Kitchen floors take a lot of busy action, not to mention a few spills. Consider whether hard or soft floors are what you need.

Glazed tiles
- Durable and easy to maintain.
- Impervious to moisture and stains.
- DIY installation is an option.
- Relatively expensive, especially if new sub-flooring is needed.
- Relatively noisy, cold, and hard underfoot.
- May show surface wear in high-traffic areas.

Check the Yellow Pages under Tiles.

Terracotta (quarry) tiles
- Stylish and elegant, with many pattern possibilities.
- Must be resealed frequently and well maintained.
- DIY installation is an option.
- Relatively expensive, especially if new sub-flooring is needed.
- Relatively noisy, cold, and hard underfoot.

Check the Yellow Pages under Tiles.

Natural stone
- Durable and easy to maintain.
- Stylish and elegant, with many unlimited pattern possibilities.
- Must be resealed frequently and well maintained.
- Best installed by professionals.
- Relatively expensive.

Check the Yellow Pages under Tiles and Stone.

Polished concrete
- Extremely durable and easy to clean if sealed.
- Designer colours and insets are available and are installed as part of the structural slab or as part of the topping.
- Hard underfoot and cold if not heated.
- Inexpensive if part of structural slab pour.

Check the Yellow Pages under Polished Concrete or contact Polished Concrete Australia, phone 0417 214 906.

Timber
- Boards or parquetry are the options. The latter must be especially well installed.
- Comfortable and durable underfoot.
- Resistant to spills, scratches, chemicals and wear when well sealed.
- DIY installation is an option (especially for parquet tiles).
- May require periodic refinishing with lacquers or oils.

Check the Yellow Pages under Flooring.

Laminate/veneered floating floor
Laminate flooring usually consists of a plastic-coated layer moulded to a plywood base and can be laid over an existing floor. Raising the floor over the existing one gives the name 'floating'.
- Virtually stain proof and fade resistant.
- Easy to clean and maintain and never needs waxing.
- Available in wood grains and patterns.
- More forgiving of uneven base surfaces.
- DIY installation is an option.

Check the Yellow Pages under Flooring.