Best Laminate Flooring For Kitchen – With your busy life, you turn to renovation solutions that offer sought-after looks, low maintenance and great value. Laminate floors fit the bill perfectly, especially in kitchens where high foot traffic and messy spills are common. Not only does laminate realistically mimic the look and feel of natural hardwood, it also offers built-in scratch, dent, scuff and moisture resistance – all at a fraction of the cost of solid wood planks.
When shopping for a kitchen renovation project, you will come across a wide variety of laminate products. Use this guide to evaluate which features to add to your must-do list.
Best Laminate Flooring For Kitchen
Most laminate products are considered direct pressure laminate (DPL), a term that describes how each board or tile is made. The four-layer synthetic material is pressed and heated until it sticks together, which is assembled in a single step, which reduces the production cost. This makes DPL more economical than its high-pressure laminate counterpart.
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The high-pressure laminate is put together in many stages and treated with a protective resin before being melted. This high quality laminate is tougher than DPL, which is easy to bend. It withstands daily use better and resists dents, moisture and foot traffic.
So, despite the higher upfront cost, high-pressure laminate can be a good long-term investment that won’t need to be replaced as often.
Laminate floors are laid differently depending on the product. Some laminates are adhered with adhesive along each joint. While this provides a solid foundation, it takes significantly more time and is more costly than other methods. Pre-glued laminate flooring is similar, but the adhesive is applied right out of the box for a quicker and more convenient installation.
But in the kitchen, you’re better off with an adhesive-free laminate product. These are tiles or planks that do not require glue, nails or other adhesives. It is very easy to install even for relatively inexperienced DIY masters. The most popular non-adhesive laminate option is a mortise or mortise floor with planks that snap and lock into place on both sides and ends.
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The primary benefit of installing snap-on laminate in the kitchen is a tight connection between each board. These connections are particularly moisture resistant, making it ideal for both kitchens and bathrooms. Because they are not bonded, floors can be lifted and re-tiled to remove damaged pieces or dry heavy spills.
You can install a non-adhesive laminate surface as a floating floor, which means it can rise above any flat hard floor or subfloor with the appropriate underlayment. Some products have an attached mat to help reduce noise levels.
The edge of a plank defines how the ends of each plank are cut. Common options for laminate include beveled edge, micro-beveled edge, and squared edge.
While a beveled edge is the most common and somewhat easier to install, it also creates a surface filled with grooves that are prone to moisture collection. Properly cared for, this tends to be a big problem. However, if you leave a spill for too long, you may have to deal with the cost of replacement planks.
Dark Brown Kitchen Flooring With Light & Neutral Accents
On the other hand, a square edge meets flush at all ends, providing a sleek, seamless and water-resistant transition between plates. In a kitchen setup, a square edge can make a big difference when it comes to ease of maintenance.
Wood composite materials used to make laminate floors tend to absorb water and swell. However, you can buy laminate that is water resistant or even completely waterproof. These are perfect for kitchens where water may splash from sinks, counters, tables or pet bowls.
While the definition of “waterproof” differs between manufacturers, a truly waterproof laminate floor will have a water-repellent surface seal, waterproof joints, and a water-resistant core. Waterproof performance may depend on proper installation, which you can get a professional to do the job for you.
However, like other floating, adhesive-free options, waterproof laminate is easy to install, even as a DIY project. Also, waterproof floors can be wiped with a wet mop, which other laminate floors cannot.
Differences Between Waterproof & Water Resistant Laminate
If you want a laminate product that will last for many years, be sure to check the wear class (AC) rating on the packaging before purchasing. It rates laminate flooring from one to five based on how it resists factors such as scratches, nicks, stains, heat, and humidity. Typically, laminate with a higher AC rating has a thicker wear layer.
When choosing a floor for your kitchen, look for an AC3 or higher grade laminate. Lower ratings are more suitable for rooms with low traffic such as bedrooms, home offices and dining rooms. AC3, AC4, and AC5 all offer commercial-strength performance suitable for any space in the home, including your kitchen.
An AC3-rated floor will be suitable for an active lifestyle or a busy family, and will provide additional protection against falling utensils and children’s toys, sliding chair legs, pet nails, and other dents and scratches known to kitchens.
Even after you know the features to look for in a laminate product for your kitchen, you will be faced with a wide variety of design options at your local flooring supplier. Fortunately, these choices are entirely up to your aesthetic preference. Choose a color that will match or complement your existing decor, cabinets, wall paint or backsplashes.
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You’ll find laminate floors that mimic the look and feel of natural wood, stone and ceramic tile surfaces down to the surface texture. Smooth laminate is great for an elegant marble look, while embossed or hand-etched options can pair perfectly with the grooves of hardwood grain and wear for an antique wood look.
One design option that can affect performance is the finish you choose. Laminate surfaces range from high gloss to matte. Matte surfaces are not as glossy, but they tend to hide minor scratches better. This richly textured floor is inspired by reclaimed oak. Shown: Elegant Expressions, Reclaimed Oak. Photo courtesy of Pergo
If you frequently encounter food spills and patter from children or pets in your kitchen, this durable surface may be the solution. Laminate mimics the look of hardwood or tile and comes with a lower price tag. The surface is resistant to stains and scratches and cleaning is very easy.
Unlike wood, it does not gain character and cannot be sanded. But when it comes to today’s high-end options, even experts can have a hard time distinguishing high-end laminates from real ones.
Why You Should Choose Laminate
Lowdown: Laminate is made of four layers of material fused together: a melamine wear layer, a high-resolution photo, a dense core sheet, and a melamine backing layer.
How to Clean Up: Wipe up spills immediately. Sweep, dust or vacuum regularly and occasionally wipe the surface with a damp mop or cloth. Keep floors free of dirt and sand as they can scratch the surface over time. Watch the separation between the boards.
Underlayment: Laminate requires underlayment to act as a moisture barrier and muffle sound. The specially designed underlay makes the laminate sound more like hardwood when stepped on.
Colour. Wood-look laminate is available in a range of colors from yellow to black. The tile-look laminate comes in a range of earthy neutral colors for an authentic look.
Laminate Flooring In The Kitchen
Tissue. Advances in production produce more realistic textures. Wood look laminate, for example, has the aged look that is now very popular for hardwood.
Shape. Laminate comes in strips, planks, or tiles and can be installed in a variety
of directions for a one-of-a-kind look.
Laminate is easy to install. Glueless installation is a quick, easy and mess-free option for do-it-yourselfers. It is environmentally friendly; laminate uses less natural materials than other floors. Many manufacturers even use recycled materials. And it requires little maintenance. Laminate does not require waxing or oiling over the years.
There Are A Lot Of Kitchen Gadgets On Amazon And They Are Worth Buying Home. Wood flooring is warm, natural and looks beautiful in both modern and traditional kitchens. If you’re craving wood flooring in the kitchen but your mind tells you no, we want to dispel a few myths and show you how versatile wood flooring can be.
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The first myth is that wood can certainly be used in the kitchen and bathroom. In general, we advise our clients to avoid polished wood floor areas where spills are more likely. Spills can make your floor slippery and can cause water damage to some uncoated floors.
Wood is a natural product and therefore can shrink and expand as temperature or humidity levels rise. This is usually not a problem in small doses, but in the kitchen where steam and heat are most likely, it can be an issue. That’s why we don’t recommend a solid floor for your kitchen and we recommend choosing an engineered wood floor instead.
Engineered wood can still contract and expand, but not at the same level as solid wood. That means it’s a hit for modern times,
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