Kitchen Materials: Man-made Flooring and Carpet Tiles (Flor)
Flooring has been manufactured for many years going back to the old patterned linoleum floors of the forties made of a mixture containing linseed oil in a binder. If you are removing or working in a house with these old floors, bear in mind that many of them contain asbestos and should only be removed or covered by trained abatement workers.
Today we have many choices in vinyl and composite floor tiles and sheet goods. Composite tiles with the color molded all the way through are a good inexpensive floor material that has a look of its own. Specify commercial grade tile and they will hold up well. Sheet vinyl ranges in quality from cheap material with the pattern printed on a thin top layer to quality products that are thicker and have the pattern molded through. Installation of sheet vinyl products performed by experienced installers is worth the relatively small fees. You’ll get a flat, pattern-matched floor with nearly invisible seams that can be very difficult to accomplish without experience and specialized tools.
Recycled Carpet Tiles
Recent developments in man-made flooring include floor carpet tiles such as those pioneered by Flor. Made from recycled materials and recyclable themselves, these tiles are a very easy to install green materials option for kitchen flooring. Unlike traditional carpeting many of these tiles are made for wet and/or high-traffic areas and can be easily lifted and cleaned or replaced if damaged. Different patterns and colors can be mixed to form ‘carpets’ and ‘area rugs’ in any configuration imaginable. Visit the manufacturer websites to mix and match tiles online as part of your design process.
