The flooring for your new kitchen might be one of the last things to be done after all of the walls are painted and the units are fitted and appliances plumbed in. The choice of flooring can sometimes be made too quickly as there are many other choices that need to be made, such as which kitchen range, which worktop and what tiles to use. The flooring should also be considered at the same time as the worktops and tiles as choosing a complimentary pattern can turn the kitchen into a complete design.
One of the first considerations with flooring is to decide what type of flooring to put down. The main consideration with kitchen flooring is that it has to be compatible with water spillages and to not get slippery when wet. The obvious option for kitchen flooring is sheet vinyl or lino flooring and this can create a consistent finish across the floor. Vinyl tiles are also a good way of ensuring durability as well as providing a pattern to the floor. Another choice for the kitchen which may not be as obvious as vinyl is laminate flooring.
Laminate flooring can provide a warmer finish than vinyl or ceramic tiles and can also come with a wooden finish that can be used to compliment solid wood worktops. When choosing a laminate it is essential that the flooring is suitable for use in the kitchen and is certified with aqua block or a similar certification. The correct underlay can also be used to keep in the warmth and provide additional waterproofing. One potential issue with wood effect laminate flooring is that there can be too much wood if you go for a wooden style kitchen and wooden flooring. However, if the choice of wood complements each other then they can work well together. Some kitchen companies sell light wooden kitchens such as maple or light oak, which can work well with a contrasting oak or dark oak laminate floor. If you can’t find a suitable laminate flooring then why not look at ceramic tiles.
Ceramic tiles can be laid in the kitchen and can provide a more traditional look but may require under floor heating as it can be cold to walk on first thing in the morning. Ceramic tiles can be used to finish off a traditional kitchen design as there is nothing quite like a proper tiled floor. An alternative to ceramic tiles is laminate tiles which offer all of the benefits of the normal wood plank laminate flooring but with stone or ceramic finish.
There are many different suppliers of flooring so look around to get the best quality at the best price. Remember to also seek a specialist floor layer as they should be able provide a better finish than your kitchen fitter. You might be able to get a better deal buying through your floor layer than if you buy directly from a flooring company due to them getting a good discount. There are regular sales at the large outlets so if you see the type of flooring you really want then try and get a good deal if you can. You will want to ensure you have left enough in your kitchen budget for both the flooring and the floor fitting.
