Making and fitting out a cellar presents construction challenges due to the main problem: h2o. Basements attract moisture and are threatened constantly by leaks as a result of being below ground level. In areas where the water table is higher, a cellar may possibly be particularly prone to flooding and also the effect of drinking water, which in turn will promote mildew and mold growth and unsafe, unhealthy and unsightly conditions.

Some resources ought to be avoided when creating or renovating a basement insulation simply because they’re susceptible to attack by mineral water. Nothing wants greater attention than the supplies you use to construct the cellar floor since this is at the lowest and most threatened level on the entire house.

Attic floors are a focal point for moisture despite the efforts to guard the room. It’s wise and is ideal practice to keep away from employing certain components in constructing your basement floor. Wood is an obvious option for many floors, nevertheless even when it truly is treated for moisture and water resistance and no matter how well it really is maintained, wood will eventually succumb towards adverse effects of normal water.

You should also stay clear of using carpet or carpet tile to cover the floor mainly because once more, carpet will bring in and retain water and is effortlessly damaged. It can also be a breeding ground for fungus which will develop a properly being hazard as well.

Permeable or soft ceramic tile ought to be avoided because this will absorb and retain moisture which will also supply a breeding ground for mildew and mold.

Basement floors obviously must take into consideration the aesthetics whilst combating and preventing damage by drinking water. Concrete floors can deliver an efficient mineral water barrier, in particular when treated and sealed at the same time as carrying anti-fungicidal chemicals to guarantee mildew and mold usually do not discover a household, however, bare concrete is hardly a warm, comfort-stirring material to appear at and walk on.

Slate is usually a great material for constructing bamboo floors (and walls) simply because it can be a totally natural item. It delivers color variation between olive green and light brown, with a broad selection in texture and granular appearance such that no two slate tiles will likely be identical. Slate can be absolutely normal water proof and impermeable, plus it gives no natural habitat or food source for mold and mildew. In addition, when it does come to be wet, slate is a non-slip surface which adds to the safety factor.

Difficult or non-porous ceramic tile can also be suitable for use in basement flooring. It really is challenging wearing and fairly easy to install, and provided it really is non-porous, it delivers a good water barrier. Ceramic tile can be chosen in a quite broad range of colors and styles because it is man-made and can effectively customize your cellar decorations and style. Ceramic tile does have a disadvantage in that it will grow to be slick and harmful when wet.

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Interior designers and builders agree that the first element to consider when beginning to finish a room is flooring, because it sets the mood.

More and more professionals these days are choosing wood flooring over tile and carpeting. What kind of wood should you choose? Beyond the basics of solid hardwood, engineered wood, and reclaimed antique wood, there are many options to choose from. But making the right choice for your tastes and circumstances is not as hard as it appears. Following are some important factors to consider when making your decision, as well as some helpful advice from the experts.

Which Wood-Flooring Type Should You Choose?
Solid Hardwood: Although solid hardwood expands and contracts and sometimes creaks, its natural beauty will always add value to your home. Even better, it can be re-sanded and refinished, so it retains its value.

Engineered Wood Floors: These floors are constructed of thin sheets of wood glued together and finished at the factory. The resulting product resists buckling and warping, make it more staple than solid wood. Although engineered wood floors were developed to be glued over concrete, they can also be nailed or floated, unlike solid wood, which can only be nailed to a subfloor.

Reclaimed Antique Wood: This is a custom made flooring option tailor-made one plank at a time according to the customer’s specifications. It can cut from the center section of a beam, which makes this flooring option very stable.

Finished vs. Unfinished
If you go with solid hardwood flooring, it’s available finished or unfinished. If you’re trying to match an adjacent floor, you’re better off going with an unfinished option and staining it to blend. Finishing the floor on site will insure a more uniform color and finish. An unfinished wood floor, however, may take several days to install, stain, and finish.

One of the benefits of finished wood, whether solid or engineered, is that it’s factory sanded, stained, and finished, so it’s much easier and quicker to install. You also avoid the mess of sanding and finishing on site. If you’re installing flooring in a high-traffic area, finished wood is the way to go because it’s so durable. Another plus is that it’s less expensive than unfinished wood.

Important Things to Consider
More and more people are installing radiant heating in their homes, where the heat source is under the floor. If this is your heating system, then engineered wood would be a better choice than solid hardwood because of its durability. The National Wood Flooring Association backs up this claim, recommending quarter-sawn or rift-sawn wood in this circumstance, again because of durability. According to the NWFA, strip flooring is preferable over plank flooring, since narrow boards expand and contract with changes in temperature and humidity less than wide ones.

If you live near the beach, Stoddard recommends an engineered wood. Not only is it scratch-resistant and less likely to be damaged by sand tracked in from the beach, it requires less maintenance. For cottages, summer homes, below-grade installations, and any other interior that’s not environmentally controlled, engineered hardwood flooring is a clear choice.

Some Simple Design Tips
When personalizing a room, understated detail is important. Use a lighter wood and add a dark border. Or drop in a maple medallion that looks like an area run.

Mixing woods from room to room is becoming more common. For a cozy room such as a den or bedroom, a dark wood like walnut or cherry would work well. But a lighter wood, like maple or birch, would brighten up any kitchen.

Darker wood is a better fit for homes that are formal, traditional, or historic, whereas country, casual, and contemporary homes are better suited to lighter woods. Design your floor to complement fabrics, furnishings, and accessories.

Current Trends in Wood Flooring
The latest trends in flooring include hand-scraped wood and “exotics” from far-off lands. Brazilian cherry, Santos mahogany, and Amendoim all boast delightful grains and colors, and conveniently are available in solid hardwood or engineered wood.

The old look and simplicity of woods such as Old Groove Eastern White Pine is becoming increasingly popular among owners of historic homes on the Eastern seaboards. For owners of historic homes on the Eastern seaboard, woods such as Old Groove Eastern White Pine are prized for their old look and simplicity. Walnut has fast grown in popularity as dark woods become more and more “in.”

DIY & Maintaining Your Wood Floor
Installing a wood floor yourself is definitely an option. Almost 30 percent of homeowners do it themselves. If you’re handy with a nail gun and saw, then you can do it. Many resources are available to help you with this project, including instruction books and information online.

One of the great thing about wood flooring is that it’s low maintenance. If you keep a step-off mat at any doorway to collect incoming dirt, then a regular schedule of sweeping and vacuuming is all you really need. One thing to remember is clean up any standing water immediately. It’s not a bad idea to keep an extra box of wood in case you need to replace a strip.

Natural hardwoods stand up to many household mishaps much better than any laminate or synthetic flooring, since the grain and pattern of solid hardwoods go all the way through. Even nasty scuffs and burns that would permanently damage a synthetic surface can be easily repaired.

Avo Barsoumian has been in the interior flooring and interior design industry for over 25 years. He owns and operates a home flooring company in California. The offer the largest selection of elegant hardwood flooring, beautiful laminate flooring and plush carpeting under one roof. It doesn’t matter whether your searching for white carpet for your new town house or carpeting stores to update your older house then Carpet Wagon has exactly what you’re looking for.

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Whenever you are planning to take into account installing the laminate flooring, it is vital to know which kind of laminate kitchen floors is the better. You have to consider two aspects; the finish of laminate and wood grain. Ordering for samples and retesting them can also be a good idea. Just remember to invest in durable laminate floor to your home. In fact, it is very simple to set up this flooring and may be installed even by amateurs. With this information it’s going to surely help out with cost cutting. So, here are wide plank laminate wood flooring installation tips:

1. Firstly you should measure the floor properly so you will appreciate how much vinyl floor you’ll want to buy. There are a few stores people who will be sending somebody to measure the ground as getting right proportion yourself will get a bit difficult to suit your needs as there are special cuts in addition to waste parts to be considered. The most effective idea is always to add up 20% from the floor measurement which enable it to return the packed flooring boxes for the complete refund.

2. You will require some simple tools like saw for faster cuts and plank ripping. You’ll need a saber saw that can guide you in reducing the ground vents or on the cabinets or doorways. Another tools would incorporate a hammer, pencil, small square and tape measure. Buying the spacers can also be recommended to be able to maintain your planks at right distance from walls to allow expansion since the baseboards covers exactly the same.

3. In case your floors have been in uneven position, then repair or place an underlayment before laying new laminate floors. Always make it a point to start the career from your wall because this will require fewer cuts.

4. Use different time period of wood pieces to start every fresh row to ensure that end seams won’t match against each other. Even slight difference of a few inch will be enough for giving some type of variation so the job will probably be nice looking in the end. Once your second row is done, the installation procedure get simpler as your speed will improve. As rooms hardly have precise width, you will have to rip on correct width for your final row. Ensure that you don’t damage the floor with all the tools. Attempt to get maximum planks into place before with all the hammer and tools as with this it is possible to snap the final row perfectly. Also, take special care during complex cuts.

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You are able to repair, recover and boost the appear of your storage or works space’s floor by employing garage ground epoxy. An advanced form of polymer, epoxy or polyepoxide, is employed for many factors like paint, adhesives and coatings. Epoxy has even been regarded to be used in wind energy applications, art projects, aerospace and electrical units. It is not surprise why garage floor epoxy may be the preferred approach to coat, protect and cover your storage flooring because it truly is regarded being so long lasting.

Utilizing garage floors is 1 from the very best approaches to shield your storage area flooring, both at house and commercial uses. Grease, oil, dirt, grime and even UV damage are all items that the epoxy can safeguard your ground from. It is possible to be certain your flooring is resilient and sealed considering that the epoxy dries very speedily. Considering that the material is heat resistant, the epoxy is mainly utilised within the industrial and automotive industries.

Given that you will discover some many makes of garage ground epoxy, the rates also come inside a wide variety. Given that the epoxy is usually sold in the set or kit, you can do it your self with no having to hire or enlist a expert. A kit or set can be found for the house or businesses storage area for in between $50 and $150 generally. You’ll obviously have to buy a bigger kit the larger your storage space is. With these larger kits and sets you’ll be able to expect to pay a bit a lot more, but they’re still cheap compared to other choices for covering and coating your ground.

You’ll be able to locate these kits each on-line and in retailers pretty speedily and efficiently. Lowes, Residence Depot, Cabela’s, Sam’s Club, and Costco are all some local shops where you’re able to pick up your garage flooring coatings. You will discover way too several on-line retailers who sell the epoxy to list, but you actually should have no issue finding them on the web. Try starting your search on Yahoo or Google shopping pages to compare rates, features and items.

You can watch some on the web tutorials and videos on the web on instructions if it really is your initial time applying a epoxy painting. Should you do not apply your epoxy thoroughly you could create some uncovered spotting or visual damages. A shop brush or broom might be utilised to apply the epoxy, or you might be able to obtain certain brushes sold for applying these types of applications. It genuinely depends on the color and kind of epoxy you’re applying to your floor coatings.

Sherwin Williams, Quikrete, ArmorProxy, Behr and RustOleum are all good quality brand names to consider for your garage ground epoxy. Reading the on-line reviews in the solutions prior to you acquire is practically the smartest solution to shop for garage flooring coverings. It could save you from buying a poor item. You may need to reapply your epoxy if you purchase a bad good quality product or service, which could wind up costing you way a lot more money that you simply intentionally planned to pay for epoxy.

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You can find lots of ground coverings that you simply can pick from. You can opt for stones, vinyl and even wood. Around the other hand, if you ever need to breathe new life into your floors, then it is possible to do so by installing laminated wood flooring. Nevertheless, this sort of floor covering is entirely various from the ones that that you are used to.  Laminated wood floorings are far more durable than the usual wood components because it underwent the procedure of lamination. If you would like to know additional about them, then read on. You may also  find great information on the related topic by looking at laminate wood flooring review over the Internet. Here are the things that you have to realize about laminated wood floorings.

If you happen to be choosing the appropriate underlay to your new laminate floors, it is essential for you to follow the recommended one for a specific flooring. Any house improvement expert can assist you with that decision. For the other hand, you will discover four kinds of underlay which you can use for your floors.

Foam. That is the most common materials for ones flooring. It is a thin padding which measures about 1/8” thick. They may be generally installed over a plywood sub floor. This particular materials doesn’t have a wetness barrier in it thus it really is wonderful to be placed on floors where there is certainly little dampness found.

Combo. This material is manufactured from foam and film. It has a humidity barrier attached from one side. You are able to use this substance in areas exactly where dampness rises from the sub flooring.

Flooring Muffler. That is a closed cell kind materials which has an attached moisture barrier on all sides. In fact, that is considered as the highest rated underlay. It truly is employed more than concrete or plywood sub floors and offers more versatility than other underlay.

Modified. This really is thicker than the standard ones. The raw components from which this item is manufactured ranges from a high-density foam, cell foam, fiber or even rubber. It offers greater noise reduction and comfort levels. This distinct merchandise is good to become employed on second floors or higher floors.

The Resources That They’re Built From

According to laminate flooring review, unlike the conventional wooden elements, the laminates are produced from fiber board resources and melamine resins that are bonded together and undergo the procedure of lamination. Considering that the components are built from scrap wood, they cost less than if you would buy slabs of hardwood. This distinct floor covering also answers environmental concerns due to the fact they can be manufactured from recycled components.

They are Sensitive To Humidity

This variety of floor covering is incredibly sensitive to dampness and water. What happens if there’s a presence of too much wetness is that the floors buckle or bends given that the fibers absorb the humidity leaving a trail of a non-smooth surface around the floors. About the other hand, since it retains dampness, it is often attacked by molds and mildew. To remedy this problem, you should make certain that you install this flooring covering in places that aren’t subjected to high humidity for example the kitchen or the bathroom.

These are Sensitive To Large Heat

Despite the fact that this rarely happens, low temperature on the floors would frequently result to shrinking of the floors consequently it is possible to see gaps in between the boards.

There’s a multitude of flooring selections in today’s home furnishing market. All of the flooring decisions have advantages and disadvantages, so it is important to choose the flooring that’s right for your use in each room of your home. Not every room requires the same floor covering because each room has different uses and wishes. As you are contemplating floor covering think about this list of 10 reasons to use carpet in a room. It will give you food for thought.

The #1 reason to use carpeting in a room is for the warmth and comfort under foot.

#2 has to be the simplicity of replacing carpet when it is worn out.

#3 is the many fibers and styles available in carpets for indoor and outdoor use.

#4 is the versatility of carpet.

#5 is the rate and straightforwardness of installation.

#6 is the wide range in price points in carpet from extraordinarily cheap to luxury levels.

#7 is the clean-ability of carpet with the new stain resistant fibers available. Carpet shampooers are cheap and straightforward to use.

After all the practical reasons for selecting carpet there are some fun ones :

#8 is the bright and varied patterns and colors you can get in carpet for youngsters’s rooms or game rooms.

#9 is the undeniable fact that if you do not like the carpet in a room, it is easier than most floor covering choices to remove and replace with carpet you like better.

#10 is how nice carpet feels when you sit on the floor or tiny ones are playing on the floor. Carpet can add an exciting touch to a neutral room or add color to a room with masses of wood paneling or white walls.

With all those reasons to consider carpet for your home, you need to at least do one or two rooms. The hottest rooms to carpet are play rooms, children’s bedrooms and master bedrooms. You may also want to consider rooms on a lower level with cement floors or rooms that are loud.

Carpet or large area rugs will make cold floors hotter and loud rooms quieter. If you have got a tiny budget and uneven floors, you can buy very fair carpet with foam backing that you can install yourself. Rental property owners use inexpensive carpet as it will stand up to a renter’s abuse and it is also reasonable to replace after a tenant leaves.

Carpet is a reply to a large amount of problems with houses and a sensible choice for many rooms.

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One of the great things about area rugs is that they are perfect accents in any home. Have you’ve ever walked into a new home, or your friend’s home, and spotted how inviting the home feels or how artistic it appears to be, or how eclectic or even eccentric or fancy it may seem? Probabilities are they had a traditional rugs in the room. With area rugs, you can finish all these things.

The point to note is that by laying down an area rug, the general public will never give the area rug the credit for the beauty of the room. It is almost like it is in the background. It is extremely subtle the way area rugs can reinforce the look of almost any room. Unless you are an interior designer, you’d potentially never know it unless it was specifically indicated to you.

You see, area rugs are really useful in making a home look and feel like a home. They give the home charm, personality and add whatever attribute, characteristic, or quality the home owner feels would make them feel more relaxed and livable. Now some people will thrown down just any old rug, but others will take their time selecting the right one. It’s one of those methods to immediately add a feeling of uniqueness to a home.

Is cost a factor? Perhaps, perhaps not. Certainly you can buy an inexpensive area for rather less than $50 if that’s what you like and what you suspect would add the proper personality to your house. You may buy inexpensive area rugs online or on eBay or at garage sales and jumble sales. On the other hand, it’s not odd to see rug stores advertising imported rugs and for them to cost literally thousands of bucks in bigger sizes.

So it is very up to you, you can purchase area rugs on the low end of the scale or the top end of the scale. What matters more is how it causes you to feel when you lay it down and smooth it out. What matters is how it conjures up the feeling of the room, whether it’s a living room, a bedroom, a foyer or a den how it makes the room feel exactly right.

Naturally, it is going to be a rare day when you have company over that somebody will say how stunning your hand knotted wool rugs are. You may just have to live with that. They will just tell you how beautiful your home is and how warm and inviting it is, or how they could spend all day or evening with you. Area rugs fully make the difference in this way. I’ve been told by extraordinarily accomplished interior designers who have worked with all sorts of celebs around the planet, that area rugs are sort of the unsung heroes of internal decor. They’re ready to come to your help regardless of what your position or what room your are making an attempt to decorate.

So please give area rugs or a runner rug another look. I think you will find they’re going to do a marvelous job of making your house more inviting and livable.

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Hardwood floors do not come bargain-priced. In point of fact, in comparison to cement and man-made compounds, pure hardwood floors are more expensive, because they derive from an exhaustible resource. It takes years for a tree to be completely mature and ready to be used as building material, but it just requires a couple of hours to ready concrete.

Thus, the concept of buying discount hardwood flooring is a some way off. Yet, it should comfort you to know that it’s not out of the question. You are able to actually purchase real hardwood flooring materials for a reduced price, granted that you understand where to locate them.

One reason Brazilian cherry hardwood flooring is so popular is because of how hard the wood is. This means that it is very durable and will hold up extremely well over a long period of time. We all know that hardwood floors are very popular among many people all over the world. Their durability and ease of cleaning make them a great choice for most people. If you are looking for hardwood floors that will truly last a lifetime, Brazilian Cherry hardwood flooring may well be your answer. Plus, you will have floors that have one of the most beautiful color combinations available.

The web is a haven for discount hardwood flooring information. The’re on the internet hardware and woodworking outlets that likewise provide lower-priced hardwood flooring. Placed against the regular hardwood floors that are accessible in the marketplace these days, these materials are around 30% to 40% less costly. Thus, if you are working in a limited financial allowance, you can scour the internet for them.

You may also want to look into local hardware stores to watch if they are putting a few of their earlier hardwood flooring stocks up at a discount.Since the production of hardwood flooring is a never-ending operation, new stocks regularly come in. And when these fresh stocks come, the existing stocks will of course be forgotten about and, eventually, sold off at a reduced rate.

If your are looking to give your home an elegant look and find a great solution for your space then the Brazilian cherry flooring hardwood type is just the thing for you. Cherry floors are very hard and heavy making them wear resistant. Since cherry wood is about twice as hard as oak and repels moisture, it is a multipurpose flooring that can be used in hallways, entryways, kitchens and even bathrooms.

Are you agreeable to buying old hardwood flooring materials? See, the’re establishments that renovate and shift to concrete, rendering their hardwood floors, while still robust, unusable. But as opposed to throwing them out, some owners choose to trade them at a deduction. These might be a little challenging to locate but, hey, who knows, somebody in your neck of the woods could be doing this.

Brazilian cherry floors are one of the most sought after types of flooring in the United States. One of the reasons that Cherry flooring has lasted the test of time is its natural look and feel. Their easy to clean surface will also reduce the cost of hiring carpet cleaning services. The only tools you will need to maintain your wood’s life is a broom and a mop.

Purchasing hardwood floors a a reduced price does not signify you are settling for lower quality. The quality of these materials remains the same, only that their vender probably has something newer or would love to shift to some other kind of building material. So, if you happen upon discounted hardwood flooring, leap at the chance immediately. Naturally, before you make any purchases, check the material’s track record to start with and scrutinize for any indications of decomposition and fatigue.

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Regardless of what type of flooring you decide to put in your home, it will need some care, particularly if you have kids or pets.  Some sorts of floors are less difficult to maintain than others.  Carpeting can be tricky to keep clean since dirt and hair and stains can get worked into the carpet, especially if it is a extraordinarily light color.  Easier options include laminate flooring and hardwood flooring. 

Laminate flooring comes in numerous designs and colors, lots of which have been made to appear like more natural materials like stone or tile.  The advantage of this kind of flooring is that it’s a lot less costly than these other options.  It will not last quite as long, but with correct care you can keep it looking absolutely fantastic for a considerable time. 

Taking care of a laminate floor is very straightforward.  You wish to wipe up any stains and spills as soon as possible with a humid cloth.  You also wish to sweep and vacuum the floor continually to keep it free from mud that might end up scratching the floor.  Any furniture should have floor protectors under the legs to prevent dents, and any furniture on wheels should be placed on protecting mats. 

Hardwood flooring is one of the most popular options available at this time, particularly since it actually increases the value of your home.  This type of flooring looks stunning and can last a considerable time.

Caring for a hardwood surface is comparable to caring for a laminate floor.  You need to sweep or use a dust mop on your floor every few days to avoid the mud scratching the finish on your floor.  You also wish to clean up spills right away, and not use water on the floor unless you know it’s got a waterproof coating that is in good shape.  As with a laminate floor, you also should use protectors beneath furniture to prevent scratching.  One of the advantages of hardwood over laminate though is that you may have your hardwood floor refinished should it start to look rather too worn. 

Naturally, even though carpet in general is more difficult to keep looking new, there are some things that may be done to make this a comparatively simple to care for flooring option also.  You must select a dense carpet with a mix of both loops and cut pile.  Buy a carpet with at least some modification in color or pattern, and get one that isn’t too light or too dark and then stains will be less likely to show.  Ensure that your carpeting is treated to make it more stain resistant, and clean up any spills or stains immediately so they do not get set in.  Vacuum your floor continually, and occasionally get it cleaned either with a hired machine or by pros with their own equipment.

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• Some Options for Flooring that are easy to keep looking great

The kitchen can be a challenging area to provide flooring for.  On one hand, the kitchen flooring must remain flexible enough to support the legs and back.  On the other hand, however, the flooring must be resistant to stains and a high level of foot traffic.  The best flooring looks great for years without a lot of maintenance.  Spills and accidents will occur frequently, demanding reliability and durability from flooring that is installed in the kitchen area.  To prevent serious upkeep issues and future expenses, it pays to install the right kind of flooring to begin with.

Wood flooring has long been used in the kitchen, but it has a tendency to suffer under harsh kitchen conditions.  Wood aborbs moisture, causing severe maintenance issues.  When a wood floor absorbs too much moisture it can end up crowning or cupping, leading to a surface that must be replaced or sanded down.  The only solution to this problem is to sand down the bowing section, or to rip out the entire floor and start over.  These options are both time consuming and costly, and involve many hours as well as thousands of dollars.  While a properly finished and maintained wood floor may resist these problems, wood flooring is definitely more likely to break down because of these problems.

More reliable options include slate and ceramic tile.  Tile and slate do not absorb moisture, and do not suffer from warping or cracking.  As fairly rigid materials, they undergo little expansion or contraction.
Slate and ceramic flooring can be found in a multitude of styles.  Slate and ceramic flooring are also very slip resistant, making them a better surface to use in the kitchen as well.  Hardwood flooring may be hazardous when wet, especially if it has been exposed to moisture.  When using slate as a kitchen surface, be sure to go with a low gloss or finish for extra slip protection.

Laminate flooring is also another viable option in the kitchen.  To achieve that hardwood look without the maintenance issues, laminate flooring can be a great alternative.  Laminate flooring is easy to install, affordable, and very resistant to both absorbing moisture and food stains.
Laminate flooring is also designed to withstand a great deal of foot traffic and pressure.  The kitchen is a high stress area for flooring, and should be treated as such.  Choosing the right kind of flooring will result in a lifetime of great quality and low maintenance.