Choosing a flooring option for the kitchen

Finishing materials for the floor and walls in the kitchen are chosen especially carefully. This is a working room in which the level of humidity and temperature changes sharply, steam is released and condensation is precipitated, soot and splashes of fat are formed. Compared to a bedroom or living room, the mechanical load on the floor is higher here, since a lot and often move around the kitchen during cooking or lunch.

Requirements for the kitchen area

Kitchen flooring must meet the following requirements:

• Water resistance - when washing food and dishes, a lot of water, tea, coffee, juices are spilled randomly during cooking. In addition, a lot of steam is generated during prolonged cooking. After the end of cooking, the temperature drops and the steam condenses. Kitchen coverings should be as water-sensitive as possible.
• Ease of cleaning - pieces of food and groceries fall on the floor, fragments of dishes and dirt from unwashed vegetables, drops of fat and sauce settle. This room, if cooked often and in large quantities, has to be cleaned every day. A coating that does not absorb dyes and dirt, and is easy to clean - great luck.
• Hygienic - If the material absorbs moisture and dirt due to its high porosity, it forms a breeding ground for bacteria. For the kitchen, it is better to choose the material with the lowest porosity.
• It is extremely unfortunate if the coating is able to absorb odors, and even more so to exude its own. This happens when you choose cheap linoleum.
• In the kitchen, while cooking or eating, they move a lot. It is important that the coating withstands such loads, is not afraid of scratches and chips.
• The design of the room should also be taken into account. The gender must match the chosen concept.

Other factors are also taken into account: cost, non-slip, texture.

The choice of coating material for the kitchen floor

The finishing material must meet the requirements of practicality and aesthetics. In the kitchen, the first factor is much more important. Since there are quite a few parameters, in fact they choose the most important ones and, focusing on them, select the finish.

Ceramic tile

For the kitchen, they take ceramic and porcelain tiles. Both materials are made of clay using a similar technology. However, in the second case, a stronger and more durable lining is obtained.

A huge number of types of ceramics are produced. Criteria for choosing floor tiles for the kitchen:

• Distinguish between floor and wall tiles. The first is thicker, much stronger and has fewer pores.
• There are 5 classes of ceramics strength. They take class 3 for the kitchen: it is durable, does not wear out and in such a room can serve for several decades. The material of the 5th class is even stronger, but it is much more expensive, so it is impractical to buy it at home.
• Pay attention to the slipperiness coefficient. Glazed glossy or polished tiles look prettier, but they are slippery even when dry, and water is often spilled on the floor, so this option is not suitable. The optimal ratio is 0.75.
• Since the floor is often exposed to mechanical stress, it is better to choose a solid material. This parameter is assessed according to the Mohs scale. The best option is porcelain stoneware.
• Contamination in the kitchen is varied, it is necessary to wash the tiled floor not only with water and washing powder, but also with special compounds.Preferred tiles with high chemical resistance: class AA.

The ceramic properties are influenced by the manufacturing method.

• Single fired unglazed clay tiles - terracotta, for example. The tiles retain their natural shades. Has a pleasant to the touch, slightly rough, matte surface, cools slowly, easy to clean, as it belongs to low-porosity materials.
• Glazed - slightly worse. On the one hand, the glossy smooth finish makes the floor waterproof, on the other hand it is slippery.
• Cotto - made from red clay. It is inferior to the previous material in strength and includes more pores. To prevent water absorption, the floor is waxed once every 2 years.
• Cottoforte is a glazed variety. Impervious to water, but slippery. Such a tile is either processed, making it rough, or a relief is created on the surface.
• Porcelain stoneware is the most durable, wear-resistant, hygienic material, but also the most expensive.

Majolica tiles, monoporosa, bicottura are not suitable for the kitchen. They are very decorative, but fragile and wear out faster.

Laminate

The base of the composite finishing board is a layer of wood fiber material. From below it is protected by a stabilizing layer, from above the board is covered with decorative paper and a protective film that provides the material with water resistance.

The latter quality is one of the main parameters for choosing a laminate. There are several of its classes:

• 21-23 - have different strength and durability, are used to decorate living quarters in the house. However, they are all afraid of water; such floors cannot be washed.
• 31 - wet cleaning is allowed. The wear resistance is also sufficient to withstand heavy loads. Laminate class 31 is suitable for the kitchen.
• 32–33 - designed for rooms with high mechanical stress: conference rooms, gyms, restaurants and even a railway station. Too expensive for a home.

Moisture resistant laminate withstands direct contact with water and condensation. It does not absorb fat, but it is not overly resistant to dyes. The material can be washed with water, liquid and powder products. Abrasive compounds are not allowed.

Laminate flooring stays warm to the touch, even in cold environments.

Linoleum

Polyvinyl chloride covering, quite strong, very lightweight, wear resistant and very cheap. Linoleum is non-slip, but porous, so that such a floor can hardly be called hygienic. This disadvantage is compensated for by the ease of cleaning. It is impossible to wash the coating with abrasive agents, but it is not afraid of aggressive chemical compounds.

Linoleum is quite soft and flexible. It bounces slightly under the foot, which reduces stress on the joints. Laying the material is extremely simple.

Wooden floor

The classic option for the kitchen is wooden. Boards are the cheapest and most affordable option. The wooden floor retains heat, is pleasant to the touch, dampens the sound of footsteps. It is extremely rarely slippery, and so the wood is elastic and relatively soft, even with an unsuccessful fall, the risk of injury or breaking dishes is noticeably less than in the case of ceramic tiles.

Instead of ordinary boards, sometimes they use small wooden dies - parquet, or ready-made patterned modules in order to form a pattern or a complex image on the floor. That's very beautiful.

Self-leveling floor

A concrete screed in a techno, loft, even modern interior is quite a suitable option for a kitchen. The concrete floor is not afraid of household chemicals, steam or splashes of grease. It is not slippery, not too cold to the touch, as the thermal conductivity of concrete is lower than ceramic tiles.

A concrete floor can be quite attractive. Colored pebbles and coloring pigments are added to the base mass. The finished coating is treated with the acid staining method: this finish imitates natural stone.

The self-leveling floor is very hard: when a cup or plate falls, it breaks into small fragments.

Floor screed and insulation

Making a durable and beautiful kitchen floor often requires a lot of extra work. The main ones are alignment and insulation.

The floors are leveled with a concrete screed, less often with a polymer one. It is recommended to combine leveling with insulation, since both processes are performed at the same stage of finishing work.

Procedure:

1. The base floor is waterproofed with bituminous liquid mastic, and then the film material is laid. It is not necessary to glue the joints.
2. The floors are covered with heat-insulating material. You can use penoplex, polyurethane foam. Plates are placed end-to-end.
3. In the prepared surface, fastenings are made for the reinforcing mesh. Fix the mesh on them.
4. The dry mixture is diluted with water according to the instructions and the filling is performed. It is recommended to start from the far corner, align the surface with the beacons.

The concrete-cement screed dries for at least 28 days. This is the main disadvantage of this solution.

DIY installation features

The laying of floors depends on the selected material. General scheme:

1. Dismantling the old coating - remove tiles, laminate, boards, parquet. If the material of the finished floor is damaged, covered with mold, for example, it is necessary to remove it, fill in irregularities and treat it with antiseptics.
2. A screed is performed. Combined with insulation, if necessary. At this stage, you can lay the "warm floor" system.
3. Level the screed using bulk mixtures. If the coating should be perfectly flat under porcelain stoneware or parquet, or the self-leveling floor is a finishing option, the surface is sanded.
4. Laying the finishing: ceramics, boards, linoleum, laminate.

A kitchen floor must meet many requirements: not be afraid of water and steam, not absorb dyes, odors, easy to clean, not create a beneficial environment for bacteria. The aesthetic factor should not be overlooked: the chosen coating must match the interior.