Laminate For The Kitchen: The Pros And Cons Of Laminate Flooring

Laminate in the kitchen: pros and cons, which kitchen class is better to lay, laying for the floor, rubber moisture resistant, reviews

Laminate is one of the most popular coatings for any premises in an apartment or a country house. At the same time, the kitchen is a source of high humidity and sudden changes in temperature. Therefore, many people doubt whether it is worth laying a laminate there or whether it is better to finish the floor in the kitchen with tiles. The article examines in detail the pros and cons of the material, provides reviews of real Internet users about it, so we can conclude whether this coverage is suitable for you or not. But what kind of laminate for a warm water floor is most suitable, you can see here.

Pros and cons of laminate in the kitchen

Like any material, laminate has its own strengths and weaknesses. The latter do not make it less suitable or unsuitable for the kitchen. Rather, you need to pay attention to the downsides to be prepared for them and iron them out when styling.

laminate in the kitchen

Laminate in the kitchen can be installed in various sizes and colors

Advantages

  • The material does not shrink, crack or fade.
  • It is easy and quick to wash it, including stains can be removed without the help of special products.
  • Laminate is warmer than tiles and some collections are combined with underfloor heating. They also use laminate flooring under warm water floors.
  • A high-class product does not crumble, unlike linoleum, under the point weight of refrigerator legs and tables.
  • Laminate models are able to imitate natural wood, repeating even the grooves and bulges of natural material.

All of the above advantages apply to laminates from class 32 and above. Below class 32, the product is not suitable for installation in the kitchen.

But how an art deco kitchen can look like and how easy it is to recreate such an environment in your kitchen can be seen in this article.

disadvantages

  • Even moisture-resistant kitchen laminate flooring has the potential to swell. For example, a pipe burst, neighbors flooded it from above. Even a waterproof sealant in the seams will not protect from a large amount of water. Although with minimal disasters – this is one of the most effective solutions.
  • Resounding knock . If the laminate was laid without a sound insulating backing, then an effect such as clattering when walking occurs. The air gap then plays the role of a drum.
  • A coating without a preparatory layer, polystyrene foam cannot be perfectly leveled, and over time it will also begin to creak.
  • The material is not immune to scratches and chips. They can appear from the impact of pinpoint impacts or heavy objects.

Defects on the laminate can be masked with special wax crayons.

Types and classes of laminate for the kitchen and prices

Since the kitchen space has its own characteristics in terms of operation, humidity and temperature conditions, the laminate here must meet certain characteristics.

Laminate class. To cover the kitchen, a laminate with a strength category of at least 32 is used. It determines the density of the base – MDF board. The higher the class, the denser and stronger the base and, accordingly, the more reliable the laminate.

32 grade laminate for the kitchen

It is important that the base of the slab is as thick as possible for effective use.

Abrasion class. It is labeled AC3 – AC5. Accordingly, the better the wear resistance, the longer the coating will last. But how to arrange furniture in the kitchen and which kitchen furniture is the best and most popular, you can see here.

AC3 class laminate

This laminate can be of any color and texture.

When choosing, be guided by the  moisture-resistant  laminate and the strength of the paint layer. Such a laminate has a special impregnation that is resistant to aggressive environments and is marked with a special W.

A new material on the construction market – vinyl laminate – is considered universal and 100% resistant even to a flood . It is based on polypropylene and PVC film. They offer few colors, but it will never swell. Its coating is resistant to chemicals, moisture, high temperatures, vapors of any intensity. But which panels for the walls of the kitchen are the best and most suitable for flooring, you can see here.

vinyl laminate for kitchen

This type of coating will never be damaged, even if water spills.

Of the advantages of rubber laminate , the method of laying it is also considered. Most of the collections have a self-adhesive base, which eliminates such a disadvantage of the classic version as an overly sonorous sound.

Colors . It should be noted that the light colors of the laminate are not desirable in the kitchen space. Stains on them are more difficult to wear off and the coating requires constant monitoring for cleanliness. On the other hand, beige, light grayish colors are neutral and match in scale to any kitchen set and style solution. But what kind of feng shui paintings for the kitchen are and how to pick them up is indicated here.

laminate for the kitchen of different colors

The coating can be of different textures and especially different colors.

Price

Separately, it is worth highlighting the issue of the cost of laminate in the kitchen. As it is already clear from the above, one of the best material in terms of performance is taken here; accordingly, the price will be higher. On average, the price level starts from 1000 per sq. m. Naturally, if you take a German manufacturer and a laminate class, 33-34, then the price will be much higher than that of a similar Russian version.

A good and high quality product cannot be cheap, even with the maximum discount.

How to Pick a Good Waterproof Laminate

To choose a laminate that is suitable for the kitchen space, you should be guided by the following conditions:

Abrasion class is not lower than 32, but preferably 33-34. The stronger the base – MDF boards, the more durable the product will be.

If you are not sure that you will be using your flooring neatly, choose vinyl laminate.

Make sure the box is labeled for moisture resistance. Often the words appear in the description: water resistance, waterproof, aqua block.

Connection method. Better to take the Click system. It is quick to assemble, and in case of an accident, it will be possible to disassemble the required section and replace only it without completely opening the floor.

kitchen laminate Click

This type of coating can be installed very quickly, installation work will not bring much trouble

Read reviews about manufacturers, buy those whose name has been on the floor for a single year. So you get guarantees of the stable quality of the laminate from the manufacturing company up to 15 years of operation. Whenever possible, choose a commercial or semi-commercial coverage. Their wear resistance is several times higher than that of household ones.

The minimum board thickness is 9 mm, but ideally you should look at a 12 mm board. The thicker the laminate, the stronger it is.

No technical chamfer. Chamfering the edges creates more difficulty in cleaning and the greater the risk that the laminate will pull away from the water.

Health safety. Laminate flooring releases formaldehyde vapors into the atmosphere. Make sure the packaging is labeled with emission class E0 and E1.

Surface roughness. For the kitchen, the coating is definitely matched with a relief, without gloss. Otherwise, the risk of injury increases.

As you can see, each person is closer to their own material and the choice of laminate for the kitchen should take place after all the pros and cons of this coating have been carefully considered in this particular situation and for this room.

It is also worth not saving on material and buying a laminate of proven brands that have proven themselves good quality, given the abrasion class and moisture resistance of the product.

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