Paul is known in comparison: we choose a floor covering for the kitchen

Kitchen - this is almost the main room in the apartment, in which a variety of family affairs are committed - from cooking and eating to work and children's games. We often drop something on the kitchen floor, we pour something, we walk around it a lot and often we rub it. Therefore, higher demands are placed on the kitchen floor!

The most common questions that arise when choosing a floor for the kitchen:

• Is it possible to put a laminate on the kitchen floor?
• Which material is better: laminate, tile or linoleum?
• What distinguishes ceramic granite from ceramic tiles and stone tiles?

In this article we will try to answer these and other questions, give useful advice and consider the five main types floor coverings with their pluses and minuses, we estimate the characteristics of materials on a 3-point scale in the table for the next 7 criteria:

1. Hygiene- The kitchen floor, of course, should be easy to care for, every day it is exposed to a lot of pollution, moisture, fat and household chemicals;
2. Moisture resistance- on the level of humidity, the kitchen loses only to the bathroom, and besides this, liquids are sometimes spilled here. Which floor will be better tested with water?
3. Wear resistance- the coating should not rub, tarnish and deteriorate, a good floor in the kitchen can serve you for at least 10 years;
4. Shock resistance- drops of sharp and heavy objects sometimes happen in the kitchen, what kind of floor with dignity will withstand the attack of a cast-iron frying pan or knife?
5. Price- The ideal floor in the kitchen is not necessarily expensive, but expensive - not necessarily perfect. What kind of gender is more profitable to buy the average Russian resident?
6. Appearance- choosing a flooring design is a matter of taste, but we will try to evaluate this subjective question. We appreciate decorativeness, ability to imitate natural materials and variability in color and textures;
7. Ease of installation- What kind of floor can I install on my own, and in which case is it better to use the help of a master?

The main types of floor coverings in the kitchen

Today the floor is most often made of:

• ceramic tiles;
• porcelain stoneware;
• natural stone;
• laminate;
• linoleum.

Each of these materials has unique properties, advantages and disadvantages, which can be briefly reflected in the form of a table (where "3" is the highest indicator and "1" is the lowest one).

.

TOTAL:	1, points	18 points	1, points	14 points	17 points
Ceramic tile	Porcelain tiles	A natural stone	Laminate	Linoleum
Moisture resistance	3	3	3	1	3
Wear resistance	2	3	3	2	2
Shock resistance	1	3	3	2	2
Hygiene	3	3	1	1	3
Appearance	3	3	3	3	,
Price	,	1	,	3	,
Ease of installation	2	2	1	2	3

So, as you can see, the choice of floor for the kitchen is an individual matter, and there is no universal solution, and the high cost is not yet the guarantee of an ideal floor for all parameters.

Based on these data, determine your favorites and find out more about their pros and cons later in this article.

Floor made of ceramic tiles - the most popular floor in the kitchens of the whole world

Perhaps the most popular option among flooring is the floor of ceramic tiles. With ceramic tiles you can create a unique floor design for your kitchen. Manufacturers offer a great many variations of the tile pattern - monochrome in a variety of colors, with vegetable or floral motifs, geometric and abstract patterns, as well as imitations for natural stone, various metals and tree.

The material is no less variable either by the way of laying - the tiles are mounted diagonally or in parallel, in checkerboard pattern and even with a "Christmas tree".

• PLUSES: Practicality, high hygiene (it is no accident that in our hospitals they put just tiles), wide variation in the choice of masonry and tile design, ecological compatibility, complete non-conductivity, resistance to ultraviolet and household chemicals, the possibility of a local repair;
• MINUSES: The floor of the ceramic is cold (therefore, when choosing this option, think about installing a "warm floor" system), tiles can be damaged if kitchen utensils fall, in addition, this type floor is difficult to install for lay people, the price for tiles varies greatly and now you can find a decent tile at an affordable price, but still, it is more expensive than laminate or linoleum.

Helpful Hints:

• For the kitchen materials of grade 3-4 of wear resistance and hardness of 4-5 units are preferable;
• Choose a matt ceramic tile that will not slip when moisture gets in;
• You can get an interesting spatial effect if the floor tile is supplemented with similar (in color or texture) material in the facing of the kitchen apron;
• When choosing a ceramic tile, carefully check its quality - the slabs should have smooth edges and exact, same dimensions.

See material on the topic: How to lay the tile on the floor with your own hands.

Ceramic granite - an alternative to ceramic tile and natural stone

Ceramic granite - in its composition is the closest relative of ordinary facing tiles, but It is made by another technology, due to which it becomes practically indistinguishable from natural stone. In terms of performance, ceramic granite wins both on stone and ceramic tiles (due to lower porosity, higher density and lack of microcracks).

People are increasingly choosing porcelain stoneware for their kitchens, but this material has not only advantages, but also some drawbacks.

• PLUSES: High strength, fireproof, durable, decorative (this material is worthy imitates stone, wood, metals and even fabric), does not fade in the sun, is completely ecological and light in care;
• MINUSES: The high cost, the complexity of the installation (it is better to put the tile from the porcelain tiles professionally), this kind of floor is cold, so it is desirable to supplement such coverage with a heating system.

Natural stone on the kitchen floor - choice for a deluxe kitchen

The kitchen floor is made of natural stone - it's luxurious. Noble, special, unique - this will be your kitchen, if you decide to use natural stone.

• PLUSES: Appearance, high strength. Its service life is measured in decades - and throughout this period the floor in the kitchen will remain as beautiful as it was immediately after installation;
• MINUSES: This material is much more expensive than all other types of coatings, it is difficult to maintain and poorly retains heat (also requires installation of the system "warm floor"), the installation itself is complicated, in addition, it has a significant weight - and therefore may even require an increase overlapping.

Laminate - a favorite of Russian cuisines

No less common than the tile version of the kitchen flooring and a decent replacement for the parquet board. Most often in the kitchen it is laid trying to withstand the uniform registration of the whole apartment for reasons of economy, or simply because it is pleasant in appearance and familiar. But is the laminate suitable for the kitchen? Yes, it is suitable, but only its moisture-resistant type with increased water-repellent ability!

• PLUSES: This is the most affordable option for floor covering, so if you change the interior often, then your choice is laminate. He is not very susceptible to mechanical damage. Traditionally, the surface of the laminate imitates wood, and it does this quite qualitatively;
• MINUSES: It can withstand only the undisturbed effects of steam, water, fat, and if you pour beet juice, most of the laminate floors will be painted. This is a synthetic material that can absolutely not suit fans of naturalness and environmental friendliness.

Helpful Hints:

• Laminate in the kitchen needs increased attention - make sure that the pipes do not leak, neighbors do not flood you, and spilled liquids quickly wiped off;
• Be careful with the beet - laminate floor can easily be painted and then do not wash!

Linoleum is a well-deserved and familiar material

The floor for the kitchen of linoleum - for someone it seems irrelevant in our days is a cover born in the 90's. But this opinion is wrong, because today the linoleum is made in a different form - better and more modern. In addition, it is really a practical and profitable solution.

• PLUSES: The number of various colors and textures is impressive - there are various (and very good) imitations of wood, marble, ceramic tile and even snake skin. This material has an attractive price, high performance and durability - the average life of the material is 9 years. This floor covering is undemanding in care and can be mounted by the owner of the room with his own hand, which is also an indisputable plus;
• MINUSES: To make the linoleum look beautiful, you need the floor in the kitchen to be perfectly flat.

Helpful Hints:

• Which linoleum is better for the kitchen? The service life of the material largely depends on its category - the least durable is household linoleum, and the coatings semi-commercial and commercial type due to the increased thickness of the protective layer are practically insensitive to wear;
• If ecological compatibility is important for you, choose a linoleum with a natural substrate;
• The linoleum can be simply put, and it is possible to paste. The second option is much better.

Well, here we have compared the main types of kitchen floors. It remains only to prioritize, assess your budget, choose a color and design, make measurements and find your ideal floor in the store.

We wish that in your kitchen floor as little as possible comes across the fall of sharp knives and heavy pans, with spilled beet juice and liquids. Let him be always beautiful, well-groomed and serves your family long and true!

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