simple to fall in love with expensive flooring that you believe will look fantastic and operate well in your house. But you need to pause and thoroughly analyze your way of life and the way your family lives.
Do you routinely host events, for example? Hence, expect a lot of traffic as well as several minor mishaps like beverages spilling, broken glass, and so forth. Pick a flooring material that won’t be readily vandalized for these high-traffic spaces in your home and one you can use over an extended time.
2. Ignoring the need to protect children’s safety
When installing your flooring, you need to take your children into account. For children, security is essential. Some floors work wonderfully for adults but could be better in homes with kids. In addition, some floor coverings could be slick and hazardous for youngsters roaming the house.
3. Not knowing what the future appearance of the floor will be
Because floors undergo a lot of wear and tear, no matter what flooring you choose, it will sometimes look different. Think carefully about how the material you use will change over time and what you can do to preserve its aesthetic appeal as much as you can. If you anticipate experiencing some difficulties, pick a floor type that is more durable for your specific requirements.
Final Thoughts
Flooring is an essential part of a kitchen remodel. They provide comfort and elevate the appearance and value of your house. However, kitchen floors vary significantly from one another. Therefore, it’s essential to understand the different types and their benefits to make the right choice for your kitchen.
Working with professionals will also make it easier to avoid flooring blunders. Carefully consider how you will use each space and how it will hold up to your chosen flooring. This way, you can prevent errors and end up with a lasting floor.