How to Choose the Right Kitchen Floor

How to Choose the Right Kitchen FloorMore often than in the kitchen, the floors do not wash anywhere. Modern standards of cleanliness mean the use of detergents with high chemical activity. Therefore, choosing a floor covering for this special room, you need to be guided by two main tasks: choosing a cover that would be easy to care for, which would not be affected by regular “ablutions” with an admixture of aggressive “chemistry”.

Ceramic Tile

Ceramic tiles – the ideal floor covering for the kitchen: easy to clean, not afraid of moisture. Someone might think that the tile is a “cold” material. The thing is that ceramic tiles are one of the best conductors of heat, therefore it simply acquires the temperature of the surrounding space. “Glaze” can glaze tile, the glaze which closes the “body” of the tile, which is nothing more than pressed clay under high pressure. But the glazed tile in the kitchen should not be laid not only for that reason. In addition, that this slippery coating, under the influence of vapors and moisture, it quickly fades, it is more visible scratches and scrapes.

The variety of tiles is easy to determine: you just need to check the markings on the package.

If the store claims that tiles with a red shard – high quality, and even from a well-known manufacturer, this is a reason for doubt. All high-quality tiles are made from white clay.

Porcelain Tiles

The nearest relative of ceramic tiles is porcelain stoneware. The composition of this material is no different from ceramic tiles, but they have different manufacturing techniques. By appearance granite is similar to natural stone (with specks and divorces), but it is more uniformly colored. On durability, ceramic granite is located in the highest group. And this is true: the porcelain covering, which has served for many years, looks like it was just from the manufacturer.

Even if the tiles from porcelain stoneware to withstand a day in acid, it will not affect it. Do not change even the color!

As a floor covering, porcelain stoneware is very popular today. True, this caused a wave of fakes, so when you buy it is worth it to be vigilant and check all the documentation. There is a popular way to determine the quality of ceramic granite: you need to draw a marker on the surface of ceramic granite and try to erase the drawn line. If the line is left – the material is of poor quality.

High pressure laminate

It may seem that laminate flooring is not the most suitable floor covering for the kitchen. This is indeed so, but only applies to ordinary laminate – pressed wood fiber board, “packed” in a layer of plastic. Another matter – high-pressure laminate (it is also called composite). This is a more complex material, protected by several layers of films impregnated with high-strength resins. Over the films, a protective layer of alumina or corundum is applied, which subsequently protects the coating from stains, abrasions, scratches. Under such a “blanket” of films, decor and base layers are placed, responsible for the impact resistance of the coating. In composite laminate, the layers are combined with a very high temperature and press. Attention! The quality of the product depends on the quality and thickness of the top layer, and not on the total thickness of the laminate board.

Quality laminated coatings can “keep in touch” with water for several hours without much harm to themselves. Washing of floors here is not considered at all – such a laminate can be washed daily, and it will serve for at least fifty years.

Of course, quality materials can not be cheap. However, this is a guarantee that in a few years you will not have to feel the well-known saying: “A cheapskate pays twice”.

Image credit: BM10777