How To Choose A Laminate For The Kitchen: Types, Pros And Cons, Recommendations, Reviews, Photos Before And After Installation

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-17 22:26

How to choose a laminate for the kitchen and decorate the room with style

Laminate is a modern floor covering characterized by practicality and other useful properties. This material can be used in the kitchen, for this it is important to choose the right type of laminate. It is then that the interior will be as comfortable and stylish as possible, and the floor covering will be durable.

Content

• 1 Features of different types of laminate

  1.1 Advantages and disadvantages of laminate in the kitchen

• 2 Criteria for choosing a laminate

  • 2.1 Wear resistance of laminate
  • 2.2 Resistance to moisture
  • 2.3 Coloring laminate for the kitchen
  • 2.4 Texture of the flooring
  • 2.5 Laminate dimensions
• 3 How best to care for laminate flooring in the kitchen
• 4 Photo gallery: kitchen interior with laminate
• 5 Reviews of laminate in the kitchen

Features of different types of laminate

Laminate is a chipboard with a protective film. The composition of the material includes wood fibers, kraft paper, resinous components, film with a pattern. The multi-layer structure allows you to create slabs of different thicknesses and strengths.

Outside, the material is protected by a durable and moisture-resistant film

Taking into account the wear resistance class will help to make the right choice of laminate:

• 21, 22 and 23 are household classes that are low cost, withstand a small load on the floor and are suitable for rooms with low traffic, for example, bedrooms. It is undesirable to use such material in the kitchen, since it does not withstand humidity and temperature changes, due to which it is deformed;
• grades 31 - 33 are a quality budget option and are suitable for the kitchen. Semi-commercial is class 31, while 32 and 33 are commercial options. The material is resistant to abrasion, shock and scratches, but it does not deform if it gets very wet;
• class 34 laminate is resistant to moisture and is optimal for a kitchen in a private house or apartment. Its cost is higher than lower grade coatings, but grade 34 material will last more than 15 years with proper care;
• The 43rd class of laminate is made to order, includes a layer of high-quality heat and sound insulation, is used in public premises, offices, but is practically not used for the kitchen, since the cost of such a coating is extremely high.

Laminate flooring can be selected for any interior style

The material is classified according to the method of installation. One of them is the glue method, in which the elements are fixed to the base with glue. This option is impractical and therefore most often the laminate is mounted on locks. The Lock type connection assumes the presence of a groove on one edge of the panel, and a special spike is cut out on the other. During installation, the tenon side is attached to the groove edge of the previous panel.

Fastening with a Click lock is considered the most reliable and convenient. Panels for this installation method are equipped with a mechanism similar to Lock, but with a more complex design. During installation, the laminated element is brought at an angle of 45 ° to another part, inserted, and then carefully lowered into a horizontal position.

Locks provide secure fixation of laminated elements

Advantages and disadvantages of laminate in the kitchen

The simple structure gives the laminate the following advantages:

• simple laying technology without complicated base preparation;
• a variety of colors for any kitchen interior;
• the service life of the laminate is 10 - 20 years, depending on the class;
• compatibility with any finishing materials;
• resistance to moisture and mechanical stress.

Laminate with durable protective foil suitable for any kitchen size

When choosing, it is important to pay attention to the shortcomings of the material:

• careful operation is required, prevention of scratches, strong blows to the coating;
• with strong wetting, the material swells and cannot be restored;
• in the kitchen, laminate can absorb grease, and it is difficult to remove such stains without damaging the coating;
• inexpensive laminates are not abrasion resistant and scratch quickly.

Laminate selection criteria

When choosing a laminate flooring for a kitchen, it is important to consider not only the advantages and disadvantages of the material, but also its characteristics. Thanks to this, it is easy to choose a coating that will withstand many years of use and without significant loss of its original appearance.

Wear resistance of laminate

The stability of the flooring material depends on the quality, stiffness and strength of the outer layer. The European classification standard EN 13329 includes 18 criteria by which the laminate is tested. According to this system, 23 grade material is suitable for use in the kitchen, having a high wear resistance coefficient ≥2500. You can use in this room and laminate class 31, which has the same indicator of resistance to abrasion.

The preservation of the appearance of the coating depends on the level of wear resistance of the laminate

Resistant to moisture

The preservation of the structure, density and quality of the material depends on the level of moisture resistance. There is a moisture and water resistant laminate. The first type withstands high humidity, temperature drops in the room, is subject to wet cleaning, but it quickly deforms with prolonged exposure to water. It suits the kitchen and comes in a variety of colors.

Moisture-resistant laminate is damp-cleaned and suitable for the kitchen

Waterproof type of flooring is resistant to moisture and fumes, can withstand direct contact with water, but this requires sealed seams between the panels. This material has a plastic structure rather than wood fiber.

Waterproof material can be damped frequently

Laminate colors for the kitchen

The color of the laminate is given by a special film. The pattern can imitate the structure of natural wood, ceramic tiles or leather. The most common options are those that imitate the shade of oak, walnut, alder, beech, cherry, rosewood, pine. Thus, you can easily choose a laminate for any kitchen interior. It should be borne in mind that the option of any color can be with or without a chamfer. In the first case, the edges of the panel are slightly beveled and when walking on such a flooring, you get the feeling of real boards. In the second case, after the installation of the elements, a flat surface is formed.

Natural wood colors are suitable for many interior styles

Floor covering texture

Laminate with a smooth texture is one of the most common options. It can be used in the kitchen in a house where the elderly and small children do not live, since the coating is rather slippery and unsafe.

Glossy laminate is impractical to operate

Grease, dust and other contaminants are less noticeable on matte laminate than on a smooth surface. Therefore, this material is considered practical and suitable for the kitchen. The matte finish looks natural and matches well with natural finishing structures.

Dirty marks are hardly visible on the matte finish

Embossed laminate imitates the structure of natural wood. The surface of the material can be practically smooth or quite embossed. In the first case, it is easy to care for the floor covering, since all dirt is removed simply with a damp cloth. In the second situation, grease and dirt can eat into the grooves of the laminate structure and the coating must be thoroughly washed.

Laminate dimensions

For the kitchen, the dimensions of the laminated panels are not important. It is enough to purchase items with standard parameters, which are presented in a large number of colors. Such parts can be short, having a length of up to 1000 mm, medium (from 1260 to 1380 mm) and long (from 1400 to 1850 mm). In terms of width, panels are also classified into narrow (up to 160 mm), medium (from 160 to 195 mm) and wide (300 - 400 mm).

Ease of installation depends on the size of the laminate tiles.

When choosing a floor covering for a kitchen, the thickness of the material is important, because its service life, resistance to mechanical stress and deformation depend on it:

• elements up to 7 mm thick are rarely used not only in the kitchen, but also in other rooms with high traffic. This is due to the fact that such thin parts are quickly deformed even from minor mechanical influences and impacts. Therefore, laminate up to 7 mm thick is best used in closets, dressing rooms, etc.;
• laminate with a thickness of 8 - 10 mm is the most common and is found in the range of all manufacturers. It is convenient in the kitchen and is resistant to humidity, temperature extremes, minor shocks;
• lamellas from 12 mm are characterized by strength, high cost and are intended for rooms with increased floor load. Such material is suitable for a kitchen combined with a dining room or living room in a studio apartment.

Kitchen laminate shouldn't be too thin

When choosing a coating, it is worth considering that types of laminate with high characteristics, large thickness, have significant weight. This is important when calculating the load on joists and floor boards. Moreover, this material is much lighter than ceramic tiles and some other structures that are popular for arranging the floor in the kitchen.

The best way to care for your laminate flooring in your kitchen

Steam often accumulates in the cooking and dining area, grease stains and splashes of water appear. The floor covering is highly susceptible to such influences and requires proper maintenance. The following rules will help to maintain the original appearance of the laminate:

• do not use hard brushes, metal sponges to remove difficult stains. Such tools will only damage the coating;
• dried spots must first be soaked with water, and then apply dishwashing detergent and rub gently with a sponge;
• it is best to use special products for the laminate flooring, which are presented in liquid form and added to water;
• do not use products with sodium hypochlorite more than 1 time every 2 weeks, as this component leads to deterioration of the coating;
• large scratches are easy to hide with wood putty, which, after drying, is painted over with a furniture marker in the color of the laminate;
• minor abrasions and scratches can be hidden with colored furniture wax, rubbing it into the surface;
• dry cleaning should be done daily, using a soft brush to remove dust and debris.

Photo gallery: kitchen interior with laminate

A connecting tape must be installed between different floor coverings

Contrasting materials complement a modern kitchen

Laminate can be combined with floor tiles of any shape

In the interior of the kitchen, you can use floor tiles to match the color of the furniture

It is easy to zone a large kitchen with different flooring

You can separate the laminate and tiles with an element of a contrasting color.

The living area is easy to place on the podium and laminate flooring

Brown lamellas can combine several shades

Water splashes and dust are clearly visible on dark surfaces

In a modern style, you don't have to use bright colors

Scratches and chips are poorly visible on light laminate

Brown laminate is suitable for all interior styles

Wood-colored laminate matches well with wood furniture

It is possible to combine laminate and tiles even in a small kitchen

Dark flooring makes the room more comfortable

Dark laminate can be used to highlight the dining area in the kitchen

In the interior, you can combine different brown shades

Bright furniture will become a bright accent in the setting

Laminate can be matched to the color of the tiles

Reviews about laminate in the kitchen

Laying laminate flooring in the kitchen requires the right choice of material and proper base preparation. This is the only way to avoid deformation and damage to the floor covering as a result of moisture and dirt.