The Allure of Brick Paver Kitchen Floors

brick paver kitchen floors have a sense of timeless warmth and comfort. From cozy cottages to stately farmhouses, brick pavers lend an earthy, organic feel that celebrates the beauty of natural materials.

Beyond aesthetics, brick paver floors offer practical benefits as well. They are supremely durable, fireproof, and easy to clean and maintain. Installation does require more labor than other types of floors, but the results are well worth it.

Benefits of Brick Paver Kitchen Floors

What draws so many homeowners to use brick pavers for their kitchen floors? From visual appeal to practical perks, brick pavers have much to offer when it comes to kitchen flooring ideas.

Aesthetic Appeal and Visual Interest

Without a doubt, the rustic beauty of brick floors is a top reason for their popularity in kitchen designs. The organic textures and earthy colors create a welcoming, Old World charm.

Brick pavers come in array of different sizes, colors and textures, allowing for stunning custom designs. Mix things up with creative laying patterns like herringbone or basketweave using bricks of varying shades and dimensions.

Rustic, Old-World Charm and Character

There's something special about the nostalgic, farmers' market flavor of brick paver floors. Steeped in artisanal tradition and handcrafted warmth, brick pavers feel wholesome, earthy and genuinely time-tested.

Unlike mass produced modern flooring materials like vinyl or engineered hardwoods, brick pavers blend quality craftsmanship with small batch production. Each floor is truly unique.

Natural Material and Organic Warmth

As an organic and natural material made primarily from clay, brick pavers offer an authentic depth of character. The coolness of ceramic and polish of granite floors can't compete with natural brick's earthy soul.

Beyond surface beauty, the thermal mass properties of brick absorb warmth and emit gentle radiant floor heating. This helps regulate temperatures, keeping bare feet toasty on cold winter mornings.

Easy to Clean and Maintain

Properly sealed and finished brick paver floors are simple to clean. Regular sweeping or vacuuming is typically sufficient maintenance. For deeper cleaning, the textured surface can handle routine mopping without damage.

Compared to grout lines between tile floors trapping grime, debris sweeps right off the smooth face of brick pavers. Resealing annually or biannually protects the finish.

Considerations for Brick Pavers in Kitchens

While stunning and practical for kitchen floors, brick pavers also come with drawbacks to weigh. Consider these factors before committing to a brick floor installation.

More Expensive Upfront Cost

Quality brick pavers cost $3-10 per square foot on average. With professional installation, your total can quickly climb into the tens of thousands. While durable long-term, brick flooring represents a notable upfront investment.

For tight budgets, compromise with a smaller accent brick floor in front of the stove, sink or island only. Use less expensive sheet vinyl, laminate or tile for the rest.

Installation Process is Labor Intensive

Preparing the subsurface, laying bricks, grouting, and sealing is physically demanding, skilled work. DIY novices can certainly tackle brick paver floors with patience, but pro installation guarantees quality.

Depending on your project size, labor can cost as much or more than materials. Be sure to secure an experienced contractor for a smooth install.

Can Chip, Crack or Break Over Time

Though generally quite durable, brick pavers are vulnerable to chips, cracks, shifting, and other damage, especially in heavily trafficked kitchen areas. Dropping a cast iron pan or kick of a booted heel may leave permanent marks.

Take care not to roll heavy appliances across new floors during renovations. Consider using plywood protection before installation completes. Periodic inspection and minor repair maintains quality.

Choosing Your Brick Pavers

With a range of styles, sizes, textures and more, selecting your kitchen brick pavers offers creative latitude. Consider these factors as you narrow options:

Brick Types

Clay remains the most traditional material, prized for its rustic aesthetics. Durability and stain resistance depends greatly on firing technique and quality of the clay soil source. Prices run moderate to high.

Concrete pavers offer greater consistency and often better performance at lower cost, but lack clay's artisanal appearance. Combining both lends visual interest and optimizes durability.

Popular Shapes and Sizes

The most common brick sizes include "standard" 21/4" x 33/4" x 8" and "economy" sizes around 23/4" x 31/2" x 71/2". Some prefer larger formats up to 4" high. Taller bricks extend fewer horizontal mortar joints across the floor's span.

Both square and rectangular proportions maintain relevance today. Mixing it up creates dynamic laying patterns. Smaller pavers work well integrating pathways through larger expanses of bigger brick.

Color and Texture Options

The natural red earth tones of rustic clay pavers charm for Old World living spaces, but concrete manufacturing introduces every possible hue. Tans, buffs, grays, and antiqued variations popularize, as do patterned surfaces.

Standard smooth faces suit traditional schemes, but wire cutting, sandblasting, tumbling, brush hammering and other surface treatments add dimensional nuance.

Underfoot Traction and Safety

Any hard floor surface poses potential slip hazards, especially when wet. Select brick pavers with grip-enhancing textured faces or admix grip materials into mortar.

Commercial spaces should reference Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA) guidelines for coefficient of friction ratings. In general, the rougher the surface, the less slippery underfoot.

Installation Process

Knowing what to expect during the laying process empowers smart planning. Proper prep and attention to detail prevents problems down the road.

Subfloor Preparation

Brick pavers sit only as beautifully as their base looks. Make sure underlying substrate is clean, smooth, level, and structurally sound first. Concrete flooring works best, especially on ground floors.

Wood subflooring should be at least 1" total thickness on 16" center floor joists or 2" total on 24" spacing. Cross-brace well between joists to prevent squeaking ormovement.

Mortar, Thinset and Grout Options

Mortar pads or a cement-based thinset adhesive both work for adhering clay pavers, but concrete pavers always get a better grip set into fresh mortar or thinset.

Grout fills joints between bricks. Polymer modified varieties resist staining better than classic cement-based grout. Match grout color to your brick color.

Laying Patterns and Spacing

Straight single direction row installations are easiest, but herringbone, basketweave, stacked, and other intricate laying patterns captivate with visual punch.

Leave a consistent 1/8"-1/4" gap between individual pavers and 1/2"-1" space along walls. This allows an even grout joint and breathing room.

Transitioning to Adjoining Flooring

Where your new brick floor abuts other types of flooring, install transition strips to bridge gaps for clean visual flow. Reducers and thresholds make nice trim options.

Maintaining Brick Paver Floors

Keep that warm brick fire burning bright with proper care and maintenance. Though durable and long-lasting, brick floors need periodic inspection and repair.