Hal Major © 2009
BobVilaContractors.com
The most popular room in many peoples home according to Custom Home magazine is the kitchen and the kitchen flooring gets the harshest of wear and tear. The kitchen reflects the family�s lifestyle and habits. It is place where we share that fresh made cup of coffee, or the pitcher of sweet tea that is always sitting on the counter. Unfortunately the coffee, tea and probably a little bit of everything else ends up on the kitchen floor at one time or another. It has to take a beating and look good without much work. Here are the best choices in kitchen flooring based on lifestyles and budget.
Linoleum
Linoleum is still the most often used kitchen flooring material. It�s inexpensive, attractive and durable. The choices in patterns and colors are nearly unlimited. Patterns range from geometric shapes to those that look and feel like brick, tile and stone. Linoleum is still a top choice for kitchen flooring.
Tile
Tile has become exceedingly popular in the past ten years for kitchen floors. It is a great choice for green remodeling projects. Floor tile comes in four basic categories:
1. Quarry Tile � made from clay and shale materials similar to that of brick.
2. Porcelain Tile � also called ceramic tile. Porcelain tile is a very hard tile.
3. Terracotta Tile � another tile made from clay and very durable.
4. Glass tiles � more specifically recycled glass. This is a very eco-friendly product.
Tile is probably the best choice for high traffic kitchen flooring.
Wood
Wood floors add a real warmth and comfortable feeling to any room. They are a renewable resource and easy to maintain. Wood floors are primary feature when selling a home. A national survey of real estate agents showed that homes with wood floors sold faster and at higher prices than those homes without wood flooring. Wood flooring is an affordable option and maintains its value over time.
Laminate
Laminate floors offer the beauty of wood or tile at a lower cost. They are durable, easy to maintain and install. Laminate flooring in the kitchen can provide the warm feeling of wood with a higher degree of resistance to spills and dents.
Bamboo
Bamboo is one the most eco-friendly materials for flooring. Bamboo is a grass with a growth rate like most grasses. The best bamboo flooring is made from plants that are between three and six years old. These provide the better grain patterns and durability that you want in a kitchen floor product. Bamboo is extremely tough and comes in a variety of colors.
Choosing the kitchen flooring material is as important as choosing the appliances. If you want the maximum return on your remodeling project, you want to do a little research into the flooring choices. Moreover, always use a qualified, reputable contractor to perform the work. A beautiful kitchen sells a home faster than any other feature.
