by Mubanga Sampa 
The modern kitchen has become the hub and rallying point for most activities. As such, the kitchen floor is put through a lot. With that in mind, your kitchen floor should be practical, durable as well as a major design statement. That means your kitchen floor must withstand multiple hazards while looking good at the same time. Reconciling these needs can be difficult, so we are going to help identify the best flooring options for your home. We are also going to compare kitchen flooring options based on aesthetics, material durability, ease of maintenance and affordability.
Four kitchen attributes
Before you start shopping around for a kitchen floor, here are the most important attributes every kitchen floor must possess.
1. Durability
To start with, a kitchen floor must be durable enough to withstand high foot traffic, spills and spatter. Therefore, opt for a durable kitchen floor option tough enough to survive your lifestyle.
2. Water-resistance
Kitchens can be viewed as semi-wet rooms; this means your flooring option should be able to withstand spills and spatter.
3. Easy maintenance
The best kitchen flooring option is one that is easy to clean and maintain.
4. Design-friendly
Your kitchen floor should complement your décor and look just as good as the rest of your home.
Flooring options for your kitchen
Hardwood floors
Hardwood has been used as a flooring option for centuries and it continues to be a luxurious and popular choice for many homeowners. While hardwood floors are not waterproof, they are durable, warm and stylish. When hardwood floors are combined with the proper finish there are water-resistant. However, continued exposure to moisture will damage them. Despite their susceptibility to moisture and staining, hardwood floors are a great flooring option for your kitchen. Moreover, with hardwood floors, you can add a variety of looks to your kitchen over time by sanding and refinishing the floor. Some of the popular hardwood choices include oak, walnut, ash and mahogany.
Engineered hardwood floors
Good quality engineered hardwood flooring gives you the look and feel of hardwood floors at a fraction of the cost. Besides this, engineered hardwood floors are generally easy to clean and maintain. With a top layer of hardwood veneer and high-grade plywood below, engineered hardwood floors are more water-resistant than regular hardwood floors.
Ceramic and porcelain tiles
For the ultimate in durability, it’s quite difficult to beat ceramic tiles. Ceramic tiles, including porcelain, are an extremely durable flooring option that is solid and impervious to water and stain damage. Moreover, ceramic tiles are resistant to heat and breakage. Also, ceramic tiles are available in countless patterns, colours, styles, shapes and sizes, thereby giving you a wealth of design options. One of the biggest negatives of ceramic tiles is that there are extremely slippery when wet. In addition, ceramic tiles get very cold under cool weather conditions and are not comfortable to walk on.
Concrete
Similar to ceramic tiles, concrete is a robust and durable kitchen flooring option. Concrete is a popular kitchen floor option for homeowners who want an inexpensive and long-lasting floor. Concrete surfaces can be polished, stained or treated in a variety of ways to make it a stylish and attractive flooring for the kitchen. As with tiles floors, concrete floors can be cold and too hard.
Natural stone tiles
Another excellent tile options for kitchens is made from natural stone. Although natural stone tiles are on the higher end of the price scale, they are durable and long-lasting. Some of the more popular natural stone tile options include granite, marble, slate, limestone, travertine and sandstone. The biggest drawback to natural stone tiles is that they are susceptible to water and stain penetration. Also, keep in mind different types of stone will have different properties as far as hardness, scratch resistance and long-term durability.
Vinyl floors
If you are looking for an easy and versatile kitchen flooring option then you can consider vinyl floors. Vinyl floors are manmade and are usually impervious to water damage and staining. Besides this, vinyl floors are typically easy to clean and maintain. In addition, vinyl is one of the most inexpensive flooring options available. Moreover, high-quality vinyl flooring comes in a diverse range of styles, colours and sizes.
