The obvious leader among finishing materials for kitchen floor cladding is ceramic tiles. And there are several reasons for this – ceramics has sufficient wear-resistant qualities, is environmentally friendly and durable, not to mention the high aesthetic characteristics of the material, a rich choice of colors and textures.
Among the advantages of floor tiles are the following:
- durability – with proper use, ceramic tiles or porcelain stoneware can last at least 15 years;
- wear resistance. Kitchen space is a room with high traffic, exposed to moisture, temperature changes and various types of mechanical influences. For cladding floors in such a space, a material with high wear resistance is required;
- high strength properties – if the installation of the tiles is carried out correctly, the surface will be able to withstand high loads, not collapse when heavy objects fall;
- fire resistance – a tile covering can resist high temperatures;
- environmental friendliness – the material is safe for humans and the environment, non-toxic, does not cause allergic reactions;
- resistance to chemicals – kitchen flooring will often be cleaned with cleaning agents containing harmful, chemically active substances, it is important that the material does not lose its aesthetic properties after exposure;
- resistance to direct sunlight – color, ornament do not fade for a long time;
- a wide selection of color and texture palette, the ability to imitate stone and wood surfaces;
- affordable cost of the material itself.
But, like any other facing material, porcelain stoneware tiles or tiles have disadvantages;
- the complexity of self-installation without possessing certain skills and, as a result, an increase in the cost of paying for the services of specialists;
- the need for concrete floor screed – if voids remain between the floor surface and the tile, then the material will become fragile when heavy objects fall and the tile may collapse;
- some types of tiles can be slippery on the floor;
- the cost is more expensive than that of laminate and linoleum.
Ceramic tiles have another controversial property that can be attributed to both advantages and disadvantages – this is thermal conductivity. Installability «warm floor» plays into the hands of such a coating, but at high temperatures the tile itself heats up very much. What advantages outweigh the minor disadvantages of the finishing material, it is up to the owners of an apartment or household to decide.
Types of tiles for finishing the kitchen space
From the point of view of the manufacturing process, tiles are divided into two types:
- Pressed. A plastic mixture, which is based on clay and a mixture with various additives, is pressed, after which it is fired at a high temperature and divided into tiles. The result is an excellent choice of finishing material for the kitchen – practical, resistant to moisture and high temperatures..
- Extruded. Ready-made plastic mixture is extruded in a special apparatus and also fired and cut into products.
By the type of surface, the product can also be divided into 2 types:
- glazed – a smooth surface structure with a glassy coating (gloss), has high strength and moisture resistance properties;
- not glazed – non-slip due to high coefficient of friction, but inferior in water-repellent characteristics.
For kitchen flooring, it is better to give preference to glazed tiles. Its specifications are higher, and the surface can be selected with a roughness to avoid slipping.
According to the properties of wear resistance, all tiles are divided into five classes from PEI-I to PEI-5. For the kitchen space, it is better to choose the PEI-III or PEI-IV class.
It is also necessary to pay attention to the chemical resistance properties contained in cleaning agents. Look for AA markings on the packaging (this will be the tile with maximum chemical resistance).
Also on the packaging with products for cladding kitchen floors there is information about the coefficient of friction (should be more than 0.75) and resistance to moisture (more than 3%).
Methods for laying tiles in the kitchen
One of the most traditional and popular tile layouts is the arrangement of rows parallel to the walls of the kitchen. In this case, two variants of facing are possible – when the next row after the first row goes joint to joint and when the beginning of the second strip falls in the middle of the first and as a result, a pattern is obtained, like on a brick wall.
By placing the tiles diagonally, you can achieve a visual expansion of the space, the floor surface seems larger, especially if you add a light tone of the coating to such a layout. But it is important to remember that for a diagonal arrangement you will need a little more finishing material than for the traditional version..
Tiles in contrasting colors (white and black, as well as their shades) are often laid out in a checkerboard pattern. The resulting flooring cannot fail to attract attention and will bring notes of dynamism, contrast and even brightness to the kitchen interior..
One of the options for staggered tile layout can occur in a diagonal arrangement. In addition to the obvious contrast, the diagonality allows for a visually wider floor surface.
Red tiles in combination with light ones, laid in a checkerboard pattern, will look great with a kitchen set, the facades of which or countertops are made of wood of a similar, bright shade.
The size of the tiles you choose for your flooring is directly related to the size of the room. In a spacious kitchen, small products will look out of place, but large tiles are organically integrated into the overall environment..
Small-sized tiles and even mosaics will organically fit into the space of a modest kitchen. But in such rooms it is better not to get carried away with the colorful pattern of the mosaic canvas, it is better to give preference to geometrically motifs or a repeating pattern located at some distance.
The original appearance of the floors in the kitchen can be achieved by using tiles of the same color and texture, but of different sizes. To calculate the required amount of material, in this case, it is better to contact specialists so as not to overpay for unnecessary products, but also not to get into a situation where the required model of the missing tiles «your» the batch is no longer available.
One of the original ways to lay out floor tiles is «herringbone», when the resulting surface resembles parquet. To create a more effective appearance of the floors, it is better to use a contrasting grout – light for dark tiles and vice versa..
The curly tiles are laid according to the pattern and create an original floor covering. You can use products of the same color or choose different shades. Usually, such a floor cladding requires a little more material and you will have to spend a little more time for cleaning, but an interesting appearance and notes of uniqueness in the interior compensate for this..
Design, colors and prints – a kaleidoscope of ideas for a modern interior
The dark flooring in the kitchen space with the light furniture set is a classic of the genre. This combination helps to visually increase the height of the room. Dark tiles will look luxurious with a light grout, but it is important to understand that with such a combinatorial approach, you will have to put more effort into cleaning the tile joints..
Light-colored floor tiles visually expand the space and are great for small kitchens. Many homeowners find that the lighter the material, the more difficult it is to maintain, especially within the kitchen space. In fact, it turns out that cleaning in a kitchen with a light floor is less common than in a room with dark floors; light surfaces, among other things, do not show traces of water drops and prints of bare feet, which cannot be said about black tiles.
White tiles on the floor will look more expressive if you apply a dark grout. Such a floor covering is easier to care for.
Combined with light finishes, white flooring creates a clean and even airy look to the kitchen. For many owners of apartments and private houses, it is important to have an image of the kitchen space close to sterility..
All shades of gray and beige are practically universal for flooring. Such products are suitable for cladding floors of spaces of any stylistic direction and will be perfectly combined with any of the design options for kitchen furniture and the rest of the room decoration..
Ornamented tiles on the kitchen floor are always an interesting and non-trivial design. Depending on the color combinations, a print on the floor can bring cheerfulness and optimism, an oriental riddle or bright positive emotions to the kitchen interior. But with such a bright flooring, it is important to preserve the uniformity of the rest of the room decoration, so as not to knock out focus and turn the kitchen space into a bright, colorful booth..
Black and white ornament as a floor pattern has always been popular and does not lose its relevance in modern interiors. Such a floor will harmoniously look both with a snow-white furniture ensemble, and a headset for a dark design. If the space of the kitchen allows the use of dark facades of kitchen cabinets, then in combination with colorful, contrasting tiles on the floor, such an ensemble will look luxurious.
Even the most neutral kitchen finish can diversify and «cheer up» tile with a pattern in patchwork style. Sometimes for such a color, only shades of two contrasting colors are used, but even in this case, the flooring turns out to be very colorful, original and focal.
Using a tile with a pattern or ornament as a display in a view «carpet with edging» allows you to create an interesting design move, which will become an unconditional center of attraction for all eyes. Such a floor pattern will look the most organically in a medium to large kitchen. If the color of the edging of the floor covering matches the color of the countertops of the kitchen set, then you are guaranteed a balanced and harmonious image of the kitchen..
The honeycomb-shaped hexagonal tile is a popular decoration in modern kitchen design projects. Most often you can find «honeycomb», imitating stone tiles of various shades and textures. Such a floor covering will not slip and will bring an element of originality to the kitchen design. In addition, this material goes well with stone countertops..
A tile of a similar shape, but in the performance of a clinker material with a characteristic reddish-red tint, will look organically in the kitchen space, where a brick wall finish with unpainted surfaces is used.
Classic rectangular tiles imitating natural stone will look great in a country-style kitchen or traditional style. Artificial stone can be organically integrated into both a spacious room and a medium-sized kitchen.
Tiles imitating granite, marble or other types of natural stones are highly versatile. You can use a similar floor covering both in a classic kitchen and in a high-tech room. The shade of the tile, the so-called color temperature, is more important..
An interesting kitchen look can be achieved by using tiles in the same shade as the backsplash for the flooring, only larger. Some manufacturers offer ready-made solutions for such combinatorics – ceramics are used for the walls, and porcelain stoneware for the floors of the same texture and color.
