Kitchen Remodel Designs: kitchen floor ideas

Showing posts with label kitchen floor ideas. Show all posts

Monday, 24 October 2011

Kitchen Floor Materials

Kitchen Floor Materials - Weighing the Options

Nick Austin

What are the main points to consider when choosing a flooring material for your lovely new kitchen? Beyond style and aesthetics one should bear in mind price, durability, maintenance and ease of installation. The main contenders in this race for the flooring prize are stone, wood, ceramic tiles and vinyl flooring.

In the first place it is easy to rank the materials according to price. Basically, stone, whether it's sandstone, slate or some form of marble will be very costly. Wood varies enormously - wide, reclaimed French farmhouse boards are very dear and thin slivers of oak on a plywood base aren't if one is prepared to shop around a bit. Ceramic tiles are comparable with the lesser end of the wood world depending on size of tile. By far the cheapest option is vinyl floor tiles, although there too there is a wide range in terms of cost and corresponding quality.

In terms of durability the same rankings will apply; it will take decades to go through a stone floor and similar for solid wood but laminates wear out comparatively quickly as do some types of vinyl flooring, although some more expensive types do wear well. Ceramic tiling is immensely durable right up to the point you drop an iron casserole on it and then it's ruined. Essentially, when it comes to ultimate longevity you get what you pay for but it is worth bearing in mind that a floor surface in a modern domestic situation probably doesn't need to last five hundred years.

When one thinks of maintaining floor surfaces one is thinking of basically two things; sealing and cleaning. Natural materials like stone and wood need regular application of a protective layer to prevent the underlying material becoming stained in the hustle and bustle of kitchen life. Ceramic and vinyl floor tiles do not (Although porcelain tiles do need a one-off treatment)

Failure to keep up with the maintenance of stone will lead to unsightly discolouration and with wood, inconvenient and immensely disruptive floor sanding.

Cleaning wood and stone in a kitchen environment takes more effort than the ceramic and vinyl alternatives simply because of the grain of wood and texture of stone which creates little hollows in which grime will accumulate and therefore require hard work to remove. Ceramic tiles and vinyl flooring are usually completely smooth in texture and can be cleaned as easily as in television commercials.

With ease of installation vinyl flooring is the easiest, a craft knife is about all you need. Wood, if one is confident with a saw, is comparatively straightforward although there is a difference in complexity between 'click-click' laminate and complete replacement of boards. Ceramic tiles and stone require water, specialist cutting equipment, cement, grout, goggles, a truss for when you've wrecked your back and probably reinforced joists to take the absurd weight of a two inch thick layer of the Jurassic era in your modest terraced house.

So what's it to be?

Kitchen Rubber Floors

Kitchen Rubber Floors

Kitchen Carpet

Kitchen Carpet

Saturday, 22 October 2011

Kitchen Rugs 2

More Kitchen rug ideas for your perusal.

Modern Kitchen Rugs

Modern Kitchen Rugs

Looking Kitchen rug ideas have a look below.

Kitchen Rugs

Kitchen Rugs Give Your Kitchen Warmth & Character

L Dobbins

Everyone wants a kitchen that has character and one way to give your kitchen character is with unique and interesting accessories. While canister sets, potted plants and potholders can add interest to your kitchen, it's the kitchen rugs that can really give it some zing.

No matter what kind of kitchen floors you have, you can use small area rugs to unify your theme or color scheme. For a country kitchen braided rugs or rugs with a theme like sunflowers or strawberries can help add interest. A modern kitchen could use a sisal rug. And even in Oriental rug could be used to add color and splash to Victorian kitchen. No matter what style your kitchen is, there's sure to be rug for you.

Kitchen rugs can be a great solution for a kitchen that has a worn or damaged floor. But these rugs are not only for decoration or to hide imperfections, they can also help to keep people from slipping on the floors when they are wet and also add comfort when you are standing at the counter for long periods of time cooking or preparing foods. Rugs are most often placed at the door when you come in, in front of the sink, in front of the refrigerator, and in front of the oven.

Choosing a kitchen rug can be a challenge as there are many styles shapes and colors to choose from. Before you go shopping for your rug, it's a good idea to bring a color swatch from your kitchen so that you can be sure to get something that matches exactly. Be sure to also buy a rug pad that will prevent the rug from slipping and will also make your rug last longer.

Taking good care of your kitchen rug can make it last a long time. Most rugs can be machine washed and in fact this is something you should look for when purchasing a rug. Care must be taken when washing rugs with colors as the colors could fade and might also run and stain other parts of the rug or other things that you have in the wash. Most rugs should not be machine dried as they are fragile and can be damaged so hanging them outside is the best bet.

A kitchen rug can help add a warmth to your kitchen and it can also be a fun way to change or your decor. Tired of the braided rug? Then toss it and get one that's a little more modern. Luckily these little rugs are not expensive allowing you to change out your rugs for different seasons, holidays or when you get sick of them.

So the next time you're looking for a way to add some zip to your kitchen, think about adding a few kitchen rugs! It's quick, easy and inexpensive.