When you’re shooting high for a luxury outdoor kitchen, don’t forget to look down first — any stylish, long-lasting, comfortable outdoor room must start with an appropriate floor. Here are some factors to consider when selecting the right flooring material for your outdoor kitchen:
Safety
As with so many building projects, the adage “safety first” applies. “You should avoid glazed or porous tiles and stone since they can be slippery when wet,” says Sergio de Paula, president of Fogazzo Wood Fired Ovens and Barbecues in Arcadia, Calif., a company renowned for its outdoor kitchen designs.
Materials that meet the safety criteria include concrete, brick and natural stone. “Ceramic tile is also a popular choice that offers a variety of colors and finishes to choose from and, in most cases, is adequate in terms of slip resistance,” Sergio says.
Budget
Stone texture-stamped concrete from The Green Scene
After safety, consider your design needs and budget. “Because of its affordability and durability, concrete is still far and away the most popular outdoor flooring option,” Sergio says. “Stamping, coloring or a rock-salt finish are increasingly popular ways of improving the appearance of concrete to meet today’s design trends.”
Concrete is also a favorite with outdoor room designer Scott Cohen from The Green Scene, a landscape and construction firm in Canoga Park, Calif. “On a modest budget, my favorite flooring choice is stamped or ‘impressed’ concrete,” says Scott, who has also been featured on such Home and Garden Television shows as Landscapers’ Challenge and Designing for the Sexes. “It can be expertly colored and stained to mimic real stone. One of my favorite options is bar-tile trim stamps mixed with cobblestone or Ashlar Cut patterns.”
Concrete tiles are another option, including the ones that Cal-Ga-Crete of Rancho Dominguez, Calif., wet-casts into molds that resemble hundreds of varieties of tile pavers. Sold through tile and specialty building material wholesale dealers throughout the United States, Cal-Ga-Crete’s surface styles include variations of traditional mission and chateau pavers and replications of some surprisingly authentic-looking antique pavers. Its color pallet includes saturated, rich colors that can be quite effective in creating Spanish, Mexican, Italian or French rustic styles, or a Pacific or Caribbean island effect.
If your outdoor kitchen budget has a little more flexibility, Scott favors Old World tumbled pavers or authentic flagstone (available in a variety of colors and textures) over concrete applications. “I let the garden theme I’ve selected with a client guide which type of flooring will go best with the counter and kitchen accessories,” Scott says.
Style
An ashlar cut-stone stamp surface by The Green Scene
When you’ve already used stone or brick in other outdoor rooms or landscaping, it’s also important to choose an outdoor kitchen floor that either matches or complements the style of those features.
Here are some of Scott’s favorite style-flooring material matchups:
Contemporary: Slate or cast-concrete tiles designed to be outdoors, such as Cal-Ga-Crete or clean, washed concrete in integral colors
Tuscan: Tumbled pavers, unhoned travertine, deep-washed exposed aggregate or stone-texture stamped concrete
English/Traditional: Brick or darker flagstones, washed concrete or stamped cobblestone concrete
Tropical: Flagstone or faux rock, texture-stamped concrete
Old World: Repurposed brick, exposed aggregate, Windsor Cobblestone texture stamps, fleur-de-lis and grapevine borders
SOURCE:http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/outdoors/outdoor-spaces/selecting-outdoor-kitchen-flooring
