Todays' Kitchen Flooring Options

There is such wide selection of kitchen flooring options available now, how do you choose the right one for your kitchen?

Your home's kitchen floor suffers more wear and tear than most areas of your house. Not only is it a high traffic hub, we constantly spill food on it and spatter it with grease.

Generations ago most kitchen floors were either painted or bare wood. Not today! Todays kitchen can have hardwood flooring, laminate, tile, vinyl and stone as well as newer options like concrete, modern linoleum, bamboo and cork. Any of these, if chosen to compliment the rest of your kitchen decor, can make this utilitarian space one of the most beautiful areas in your home.

Modern hardwood flooring is a beautiful option. Contemporary hardwood floors are very durable and will last for generations with proper coating and maintenance. In addition to the traditional North American hardwoods like oak, maple, cherry and birch, more exotic hardwood floors like Brazilian teak, walnut, Brazilian koa and Bolivian rosewood are available as well.

Stone floors are the ultimate in long lasting and durable flooring. The most popular stone floorings are slate and marble. Slate comes in a variety of shades and tile sizes. Marble is beautiful as well, and a popular choice. It can, however, stain easily, so the surface must be properly coated on a regular basis to keep it looking like new.

Ceramic tile is another favorite and provides a very hard, easy to clean surface that will last for years. Ceramic kitchen flooring tiles are virtually stain proof and clean easily, so spilling is not an issue with the tile itself. Tile grout can stain quite badly over time, but newer commercial grout cleaners make cleaning it much easier than in the past. Grout also needs to be sealed, but with sealing and proper cleaning it can look like new for many many years.

The down side to both stone flooring and tiles, as well as the trendy concretes available, is that they are extremely hard surfaces and can be uncomfortable to stand on for a length of time. So if you love cooking and plan to spend lots of time in your kitchen, you may want to either choose another flooring option or place comfy area rugs where you will be standing. Your legs and feet will thank you.

Laminates are considered a safe middle ground. They are not as durable as stone or ceramic, or as warm and rich as hardwood, but there are beautiful laminate floorings on the market now. Todays laminate kitchen flooring comes styled to look like hardwood or like ceramic tiles and are available at much more affordable prices than the real thing.

Laminate is made of high density fiber with a resin coating and will not bow with age. The stain-resistant compound that coats it resists discoloration from the most difficult stain-producing foods like juices, coffee and tea. Laminate won't fade or change color when exposed to sunlight either. Check the manufacturers warranty for exact specifications. Most manufacturers offer a 20 to 25 year warranty on laminates.

Vinyl flooring is still a popular choice and the most reasonably priced. Old fashioned linoleum is back too, but with a twist. New technologies have given us much higher quality vinyl and linoleum products than in the past, with a wonderful new array of colors and designs to choose from.

Environmentalists and interior designers will tell you that if you want the perfect kitchen flooring, have a look at the new bamboo and cork products. Both are environmentally friendly, reasonably priced compared with some other choices, and cork in particular is very comfortable underfoot.

Have a look at all of the kitchen flooring options available to see just which ones will work best for you. It is important to take your time and find the best combination of long-term durability and beauty, at a price you can afford. After all, it is a choice you will have to live with for years.