Select Kitchen Flooring According to Comfort and Livability

Often times the choice of kitchen flooring is based on style and appearance with no thought given to how you use the kitchen and how it effects the people working in the kitchen. You may not realize until after working on the hard floor for a period of time and becoming sore that tile or marble flooring may not be the best surface to work on.

For those who spend a lot of time in the kitchen a soft floor that provides cushioning while walking or standing in one place for expended periods of time will be a big plus. Vinyl, linoleum, rubber or even carpet provides the most comfortable kitchen flooring. Carpeting is generally a poor choice for a kitchen which see much use. You can of course place area rugs in locations where you will stand for long times, such as at the sink or counter allowing for comfortable use of the kitchen in spite of the hard surface.

Consider who will be using and kitchen the most and the traffic it is likely to have to endure. Do you have children or pets? If so, spills and messes are to be expected. Liquid on a stone or marble surface is like ice, slipperier than liquids on vinyl or linoleum. If there are elderly persons in the family or visiting often, you might consider some of the specialty kitchen flooring that is slip resistant.

Practical and Good Looking

Since you are looking at kitchen flooring options, those without the need for wax are the most practical as a spill of a hot liquid will melt the wax on that spot and start a deterioration process that will usually spread over a period of days. Being able to quickly wipe up spills without them staining is another important feature to look for in kitchen flooring. 

Laminate flooring is another option for kitchen flooring that is growing in popularity. It is available in a large selection of designs of stone and wood and in a variety of colors. It is quick and simple to install making it a good DIY project and offers simple broom and mop clean up. It is usually stain resistant as well, although since most are considered a floating floor, large liquid spills could seep under this type of kitchen flooring and cause unseen damage.

Granite, marble and slate are often used as kitchen flooring due to the stones' tough durable qualities. However, unless your kitchen is more for show and seldom used, stone or tile is an uncomfortable choice in kitchen flooring. It can be extremely slippery when wet and the grout between the stones or tiles can become discolored and even damaged by spills. Sealed concrete will be easy to maintain but again lack of cushioning is an issue.

In the end you want to choose a flooring material which is durable and easy to maintain and also easy to live with.