Choose the Best Flooring for Your Kitchen

Kitchen floors have a big job to do: they’ve got to stand up to a lot of foot traffic, shrug off spills and stains. Your kitchen floor, besides being practical and durable, is a major design statement as well. The floor you choose affects every other element of your design and with the variety of materials, colors and textures available today, your choices are nearly endless.

Some things to consider when shopping for kitchen floor tile:

Lifestyle. At home, you're the star of your own cooking show — and chances are, sauce gets spilled, silverware gets dropped, and spouses, kids, and pets check in often. It's important to choose floors that stand up to this type of wear and tear. And if you have young children or plan to stick around for years, nonslip floors are important for safety.

Your Style Sense. Choose floors that complement your kitchen, whether it's rustic and country-style or cutting-edge contemporary. Consider the kitchen's size, as well as existing colors, textures, and patterns. Should the large surface underfoot serve as a neutral backdrop or a vivid focal point?

Comfort. If you spend hours on your feet slicing, dicing, and stirring consider floors with a bit of softness and resilience. Tile floors, for instance, can be uncomfortable to stand on for long periods. Wood is better for reducing leg fatigue. And resilient floors, with their elasticity, are the most comfortable for feet. Whatever you choose, a soft mat or rug can add comfort as well.

Ease of Cleaning. Between food spills and tracked-in dirt, kitchen floors can get pretty grimy. To minimize time spent on maintenance, choose a material that's easy to clean, water resistant, and not prone to staining.

Cost. If you're planning a remodel, your budget is probably divvied among countertops, cabinetry, lighting fixtures, and more. Where does flooring fit in the plan? Once you've determined your flooring budget, measure the kitchen to get an idea of square footage. Remember that additional costs may apply, including underlayment, delivery, installation, and removal and disposal of your previous floor.

Fortunately, you’ve got a lot of choices once you determine what works best for your needs. Here are some of the best kitchen flooring ideas:

Vinyl

Vinyl or resilient flooring offers a variety of styles and colors in either tiles or sheets for those on a budget.

Sheet vinyl flooring is waterproof and stain-proof, plus it’s a snap to clean up spills and splashes. It comes in a huge array of colors and styles, from plain Jane to embossed vinyl that does a good job mimicking ceramic tile and stone. Standard sheets are 12-feet wide so seams are minimal.

Sheet vinyl is resilient flooring, which means it feels slightly soft underfoot. That eases fatigue and makes hours of food prep easier. Also, resilient flooring is forgiving of dropped bowls and glasses. If you’re looking for cheap kitchen flooring, some types of sheet vinyl are downright inexpensive.

Porcelain Tile

For durability and good looks, porcelain kitchen tile flooring is the champ. It’s an upgrade version of regular ceramic tile because of a manufacturing process that makes it harder and less porous — a good choice for kitchens where spills are likely.

Porcelain tile comes either glazed or unglazed. Glazed tiles come with a glass-like coating that can be made in any color. Unglazed porcelain tiles have the naturally earthy color of the clays used to make them. Some porcelain kitchen flooring tiles are certified to be slip-resistant by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Hardwood

Hardwood flooring combines warmth and beauty, and is comfortable underfoot. It’s a good choice if you have an open floor plan and want a single type of flooring that extends beyond your kitchen.

Hardwood combines durability with low-maintenance. Properly finished hardwood flooring resists moisture from occasional splashes, but spills should be wiped up immediately.

Hardwood flooring comes as either solid wood or engineered wood planks. Engineered wood planks have a top veneer of real wood backed by a layer of plywood that make the planks stable and the flooring less susceptible to humidity and temperature — a good kitchen flooring idea.

Cork

Cork is waterproof and resilient, which makes it a comfortable, moisture-resistant choice for kitchen floors. Cork comes in 12" x 12" tiles and 1' x 3' planks, each with intriguing grain patterns. Cork has a textured surface that offers some slip resistance, too.

Cork is made from tree bark that grows back, so it’s a sustainable material. It comes prefinished, but needs to be resealed every 3 to 4 years to help prevent scratches and stains.

Linoleum

Linoleum is another green kitchen flooring option. It’s is made from renewable, biodegradable cork powder and linseed oil, and it has no harmful VOCs. It’s a resilient flooring that comes in many patterns and colors, and it stands up well to foot traffic.

It’s moisture-resistant but a bit susceptible to staining, so make sure the product you buy has a protective coating to guard against scratches and spills.

Limestone

Limestone is a natural stone that offers an Old World look. It's a porous material that must be sealed upon installation and then twice a year.