Kitchen flooring - easy to fit?

claireb

I've just had a kitchen fitted and feeling the squeeze, so would like to do the floor myself to save money. It's only about 5 sqm. Any recommendations?

swagman

I recently fitted laminate flooring into a kitchen not much bigger than the one you mention. As long as you don't swill water around it is OK and looks good. Green core laminate is the kind needed.

I found it fiddly but easier than fitting sheet vinyl flooring, which I always find hard to cut accurately.

Much depends on what the existing floor is and how level it is. Floorboards have to be really good and level, otherwise most surfaces you lay will need first to have a level covering on the floorboards, such as sheets of exterior grade hardboard, pinned down at about every 60 cm. With that down you could choose vinyl tiles, sheet vinyl, wood laminate and even carpet tiles (but I have never seen carpet tiles in a kitchen that do not soon look stained, however much makers declare them washable).

ormus

i dont like the idea of laminate in the kitchen area.
i used floor tiles from BQ last year, for my kichen much bigger than yours. did the whole job for under 150 quid.

littlejaffa

agree with previous post - laminate anywhere with water/condensation isn't a good idea - you do get dearer stuff that's meant for those areas but it is dearer and still gets slippy.

i did mine with tiles, bigger tiles make a small area look bigger and are much easier and quicker to fit, similar floor area took me about 2hrs, then grouting time the following day.

looks great was easy and cheap.
if you check out freecycle or gumtree you might get free laminate or even tiles for such a small space

claireb

Thanks for your replies. Although I have seen laminate look good in other people's kitchens, I put it in my bathroom and regret it now, so I won't do it again.
I does seem that regular tiles are the cheapest option, so probably my best option.

weekendwarrior

Laminate is ok in kitchens as long as you get the correct type of laminate (moisture resistant) Tiles are better, but colder unless you have underfloor heating!

You can do both these yourself and save some money-
Fitting laminate flooring

DIY Tiling

Forris

A tip someone gave me when I did my kitchen floor, was not to use the beading strips around the edge, but to take the skirting boards off before laying the floor and replace them afterwards. It gives a much more professional finish. Unfortunatley, I was given this advice AFTER I had laid the floor!! I'll get around to re-doing it one of these days!

Dry_Flood

littlejaffa wrote: »

bigger tiles make a small area look bigger

Not true. smaller tiles give the impression of more space because there are more grout lines.

littlejaffa wrote: »

and are much easier and quicker to fit

Again not really true. fair enough bigger tiles cover more area but you can also end up doing 3 or 4 complicated cuts on 1 big tile, mess 1 of them up and you have to do the lot again. if they are smaller tiles you would do the cuts on seperate tiles.

claireb

Hmm, I can see I will procrastinate over this one for some time..... laminate/ceramic....small/big.......:rotfl:

ormus

some laminate maybe moisture resistant, but a burst water pipe under the sink, or a failed washing machine is rather more than moisture!

fit ceramic floor tiles.

movingforward2010

ive got laminate in my kitchen its fine