Kitchen Floor: Natural Linoleum or Tile
Hi. I am confused as to whether to use natural linoleum( sheet or floating) or put ceramic tiles down or maybe porcelain. I have a kitchen approx. 8′ X 11′ and I want to go as eco friendly as possible. Also can anyone recommend a place to go that has a good selection of either…
Hi. I am confused as to whether to use natural linoleum( sheet or floating) or put ceramic tiles down or maybe porcelain. I have a kitchen approx. 8′ X 11′ and I want to go as eco friendly as possible.
Also can anyone recommend a place to go that has a good selection of either linoleum and/or tiles and that does good work.
If you could share your experiences with both that would be great.
Thanks.
Go with Cork…Haven’t had a customer complain yet!
I had cork installed in my kitchen a few years ago and I absolutely love it. It’s soft and warm underfoot, and has stood up very well. Admittedly, it is a bit expensive, but I think totally worth it.
Brokelin, we have wood floors under our linoleum, and I really admire the look. I’m thinking about wood for Kitchen 2.0. But the cracks are huge! Any tips?
I’ve seen floors that seemed to have a lot of sawdust between the boards — not sure how they managed that. Our floor is a subfloor mounted directly on the joists. Perhaps if we succeed in our plan to cover over any holes in the foundation, it will not be an issue, since mice won’t be able to get into the building in the first place.
Thanks!
I’m another who doesn’t like ceramic tiles on kitchen floors. Had it in two places – one rented, one owned – both the same cheap terra cotta tiles.
They were COLD underfoot in the winter. And your legs feel more tired after standing on them cooking and cleaning up. Always covered mine almost completely with cotton rag rugs – warmer and softer.
And it is VERY hard – forget about dropping things – and repeatedly hearing the head of the falling toddler of friends hit their newly installed ceramic tile kitchen floor with a scary-sounding “thwak” was the clearest demonstration of the difference between ceramic and softer flooring materials.
Haven’t had linoleum (true linoleum, not vinyl stuff) since I was a kid, but would certainly consider it today if I were renovating. It is very green, and there are some nice looking ones.
But I’d also consider cork – I’ve seen it in friends’ places and like it a lot. Also natural material, but nicer than linoleum, I think. Comes in square tiles, too.
My favorite kitchen floors (and what I have now) are wood – not newly installed engineered wood – but the 100 year old original wood floor. It is warm, it gives, looks great, wears great. I’d think about restoring wood floor if you have it under there, or about installing new solid wood flooring.
And, contrary to what the above poster said, wood doesn’t let in mice through cracks – I had mice in a place with the tiles – they chewed through the drywall at the corners just above the floor – way easier for them than chewing through any kind of floor would be. Never had mice come through cracks in any of my wood kitchen floors.
Bay Ridge and Aronson’s in Manhattan have a good selection of samples. You can also order samples online from Forbo. They are huge, and arrive very quickly. It’s wise to see the sample at home, not just in the store.
It really depends on the style of your house and what you like.
Our house is 1890s with wood floors throughout, so tile would have been inappropriate. Plus I love the look of linoleum and it’s soft on the feet.
We interviewed three companies and went with Ritchie’s Bay Ridge Carpet & Linoleum. They’re straight shooters and have been in the business many years. The upstairs kitchen is perfect, the downstairs not so much (our floor is uneven) but I definitely recommend them.
Go with a medium swirly color that won’t show bumps and dirt. It’s very easy to clean.
Alternatively, we might have chosen a wood floor, but I was concerned about mice coming in through the cracks. Though I’m sure there’s a remedy for that too.
Oh yeah, and linoleum is not cheap. The installation is expensive. Be sure to use an installer certified by Forbo. There are only three.
I think the way which shows naturalism is the best one. The naturalism shows professionalism. http:\\www.rtacabinetstore.com
bay ridge carpet and linoleum sells linoleum. we spoke to them about kitchen floor and found them very nice on the phone.
linoleum is NOT CHEAP, but lasts forever and is made of linseed oil and sawdust so no toxins. also as bohuma said is softer on your stuff (and your back if you’re standing on it).
we have an ugly cheap tile floor and it cleans easily and gets dirty again almost just as fast. not everyone loves the look of linoleum, but I dig it.
I think it depends on your personal tastes. Also consider how often you drop things. Tiles are much less forgiving than linoleum if you drop breakables. Also tiles are more likely to crack if you drop something heavy (like a saucepan).