Laminate flooring in the kitchen: pros and cons

When planning a kitchen renovation, one of the most important things to pay attention to is the flooring. Due to heavy traffic, heavy furniture and appliances, frequent pollution, moisture, and dropping of hard and sharp objects, the challenges and requirements for kitchen flooring are much higher than for the floor in most of the other rooms in the house. 

Nowadays, there are enough options on the market for the kitchen, and one of the popular ones is the laminate flooring. The laminate that is developed for kitchen flooring has some special features. First of all, it is moisture resistant. It is made from several different layers, each of which is responsible for different functions: color, warmth and water resistance. In this article will discuss what other characteristics a kitchen laminate should have and what are the advantages and disadvantages of laminate flooring in the kitchen. 

Laminate flooring in the kitchen – the pros: 

• Fast and easy installation. Laminate flooring is easy to install, because you do not need to specially prepare the base. If the floor does not have any significant bumps, laminate can be laid even on the old flooring, whatever it may be. Even a person without any construction experience can cope with the work. 
• Good appearance. Natural materials – like wood and stone – are of course unsurpassed in aesthetics and quality, but they are really expensive, and their prices continue to rise. Laminate flooring is a good alternative at an affordable price. It comes in various designs, some of which closely resemble natural wood or even stone. 
• Color does not fade over time. Unlike cork and many types of natural wood, laminate in most cases does not fade in direct sunlight. As long as, of course, it is of a relatively high quality. 
• Easy cleaning and maintenance. Laminate flooring is incredibly easy to care for – you can use vacuum cleaner, damp cloth or mop, and various detergents to clean dirty spots (avoid solvents and abrasives). It does not deform easily, it is hard to scratch, and it is a good shock-absorber if you drop something on it. 
• Suitable for underfloor heating. Laminate is warmer than ceramic tiles. You can walk on it barefoot, which is especially important when there are small children in the house. It is worth noting that it is great if you want to install an underfloor heating.
• Acceptable price. As already mentioned above, the price of laminate flooring is much lower than the price of natural materials. You will also save transport costs, as laminate is lighter, and installation costs, as everyone can install it themselves.

Laminate flooring in the kitchen – the cons:

Obviously, laminate flooring has many positive features, but of course there are some drawbacks. The good news is that if you pay attention to certain conditions, these shortcomings can be completely neutralized or at least minimized. 

• Moisture sensitivity. If you are going to buy a laminate for the kitchen, then choose a waterproof one, because the other types are incredibly sensitive to moisture. If such a laminate gets seriously wet, the floor will not be repairable, and you will have to replace it completely. 
• No sound insulation. Laminate, especially of lower quality and with a thinner substrate, is one of the floorings with the worst sound insulation properties. Each dropped object makes a deafening noise, and if it is installed on a higher floor, the occupants of the lower floor will not be particularly happy.
• Modified melamine-formaldehyde resins. Formaldehyde resins are quite dangerous for human health. They can be present in laminate flooring in different quantities. When you buy a laminate, you should carefully study the packaging and choose the product with least formaldehyde resins. 

As we can see, laminate flooring is a good option for the kitchen, as long as you successfully avoid some of its few drawbacks. If this is not possible, it is better to choose another flooring option to save unnecessary work and costs in the future.