Floor covering for the kitchen

The kitchen is central to the house. For many, this is not just a room in which they cook food, but also a dining room, living room, a place to meet all family members. It is never empty. And the aesthetic look and functionality of the kitchen will depend on how well the floor will be chosen.

What are the basic requirements of modern housewives for kitchen cover? The biggest load in the house falls on the floor. They walk on it, sharp, piercing, flickering objects often fall on it, juices are spilled, splashes of fat fly. Therefore, there are a lot of requirements for such a coating, all of which are very important.

• First of all, the floor kitchen should be easy to wash. After cleaning it should not remain greasy stains and stains.
• The floor in the kitchen should not be afraid of water. Since it is constantly exposed to various contaminants, it is necessary to wash it very often and thoroughly.
• It must be impact resistant and withstand mechanical stress. For example, to scratch from sharp and heavy objects.
• The kitchen floor must also be abrasion resistant and durable. From frequent visits to the premises, coverage can quickly become unusable.
• We must not forget about environmental friendliness. In the kitchen, a person spends a fairly long period of time and it is better if the coating does not emit harmful substances.
• It is very important that the kitchen floor is not slippery. Due to the frequent ingress of water, various splashes, too smooth and slippery surfaces can cause injuries.
• The important point is the decorative properties of the coating. It should be in harmony with the general color background of the kitchen itself, give it a finished look and create a feeling of warmth and comfort.
• Mounting method. For some types of coatings it is necessary to carry out preliminary preparation of the floor. And also, it is necessary to take into account that there are types of floor coverings requiring the participation of professionals and special equipment.
• For those who want to make the floor in the kitchen warm and heated, it is better to choose a coating that can withstand temperature changes.

Modern market and rapidly developing new technologies offer many different types of flooring for the kitchen.

PVC coating is linoleum, PVC tile, quartz vinyl tile.

The most common material for the floor is linoleum.. He still leads among the flooring. The material is very different in color and texture. There is an imitation of stone, parquet, wood, smooth, textured, polished and matte.

Linoleum is household, commercial and semi-commercial. Household, designed for rooms with low traffic, its thickness is 0.3 mm. Semi-commercial and commercial linoleum is more resistant to abrasion. It can be used in office, industrial premises with large people. Its thickness ranges from 0.5 to 0.7 mm. Lay a linoleum may even layman.

The advantages of linoleum include the fact that it is easy to lay on any surface, it is easy to care for it, it is not afraid of water. You can choose for any design solution. The price category is very wide, for any wallet. The main disadvantage is not the most environmentally friendly material.Cheap options emit harmful, toxic substances. It can not be laid on the warm floors.

PVC tiles and quartz tiles. This is the same linoleum, only in the form of plates or tiles. The quartz vinyl tile is more harmless, since 70% consists of quartz sand and only 30% PVC. The advantage of such a tile is that it is easy to lay it, if over time it becomes damaged in places, it is easy to replace such areas without disassembling the entire floor.

The next type is ceramic coating. These include porcelain and ceramic tiles.

Ceramic tiles are striking in their diversity. She has a lot of colors from monotone to the most exotic. However, it is suitable for people with different financial capabilities. And this is a big plus. It is perfectly suited for the kitchen, as it is not afraid of moisture, abrasion, damage, and it is easy to clean.

However, a big disadvantage is that such tiles are too cold and hard. Therefore, before making a decision on the use of tile, it is necessary to provide warm floors. You should not use smooth and polished tiles, it is fraught with various falls and injuries. It is better to choose a matte or embossed texture.

Porcelain stoneware - the most durable artificial material. For wear resistance, it is more practical than ceramic tile and linoleum. It is almost impossible to scratch it and it will not be erased with time. By its properties, porcelain is similar to ceramic tiles. It has the same disadvantages and advantages as a tile.

Natural coatings. These include parquet, cork, natural wood, Marmoleum.

Thanks to modern technology, wood floors have become sufficiently durable, wear-resistant and not afraid of moisture. This floor is well suited to lovers of all natural. It is warm, not as hard as porcelain stoneware and tile, varied in color and texture, can be polished and matte.

Marmoleum made from flax, jute, nonwovens. It does not emit harmful substances at all. Very wear-resistant, can serve up to 45 years. Simple and easy to clean.

The disadvantages of marmoleum include its high price and complexity of installation.

The most impractical kitchen flooring is bung. It is too soft, porous, it has a thin protective layer, so it is afraid of moisture. The base for cork flooring should be perfectly level.

Cork floor is better to lay in the nursery or bedroom.

Another not the best option for a kitchen floor is laminate. This is a fairly common inexpensive material. It can be put independently, without resorting to the help of experts, it does not demand an ideal, plain surface.

But no matter how good its protective coating is, it is not able to protect the laminate from swelling when water enters.And also it is quickly painted, from spilled wines or juices. The service life of the laminate is not high, and with intensive use it will be halved altogether.

And finally, the most original look that appeared on the market not so long ago - self-leveling floor. There are many advantages to such coverage. Such a floor will delight their masters for a long time. You can create the most incredible patterns and 3D drawings, even photos. Its ideally flat surface is easy to clean and dirt will not get into the seams, as they simply do not exist. However, it does not emit harmful substances at all and is safe for health.

Not without significant drawbacks. One of them is a very high price. And another important point, such coverage can be applied only by professionals. It should be very careful about the choice of specialists. Because of the quality of the material and the method of casting will depend on its further operation.

In such a large variety of flooring, you can easily get lost, but modern design offers an interesting solution - zoning the space with the help of a different type of floor.Coverage for the kitchen and hallway may be the same. In this case, the corridor is a logical continuation of the kitchen and visually increases its size.

When zoning the kitchen space is the visual separation of the working area from the dining area. The working area is located directly in front of the stove, sink and cutting table. It is subject to the maximum mechanical loads, the effects of moisture and fat. Accordingly, for this part of the kitchen is to choose the most durable, durable material.

When combining floor coverings, it is necessary to take into account their thickness, how smooth the base is, the transition from one type to another, the color range and the texture of the materials used.

The most suitable materials for the floor of the working area of ​​the kitchen are tiles, porcelain tiles, linoleum, PVC tiles. For the dining area, where you want comfort and coziness, laminate, linoleum, cork, parquet, in general, any softer and warmer coating, which is pleasant to the feet, is perfect.

The most common combination is laminate and linoleum. They are in the same price category, close in their properties and have a variety of colors.Of course, it is better to lay linoleum in the most actively used zone, it is resistant to water. And to give a rest area under the laminate so that the feet are warm and comfortable.

The most pleasant and difficult in choosing flooring is a combination of the floor and the overall style of the kitchen.

In order for the overall design to please more than one year, you must follow simple rules:

• Bright floor visually increases the space. Also, the space increases the glossy surface, while the matte, on the contrary, reduces.
• Beige, red, brownish shades create a more comfortable atmosphere.
• The black floor will add luxury and chic.
• White goes well with any kitchen, especially it is often used in modern interiors.
• Large prints are suitable for large rooms, for a small kitchen it is better to choose a solid floor or a small pattern.
• Bright coating is better to lay in a low-key kitchen, without any frills, neutral colors.

The parquet floor looks very aristocratic, and it is used for the kitchen in a classic style. For the design of the art deco kitchen often choose a combined floor. Especially successful combination of marble and parquet.

For Provence well suited porcelain, tile, natural wood with the effect of wear, artificially aged. Shades are better to use light, beige, blurry.

Black kitchen looks good with a white floor or light. The color of the floor under the white kitchen, you can choose the opposite - black or make the floor in the style of a chessboard. This kitchen will look stylish, elegant and original.

If the furniture is of a contrasting color, then a wood floor in natural shades will be well combined with it.

To create a vintage style is suitable stylized ceramic tiles with a bright pattern, elegant and fun. Or you can choose linoleum with a geometric pattern. It will be interesting to look at the tiles laid out in zigzags or herringbone.

Most buyers of flooring agree that the most suitable material for the kitchen is tile or porcelain stoneware. Of course, provided that the floor heating is provided and the tile surface is not polished.

If the surface is slippery, then you can make textured inserts from pieces of another, more textured tile. It is easy to mount such floor, it is simple to look after.

As for the popular laminate, there are many difficulties with it. Before choosing this type of coating, it is necessary to thoroughly study its features, as well as installation methods, if you are not going to involve specialists.

Linoleum remains the most common flooring. But the majority of users note an unpleasant smell, especially while covering is new. And experts advise when buying linoleum to ask for quality certificates from sellers. It is necessary to lay linoleum on glue, otherwise in a couple of years it will go in waves.

Linoleum is affordable, not afraid of water, it can be laid on its own, without leveling the floors. Thanks to these qualities, he received such popularity.

Regarding the use of parquet, solid wood and wood flooring in general, all users agree that having such a floor, it is necessary to maintain a certain level of moisture, otherwise the board will crack and begin to creak with time. There are many complaints and complaints about the flooring. Chips and scratches, stains from various liquids quickly appear on it.

Repair of this floor is quite problematic. We'll have to scratch, again varnish or rub with oil.So we can conclude that the tree requires careful treatment.

Reviews of self-leveling floors are extremely controversial. There are enthusiastic and delighted, but there are also disappointed, negative. Basically, the unusual performance, brightness, perfect smoothness, the ability to reproduce any image, even in 3D, are captivating. Such floors are rather cold, they require additional warming. There are many complaints that scratches and scuffs are often formed.

In any case, each cover has its pros and cons. And before you make the final choice, it is necessary to study not only the material itself and how to care for it, but also the installation features.