Choosing our kitchen floor

As anyone who’s a regular reader of my blog will know, we had a complete renovation of our kitchen and dining room at the beginning of the year, knocking a wall down so both rooms became totally one, and I was excited to really make it our own. This was by no means an easy task, and it took its toll at times. but we’re so happy with the end result (and pleased that the building work was complete before Arlo arrived!). In this post I thought I’d discuss why we chose the flooring that we did, as well as the other options that were explored.

In the end we ended up choosing Karndeen, which is wood effect vinyl flooring, which I am in love with. In fact it looks so realistic that I’ve been asked multiple times about what type of wood it actually is! Although we had deliberated getting real wood flooring there were a lot of cons to it. First off the price; this floor has already cost us enough, I dread to think of what the total may have come to if it was real wood. I did a lot of research when it came to choosing the material for the floor as we had a lot of issues with the underneath in terms of levelling it, and this ended up setting us back a few extra thousand pounds (NOT cool). It was then that I discovered wood flooring was not recommended for areas that could be exposed to high moisture levels and vast temperature changes, mainly because it could cause the wood itself to warp and fixing it would cost even more. So that was that one out of the window and onto the next one! After looking through a boat load of options I reached a decision; vinyl it was!

So why vinyl?

Well, there are plenty of reasons we chose vinyl, the first one being that as mentioned above; it bears all the resemblance to wood but comes without the price tag. Aside of its appearance it is also really practical, especially in a home where there will be three kids running about! For me it was essential that the floor we chose could withstand a lot of foot traffic and was durable- vinyl definitely has these properties. Due to the material that’s used to make vinyl flooring, you will often find that it reduces noise too, ideal for Adam and myself (and our neighbours!) when our lot are running riot! Vinyl is also really easy to clean and maintain, which is a big thing to factor when you consider how busy our home is. Unlike wood flooring, once vinyl is installed there’s no need to worry about refinishing it after a number of years to bring it back to life – it holds its appearance well and tends to be supported by an impressive guarantee from the manufacturer.

As for the other options, well, I have been talking to the guys over at Luxury Flooring who gave me a breakdown of the other options that were available, and just because they weren’t the ones for me doesn’t mean they aren’t for you, check them out below:

 

Material Pros Cons Rating
Laminate . Easy to install

. Easy to clean & maintain

. Resistant to dents, fading & scratches

. Water resistant (not proof)

. Cheaper looking

. Can be hard to repair if damaged

8/10
Solid Wood . Aesthetically beautiful

. Adds character and warmth to a room

. Can be sanded and refinished multiple times

. Prone to water and humidity damage

. Adapt to moisture levels surrounding them, can contract and expand

3/10
Engineered Wood . Convincing alternative to solid wood

. Resistant to moisture and temperature fluctuations

. Long lifespan

. Still much more expensive than laminate and other alternatives

. Lifespan not as long as solid wood

8/10
Natural Stone . A lot of varieties available

. Stunning appearance

. Bring a natural rustic vibe

. Require little maintenance and minimal cleaning

. Ideal for allergy sufferers

. Durable

 

. Cold when it comes to winter time

. Expensive

. Can result in damage and heavy falls due to the strength of the surface

7/10

 

So there we have it, just a couple of reasons why we chose vinyl for our new kitchen.

If you had the opportunity to renovate your kitchen, which floor would you go for?

 

*In collaboration

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2 Comments

  1. KATIE
    July 13, 2017 / 6:32 pm

    Wow I would never have known that was vinyl it looks fabulous. We have it in our vathroom in a geo print and I just love it…so comfy and easy to clean x

    • Becky
      Author
      July 14, 2017 / 2:39 pm

      I know- I had no idea Karndeen was vinyl either until recently! And you’re definitely right about the cleaning! x

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