Your kitchen flooring can make or break the look and feel of your kitchen. As interior designers know, the flooring sets the tone for the whole space. That’s why choosing the right kitchen floor is such an important decision. We asked designers to share their top recommendations for kitchen flooring to suit a range of styles and budgets. Here is what these experts suggest considering for your next kitchen flooring update.
Hardwood Floors
Hardwood floors never go out of style. The rich, natural beauty of wood immediately warms up a space. Designers often recommend hardwood floors for kitchens for several reasons:
Timeless Appeal
The clean lines and natural patterns of hardwood are a timeless choice. Unlike trends that come and go, the sophisticated look of wood floors only gets better with age. Hardwoods like oak, walnut, and maple have an enduring appeal.
Versatility
Hardwood floors coordinate beautifully with just about any kitchen style from modern to traditional. The neutral wood tones pair well with any cabinetry, countertops or color scheme you choose. This versatility makes hardwood a foolproof option.
Durability
Solid hardwoods stand up well to heavy use and foot traffic, making them ideal for busy kitchens. New protective finishes make wood even more water-resistant and scratch-resistant without altering its natural beauty. Just stay away from soft woods like pine that dent and show wear and tear more easily. Opt for dense hardwoods.
Ease of Maintenance
Properly sealed hardwood floors are easy to sweep and mop. Their smooth finish won’t trap dirt and spills like textured floors. Just avoid excessive water to prevent warping. For kitchens, most designers recommend a matte finish rather than high gloss, which shows scratches more.
While beautiful, hardwood isn’t impervious to spills and splatters. Be sure to wipe up messes promptly to keep them looking their best. Periodic re-sanding and re-finishing may be needed down the road. Overall, though, hardwood offers a refined, easy-care option for kitchens.
Engineered Hardwood Floors
For many of the same reasons as hardwood, engineered wood floors are another top choice recommended by designers. Engineered hardwood offers the same beauty of solid wood but with added stability and moisture resistance that makes it ideal for kitchens.
Durability
Engineered wood has a plywood or moisture-resistant core layered with a solid wood veneer top. This construction minimizes swelling and warping from kitchen spills. The multilayer design also makes it more dent-resistant than solid wood. Overall, engineered wood performs beautifully in tough kitchen conditions.
Wide Planks
Engineered wood’s layered structure allows for wider planks than solid wood. Designers love the dramatic look of wide-plank engineered flooring. The broad boards make small kitchens appear larger and more open.
Varied Species
From domestic oaks to exotic tropical woods, engineered floors come in countless species rarely available in solid woods. This broad selection lets you pick a distinctive wood look to coordinate with your particular kitchen design.
Easier Installation
Engineered wood’s cross-ply structure makes it more dimensionally stable than solid wood. This allows engineered flooring to be installed directly onto concrete subfloors, saving time and money on installation. Glue-down engineered wood works beautifully over radiant heat systems.
Overall, engineered hardwood combines the richness of solid wood with added durability and design flexibility. Just budget a bit more upfront cost than laminate floors.
Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring
For a fraction of the cost of real wood, luxury vinyl plank flooring replicates the look in a more kitchen-friendly form. Designers recommend luxury vinyl planks as a beautiful, durable and budget-friendly flooring option.
Affordability
Luxury vinyl costs far less than real hardwood while mimicking the look convincingly. Planks are stained and textured to capture the nuances of natural wood grain patterns. When installed, most observers can’t distinguish LVP from real wood.
Waterproofness
A moisture-proof core makes luxury vinyl highly water-resistant, even around sinks, stoves and spills. This makes maintenance easy – just mop up messes. Vinyl wears incredibly well in wet, high-traffic environments like kitchens.
Comfort Underfoot
Vinyl plank flooring is softer and more comfortable to stand on for long periods than wood or tile. The springy material has better acoustics too, absorbing noise rather than amplifying it like hard surfaces. This helps keep kitchen clamor to a minimum.
Easy Installation
Many luxury vinyl plank systems float over existing floors or click together for DIY-friendly installation. Less prep work is required compared with hardwoods. LVP can also mimic stones, metals, concrete and other surfaces. All at a fraction of the cost.
If you like the natural look of wood but want a budget-friendly floor that can handle kitchen spills and messes, luxury vinyl plank is a designer favorite.
Tile Floors
For a classic, durable kitchen flooring option, tile remains a top choice among designers. Available in a huge range of materials, colors, shapes and patterns, tile offers almost limitless design possibilities to customize your space.
Durability
Porcelain, ceramic and natural stone tiles stand up beautifully to heavy daily use and are impervious to water. Their hard, nonporous surfaces resist staining, won’t scratch like wood, and are easy to clean. High-fired modern glazes help tile retain its original appearance for years.
Design Flexibility
From minimalist porcelains to ornate mosaics, tile comes in every imaginable color, finish and style. Match your cabinets and counters or make the floor a bold accent. Mixing sizes and mosaic patterns adds interest underfoot. Tile allows you to easily customize your kitchen floor design.
Classic Appeal
Subway tiles, terra cotta and other natural stone styles evoke age-old artisanal kitchens. Hexagonal and penny tile arrangements have an enduring classic charm. Tile patterns worn smooth with age only add more character over time.
Heat and Sound Absorption
Ceramic and stone materials absorb heat from warm feet and direct sunlight. Their mass helps even out temperatures. Natural clay and stone tiles also absorb excess noise in kitchens.
On the downside, dropped items are more prone to breaking on hard tile floors. Cracked or chipped tiles also must be replaced individually. Proper installation is key to lasting beauty with minimal maintenance down the road.
Overall, designers endorse tile floors for their unlimited design possibilities, easy care and classic luxury. Just budget for professional installation.
Concrete Floors
Concrete is a sleek, modern flooring choice embraced by designers for industrial-chic kitchens. Simple and raw, polished concrete provides an unfussy backdrop to lacier furniture and fixtures.
Seamless Appearance
Poured concrete floors seamlessly span kitchens with no joints or grout lines. This uninterrupted expanse of grey makes rooms feel more spacious. Integral coloring can impart soft natural hues while retaining concrete’s muted depth.
Industrial Appeal
Basic, unfinished concrete communicates a hip, urban vibe. The raw utilitarian material contrasts beautifully with stainless steel, glossy cabinets and other refined finishes. Its neutral gray color pairs equally well with warm or cool schemes.
Green Material
Concrete contains no VOCs, PVC or other toxic additives. Existing concrete slabs can simply be polished in place for an eco-friendly finished floor. New concrete mixes commonly incorporate fly ash and other recycled waste materials.
Heat Absorption
Concrete readily absorbs radiant heat from the sun and warming systems keeping bare feet toasty in winter. Its inherent thermal mass helps moderate temperature swings as well.
On the downside, concrete requires careful sealing and polishing for stain protection and glossy appearance. It can also crack and dust without proper installation. Overall, though, concrete’s bold utilitarian style makes it a standout contemporary choice.
Natural Stone Floors
For a floor with undeniable luxury and character, designers often turn to natural stone. Durable, indulgent and endlessly unique, stone makes a sophisticated style statement.
Elegant Aesthetic
From muted honed limestone to vivid multicolored slate, natural stone flaunts subtle sweeping patterns and iridescent mineral flecks. No two floors are exactly alike due to the random beauty of nature. The fineness and rarity of natural stone instantly conveys quality.
Timeless Appeal
Mosaic floors dating back thousands of years retain their luster and remain in service. Natural stone’s longevity comes from its diamond-hard durability and resistance to wear. A stone floor’s patina only enhances its beauty over time.
Versatile Styling
Travertine, marble, bluestone, quartzite and other natural stones come in a complete spectrum of colors from bold to neutral. Different cuts, patterns and sizes allow designers to create tailored looks ranging from rustic to refined.
Toasty Underfoot
Like ceramic tile, natural stone absorbs radiant heat from the sun and heating systems. The mass of stone helps maintain comfortable temperatures as well.
The main downside is cost. Due to uniqueness and craftsmanship required, natural stone requires a serious investment. Proper sealing and maintenance are also a must to prevent etching. For an authentic luxury floor with ageless beauty, natural stone is hard to beat.
Laminate Flooring
For an affordable wood floor look suitable for kitchens, laminate is a designer favorite. Easy to install and maintain, laminate replicates the look of natural wood realistically at a fraction of the cost.
Affordability
At under $2 per square foot, laminate provides the most budget-friendly option for the look of wood floors. Laminate wears well for years with proper care. Cost savings means you can redo your kitchen floor as styles change.
Easy Maintenance
Laminate’s fused wear layer resists scratches, dents, stains and moisture better than unfinished real wood. Just use damp (not wet) mopping and gentle cleaners to maintain the floor’s appearance. Laminate stands up well to pets and kids. Most warranties cover 10-25 years.
Stylish Looks
Technology allows laminate floors to mimic wood species convincingly. Grain patterns, knots, splits and color variations look real. From light maple to weathered oak, options abound. Not just wood either – laminate can also resemble tile, stone and other materials.
DIY Friendly
Many laminate floor systems have tongue-and-groove edges for easy floating click-together installation. This allows DIYers to transform kitchens in a weekend. Prefabricated planks make for fast turnaround. Minimal mess or prep work involved.
If scratches or planks become damaged over time, laminate boards can be quickly swapped out as well. Given its realistic looks and fuss-free maintenance, laminate earns designer endorsement.
Kitchen Flooring FAQ
Still debating your options for your kitchen flooring update or remodel? Here are answers to some common questions that come up when selecting the best floor for kitchen spaces:
What are the best kitchen flooring materials?
Designers recommend porcelain or ceramic tile, natural stone, concrete, solid hardwood, engineered hardwood, luxury vinyl plank, and laminate as top-performing kitchen flooring options. Each material has pros and cons. Consider your budget, style and maintenance preferences when deciding.
What kitchen flooring is most durable?
Porcelain tile, natural stone, and solid hardwoods from oak, hickory, maple, and exotic species are exceptionally durable kitchen flooring materials that stand up to heavy wear. New protective finishes also make wood more water and scratch-resistant.
What is the easiest kitchen floor to maintain?
Easy-clean sealed hardwoods, luxury vinyl plank, laminate, and polished concrete or porcelain tile rank among the most low-maintenance kitchen floors. Their dense nonporous surfaces simply need sweeping and damp mopping to stay clean. Avoid textures that trap dirt or require waxing.
What’s best for kitchens – hardwood or tile?
It depends on your style and maintenance preferences. Tile resists water, stains, and scratches better than hardwood. But wood provides a softer, warmer look. New finishes make hardwoods suitable for kitchens. Tile requires more grout cleaning. Determine which aesthetic and upkeep fits your lifestyle.
What is the most affordable option for kitchen floors?
Inexpensive choices like laminate, luxury vinyl plank, and ceramic tile offer durable and attractive solutions for kitchen floors on a budget. Less costly options under $5 per square foot can simulate pricier natural materials very closely.
What flooring should be avoided in kitchens?
Soft porous woods like pine that dent easily are not ideal for kitchens. Materials susceptible to water damage like engineered bamboo or cork are also ill-suited for kitchens. And thick carpets trap spills, odors and germs, so steer clear of them.
How do I choose kitchen flooring that goes with my cabinets/countertops?
Kitchen floors look best when the cabinets and counters complement or softly contrast with the flooring. Warm wood flooring pairs well with cool hued countertops like quartz. Or choose floor tile that echoes a mosaic backsplash. Just don’t match cabinetry and floors exactly.
What’s the best flooring for a small kitchen?
To make a small kitchen appear larger, use light colored flooring materials and wide planks. Monochromatic floors also give the illusion of expanded space. Light woods, stone or tile in a big scale expands a small kitchen visually. Avoid dark colors or busy patterns.
How do I transition between kitchen flooring and living areas?
The best flow between kitchens and other rooms is achieved by repeating flooring materials, colors and sizes. But you can also transition from one material to another using reducers or thresholds that bridge the flooring pieces. Just allow planks to run continuous instead of ending at doorways.
Conclusion
When planning a kitchen floor, there are many beautiful and high-performing options available today at different price points. Keeping your particular style, needs and budget in mind will ensure you select the ideal flooring. For a look that endures, focus on quality materials expertly installed. With proper care over time, your new kitchen floor can provide lasting enjoyment and value for your home.
