The best types of flooring for your kitchen: porcelain, vinyl... all the details!

The floor is the foundation of any room in the home. The material we choose, slab size, colour, tone, etc. can enhance the beauty of a room or make it squeak to say the least.

With kitchens, this effect is even more striking, which is why it is essential to choose the type of flooring wisely, whether it is for a closed kitchen or for open kitchens. To help you, we have created this little guide:

Factors to consider when choosing kitchen flooring

We have selected three essential aspects to consider when you are faced with the choice of flooring for your new or renovated kitchen:

Resistance to wear and tear

Objects that fall and hit the floor while cooking, dragging the shopping trolley or moving those objects that are never missing in this space, such as the laundry basket, are common gestures that deteriorate our floor. Not to mention the fact that we are talking about one of the main transit areas in the house.

If we are aware of these details, we will come to the conclusion that, among all the floors in the rooms of a home, the kitchen floor should be the most resistant, perhaps together with the bathroom floor. What materials provide us with high resistance to wear and tear? Porcelain and vinyl are two good options to consider.

Ease of cleaning

If there is one thing we know for sure when working in the kitchen, it is that the floor is never going to be spotless. The only solution to this problem is to choose a floor model that, due to its characteristics and colour, 'disguises' these dirt marks and, of course, is easy to clean. In this last aspect, there are two types of floors that, as they have smooth surfaces, are easier to maintain: vinyl and porcelain.

Aesthetics and design

Of course, as we mentioned at the beginning, the type of floor we choose must be in harmony with the design of our kitchen, as well as contributing to enhance the style chosen for it.

If you want to bring naturalness, treated wood can be a good choice, for example for the floor of a white kitchen, as it gives a feeling of warmth. On the other hand, if our kitchen is modern or even has an industrial feel, microcement is the best material for the floor.

Likewise, vinyl and porcelain tiles have a wide variety of designs, including imitations of other materials, such as stone or wood. This versatility represents a great aesthetic advantage to be valued.

Most recommended types of flooring

We have mentioned them throughout the text, but now we are going to look in detail at the different types of flooring with their advantages and disadvantages.

Porcelain tile: durability and design

Porcelain tile flooring is one of the most popular for many reasons. The smooth or low-porosity surface makes it easy to clean and very resistant to moisture. It withstands wear and tear and stains well, it is durable and, aesthetically, it offers a wide range of finishes.

Its disadvantages include its installation process, which requires experienced personnel to achieve the desired result. Another unpleasant detail is that it is cold to the touch.

Vinyl flooring: versatility and comfort

Vinyl floors share with porcelain their great variety of designs, their resistance to humidity and their advantages in terms of cleaning. However, unlike porcelain, vinyl floors are easy to install and warm to the touch, and even dampen the sound of footsteps.

On the other hand, they are more susceptible to damage due to the impact of objects, with less durability and even the possibility of the surface discolouring over time. In this sense, it is worth mentioning that within the range of vinyl floors, it is possible to choose a product of higher or lower quality, a property that will influence its resistance.

Treated wood: warmth and elegance

When we enter a kitchen and see the wooden floor, we feel at home. This material creates a feeling of warmth and a unique visual appeal.

However, this naturalness has its counterpart in maintenance. Treated wood, being more delicate, requires specific treatments with specific products to maintain its beauty and protect it from wear and tear and erosion.
 

Microcement: modernity and visual continuity

With regard to microcement, the key to this material lies in the installation process. In order to achieve a correct finish, it is essential to rely on specialised professionals who achieve a good seal and a continuous finish.

It is precisely this seamless finish that will give a feeling of spaciousness to our kitchen, giving it the modern and industrial touch we mentioned earlier.

Microcement is resistant and easy to clean, although it is important to keep it well sealed to prevent stains or damp from wreaking havoc on it.

Comparison: Advantages and disadvantages of each type of flooring

Finally, we present a comparative table so that you can see the characteristics of each type of flooring even more clearly: