Currently, the construction market presents a huge variety of materials for flooring. Carpets and carpet, linoleum and laminate, OSB-boards, vinyl coating, parquet, tile. This article will compare two types of materials that are most popular when choosing kitchen floor finishes, their positive and negative sides, versatility of use, and service life.
So, what is better in the kitchen - laminate or tile?
Tile
Tile - a material that can quickly, easily and for many years transform the room in which it was used.
If we consider the advantages of this finishing material, then there will be quite a lot of them. Consider the main ones.
The benefits of tile
- Absolutely harmless, does not cause allergies (in the process of firing tiles, any harmful elements and substances contained in the raw materials for its production die).
- It easily withstands the effects of water and moisture (due to the density of the tile itself, as well as the adhesive base on which it is laid, you can safely carry out daily wet cleaning of the floor in the tile).
- It will last more than one year, and with proper care - not one dozen years.
- It is durable and not subject to abrasion (it is safe to install furniture, a refrigerator and other necessary equipment, the tile will “tolerate” everything).
- It is able to withstand heat and exposure to high temperatures, so it is not afraid of not only hot pots, but, God forbid, a fire.
Thanks to the above properties, tiles are often used for flooring in apartments, offices, cafes and restaurants, shopping centers and exhibition halls.
However, it is necessary to say about the weaknesses of the tile, because they also exist. Below are the most common tile flaws.
disadvantages
To know which is better - a laminate in the kitchen or tiles, it is important to know the disadvantages of each material. Among the shortcomings of the tile can be noted:
- Fragility and lack of elasticity (when laying tiles, it is important to carefully approach the process of cutting it to prevent chips and cracks).
- Thorough preparation of the base for the tile, as well as the implementation of the basic laying work by professionals.
- The chill coming from the tiled floor.
- Significant financial costs for the acquisition and laying of tiles. The larger the tile in size, the more famous its manufacturer, the better and more expensive it will be. A separate cost item will be the remuneration of the builders who will lay the tiles on the floor, because this process is quite laborious and, having no special skills, it is better not to risk it and trust the professionals.
Despite the fact that buying tiles and paying for their laying is not a cheap pleasure, it is not recommended to purchase very inexpensive tile options, because during its laying many problems can arise due to poor quality and size mismatch.
Laminate
Laminate is one of the most popular coatings used for flooring.
If we talk about its advantages, then they are also many. Consider the main ones.
Laminate Benefits
- Affordable, especially when compared with floor tiles.
- Appearance. A variety of structures, patterns, shades makes the laminate flooring an extremely attractive material used for flooring.
- If the base of the floor is quite even, then you can not attract professional builders. Each person can do their own styling using a pencil, tape measure and hacksaw.
- Reliability and long operating time. Due to the characteristics of the coating of the top layer, the laminate is able to withstand serious influences (furniture installed on it, falling objects, exposure to high temperatures).
- Easy to care. It does not require any special procedures for care. It is enough to simply carry out wet cleaning of the floor, the main thing is not to overdo it.
One of the best is a laminate for tiles in the kitchen of class 34. This is a special floor covering with top quality and superior performance.
Laminate disadvantages
Among the most significant disadvantages of the laminate, the following can be distinguished:
- Deformation of sheets with prolonged contact with water. Laminate extremely does not like wet rooms or an excess of moisture. With a long exposure to water on the laminate sheets, its edges can swell and begin to fall apart, which will lead to unsuitability of the material for further operation.
- The top layer of the laminate sheet in rooms with high traffic can wear out quite quickly, which will also lead to a fairly quick replacement.
So what to choose for finishing the floor in the kitchen?
Laminate in the kitchen or tiles - which is better? There is no single answer to this question. It is important to understand that any floor covering in the kitchen will be subject to constant mechanical stress and sooner or later the time will come to replace it; accordingly, knowing the pros and cons of each material, you can choose one or another floor covering. What is better - a laminate in the kitchen or tiles?
Having carefully analyzed the pros and cons of each material, you can try to make a comparison between them:
- tile is much more expensive than a laminate, but it can last much longer. In this paragraph, everyone will make the right choice for himself, taking into account his financial capabilities;
- a warmer laminate definitely wins against a cold tile, even if a warm floor system was mounted under it. A definite plus in favor of the laminate;
- the ability to withstand any humidity in the room makes the tile a leader in this paragraph;
- and of course, do not forget that the tile will easily withstand grease, hot drops, any floor cleaning products and dust cleaning powders.
In the kitchen (corridor), laminate, tiles are the most ideal materials for the floor. As a worthy option for those who could not make a difficult choice, there may be a proposal to combine the two types of decoration in one room. That is, you can combine tiles and laminate in the kitchen. For example, directly the part of the floor where the dining table is installed may be in the laminate, but in places of close proximity to the cooking process, you can lay tiles that will withstand any load on it with dignity.
If the choice is limited to tiling the floor, then in this case it can be suggested to partially cover the floor with carpet or a path so that it is warmer.
Some consumers note another inconvenience that may occur if there is a tile on the floor - a slippery floor. Especially often on such a surface a child can slip and fall. As a tip, you can offer the purchase of tiles, the surface of which will not be smooth. On such a tile it will not be so slippery, and in terms of design, no difference will arise. It is worth noting that in large rooms, tiles ranging in size from 40 × 40 cm and more will look very beautiful and impressive on the floor.
What to choose - laminate in the kitchen or tile? After comparing all of the above, we can say that as a floor covering for the kitchen, it is best to choose a tile.
If we are talking about such a floor covering as a laminate, then almost its only advantages will be:
- a more spectacular view of the floor;
- the speed of laying the floor in time and the minimum amount of waste received during installation.
Conclusion
The most common materials on the floor in the kitchen are tiles and laminate (see photo in the article). As a conclusion in this article, we can say that tile is the undisputed leader. It is universal, it copes well with any loads and external influences.
In the case when, nevertheless, aesthetics prevail over the practical side and the owner of the apartment wants to make the floor in the kitchen with the help of a laminate, one can suggest combining tiles and laminate as recommendations. Kitchen floors laid in this way are the optimal ratio of appearance / quality of coverage, and the apartment owner will not have to regret the money spent a few months earlier. It is better to entrust the laying of flooring to professional builders who can correctly calculate the need for the material, purchase it and perform quality work on laying the materials on the floor. It is not in vain that at the present time the sayings remain the most popular: “Measure seven times, and cut one” and “Avaricious pays twice”.