25 Step Guide to Designing and Buying a Kitchen
A Professional Furniture Designers Guide
Step 21. Kitchen Flooring Guide
The interest in more natural flooring, and real stone and slate is increasing, and requires careful consideration for kitchen use, compared to the practical advantages of ceramic tiles. I believe that it is important to work out your priorities, and be aware of the disruption required to strip, clean and reseal stone and slate floors, especially around nice laquered or painted furniture for instance. I have listed the most popular options both natural and man-made below, and have provided pros and cons. I have also provided links to good tile products I use actively.
Please click on company headings for links to their sites
Ceramic tiles
Ceramic tiles now come in a vast selection, and have been a persistant area of frustration for me for many years. I can leave a tile centre with very little to show for lots of looking. The insistance on catering for, easy import, and cheap supply with transfer print tiles, have limited the market for years. If you are looking for interesting, then expect to have to look a little harder and further afield. I have listed some good sources with links below and will be adding more as I find them.
Iris Ceramic flooring . Johnson Ceramic flooring . Ceramic flooring link
Porcelain ceramic tiles
These tiles are normally thicker and harder than conventional ceramic floor tiles, so cost more . Porcelain tiles are also available in polished finish, which I would be reluctant to use in kitchens for practical reasons even though they are popular. Choices of finishes have become very good recently. Imitation natural stones, such as limestone or travertine are particularly good, and available in more variety. Fitters normally expect to use diamond bladed cutting machines, because they are extremely hard and difficult to cut with conventional tile cutters.
Mannington Flooring Tiles . Alistair Mackintosh Flooring tiles . Villeroy-Boch flooring tiles
Composite stone tiles
This category covers contract type floor tiles that are self coloured, meaning that if chipped, the colour is consistant all the way through. The colour options and finishes are very good, but cost more than domestic tiles. They are worth a look for more unusual projects where colour and choice of shades is important, such as greys through to black. Again they are very hard and consistant, available in many sizes. Silestone is available in floor tile sizes so I have shown the whole range with the proviso that availabilty will need to be checked
Kirkstone Composite Flooring . Silestone Composite Flooring
Slate Floor Tiles
A popular choice with a surprising choice of colour variation and textures from smooth grey blue through to rustic multicoloured green and orange that would trip up an elephant. Slate is also very hard and practical when sealed regularly , so is worth considering as a good alternative to softer stone flooring. Size choices are also good from 50mm x 50mm inserts upto 600mm x 600mm.
Leafcutter Slate Flooring . Stone of London Slate Flooring . Stone gallery slate Flooring
Stone floor tiles
Natural stone flooring such as limestone and travertine are stunning in modern and traditional settings, with good size choices and finishes from polished through to rough. I have never been disappointed wherever I have used them. I am only limited by there necessity for more maintenance and care in use, because they are more porous and prone to staining. I would actively consider reproduction tiles if you are a busy and low maintenance type family because these options have improved dramatically recently.
Fired Earth Stone flooring link . Mandarin Stone flooring link
Antique reclaimed stone tiles
Genuine Antique Reclaimed Stone tiles are found throughout the world and have been admired in the best homes for centuries. Rare, ancient stone of this quality and provenance is strictly limited. From reclaimed English sandstone to Reclaimed Jerusalem limestone authenticity and exclusivity is only for the purists.
Marble floor tiles
A beautiful look if used with inlay borders etc but porous and impractical in polished finish for heavy usage areas. tumbled marble is a look that has been over- used and probably had its day, or am I being too harsh ?
Alistair Mackintosh Marble flooring . Stones of London Marble flooring link
Terracotta floor tiles
A soft and porous fired clay tile with a vast choice of colours, from cream through to brown. Can be stunning in an aged finish from Fired Earh and quite convincing. They can also be light and subtle with lots of colour variation. Tiles do require sealing and maintainance, and because they are softer can chip with heavy kitchen traffic usage.
Living House Terracotta flooring . Elon Terracotta flooring . Wellington Terracotta flooring
Quarry floor tiles
A much more durable tile than teracotta, made from longer fired clay, and good for heavy usage. Available in a large choice of sizes, colours and shapes for borders and inserts etc. I find the look a little heavy for large areas, and have only seen them used effectively in small traditional schemes.
Dennis Ruabon QuarryTileFlooring . Quarry Tile Flooring
Vinyl floor tiles
Good quality vinyl such as Karndean and Amtico are worth a look, offering budget ranges through to expensive options. Ignore cushion floor and low quality cheap tiles, if you require a longer lasting finish. Prices are comparative to a good ceramic tiles and are quite convincing in their various stripwood options.
Amtico Vinyl Flooring . Karndean Vinyl Flooring . Armstrong Vinyl Flooring
Linoleum flooring
Traditional Linoleum is a very durable and interesting option for kitchens with many colour choices and options when cut into special designs. There are various thicknesses for domestic use through to contract use. It is available in roll and tile form. Roll fitting is a specialist job because it is difficult to bend and cut around obsticals. The smell after installation can be off-putting because of the linseed oil and natural materials, but it fades eventually! It requires sealing to keep its looks.
Forbo Linoleum flooring . Linoleum flooring . Marmoleum Linoleum flooring
Woodstrip flooring
A choice for caution in most kitchens. It will mark and scuff easily. varnish will wear off quickly and furniture will scratch and score it. Waxed or oiled wood will stain quickly. I have used antique finish stripwood effectively ,because it is aged, and damage tends to add character. A church I converted into a house had sprung wood floors, and still had stilleto heel holes in it from as far back as the 50s. The patina was wonderful with a light sand and 4 layers of varnish, and always looked good whatever damage was inflicted on it.
Forbo Woodstrip Flooring . Wideplank Solid Woodstrip Flooring . Solid Floor Woodstrip Flooring Solid Woodstrip Flooring . Junkers woodstrip flooring
Carpet tiles
One to avoid unless you are very careful, or happy to replace or take up and clean often. Huega do a good kitchen range, and cover heavy usage options. I find this option unhygenic and impractical.
Huega Carpet Tiles . Burmatex Carpet Tiles . Forbo Carpet Tiles
Carpet or coir flooring
Another one to avoid if hygiene and maintenance is important. Even stain resistant carpet is hopeless in kitchen conditions and rarely lives up to expectations.
Unnatural Flooring Carpet . Period Flooring
Metal flooring
A more rare choice that has had its day for domestic kitchen use. It was popular in de-constructed type loft schemes and contract use, but is not very relevant at the moment even in loft conversions, where a more warm and clean look is preferred with wood and natural materials.
Metaltiles Metal Flooring
Non-slip flooring
This is good for bathrooms, and situations where small children or the infirm have access. There are some interesting choices for the more unusual project, and worth a look for your designer or specifier. I would look at the, good contract specification end, for choice of colour and quality.
Altro Non- slip Flooring . Tarkett Non-slip Flooring
Rubber flooring
Not used much these days for domestic kitchen purposes, but is quite practical in wet areas and does not stain. I would leave it for the contract market these days.
Rubber Flooring
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