Since kitchens are at the heart of every home, the floor often takes a beating even if your home is filled with a very gentle household. This is where you prepare your meals, hang out with your buddies, offer pet treats and perhaps even traffic the kids in and out of the house.
Are you searching for custom kitchen flooring capable of keeping up with your kind of lifestyle? One of the options you can consider is concrete flooring. This non-traditional flooring option is gaining in popularity. Here are some things to consider before adding it to your home.
What is a Concrete Floor
A concrete floor is a natural material that’s composed of a filler, binder, and water. The cement is what is commonly known as a binder. The filler is an aggregate of anything you get from the river like gravel, stones, crushed glass or sand.
Who should consider concrete floors?
Usually, concrete is an excellent choice for anyone who lives in a warm climate, such as the temperatures Chandler often enjoys. However, when the temperatures drop on cooler winter evenings, concrete can hold the cold. While you might not use it most of the year, consider installing radiant heat to overcome this. The rest of the year, the floor will feel delightful even if you walk barefooted. It’s also an energy efficient way for those who want to maintain indoor temperature at home. When you consider this alternative, you might want to use a rug in high traffic areas.
How is it installed?
For custom home building clients, concrete flooring is easiest to install when the house is being constructed. The concrete needs to be poured during the initial construction stages, soon after your subfloor is in place. It’s important to know your selections before the pouring begins. If you intend to install this floor in an existing home, the current floor must be stripped back to the initial concrete floor slab –a floor layer that isn’t meant to be seen. Contract a professional contractor to install and finish the floor for best results. Working with a professional also ensures your framing is capable of supporting the new floor material. This type of floor is ordinarily heavy, and sometimes reinforcement is needed.
Is it durable?
One of the best things about concrete is that it is extraordinarily durable. It will not scratch easily and is capable of withstanding almost everything. Note that, the concrete thickness, amount of rebar used including the integrity of the subfloor, will determine the floor’s durability. For instance, when you drop a plate on such a floor, the chances are the plate will break but the floor should remain unscathed.
Are there any drawbacks?
As aforementioned, concrete will add weight to your house; it’s a must to make sure that the framing you have will hold the weight. This will be especially important if your custom kitchen is not located on the ground level.
Concrete flooring is one of the many beautiful additions that can be implemented into your custom home design. After a discussion about your wants and needs in a home, Alair Homes Chandler will work with you to determine which options are best for you. Contact us to schedule your consultation and learn more.