When picking the best kitchen flooring, you need to prioritize products that are durable, water-resistant, stain, and scratch-proof, and easy to maintain. There are so many great memories made in the kitchen, but there is also so much that happens there. The product you choose need to be be versatile enough to deal with spills, thrills and maybe some wine spilled on the floor.
There is tons to learn before making your purchase, let's dive in!
What are the best kitchen flooring options?
There are 4 options to choose from. They are the only ones that are practical enough to be installed in your kitchen.
- Engineered Wood Flooring - This is by far the most popular type of flooring for kitchens in 2024. Engineered hardwood has all the beauty of real hardwood, but is more durable as it has a thicker top layer, also known as wear layer. Homeowners also love engineered hardwood because it is extremely moisture-resistant and matches nearly every decor. Adding this to your kitchen will also help retain the value of your home.
- Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) or Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) - If engineered hardwood isn't in your budget, luxury vinyl plank or luxury vinyl tile is your next best option. LVP & LVT are extremely durable. These products are built to mimic the look of other products. They are made with a plastic film on top of a stone or plastic core. This gives them all the traits you would look for in kitchen flooring, however they don't feel like what they are trying to mimic, real tile and real wood. There are many brands and colors to choose from when it comes to LVP, so if you go in this direction, make sure you do your research on the best brands. Homeowners choose LVP or LVT because it sits at a middle price point, and it is very easy to install. A lot of the time, you can install it right on top of your current kitchen flooring.
- Ceramic or Stone Tiles - Both of these are great options, but you better be ready to pay up. They can be super expensive, and have every reason to be. Ceramic and stone tile both make a kitchen look stunning, but they are much harder to maintain compared to engineered wood and LVP. If you really want to make your kitchen flooring standout, we would go with ceramic tile. It will bring the best out of your kitchen decor, but bring a big checkbook!
- Laminate: This is the most practical option, but the most boring option. Laminate is the most durable of all these products, and it is also the least expensive option. With that said, laminate does not give you that WOW factor in your kitchen. If you just want something that works and the best price, then go with laminate. But if you want your kitchen to standout, we recommend going with one of the other flooring options.
Flooring to Avoid
These products are on the absolutely avoid list. Under no circumstance (sure maybe there is some circumstance but we do not know it) should you ever install these in your kitchen.
- Carpet - This is soft under your feet, but it has not been installed in kitchens since the 1980s. The second you spill wine, tomato sauce, or olive oil on carpet, it will stain. This product is known to stain quickly and is extremely challenging to clean, especially with the different liquids and ingredients being used all over your kitchen. Please, avoid installing this at all costs. Save carpet for bedrooms and living rooms.
- Solid Hardwood: This is the most beautiful product of all the products we have discussed, but it is by far the hardest to maintain. Solid hardwood will look beautiful, but it will scratch easily, and it does not do well with any water. It's temping to put hardwood in your kitchen, but if you are leaning that way, we would highly suggest going with engineered hardwood.
Kitchen flooring pricing
Of all the products we just talked about, here is how they stack up in price from most expensive to least expensive.
- Solid Hardwood - Most expensive
- Engineered Hardwood
- Ceramic and Stone Tile
- Luxury Vinyl Plank and Luxury Vinyl Tile
- Laminate - Least expensive
In Summary
Choosing the right flooring for your kitchen involves a balance of practicality and beauty. Like everyone, you want to love the way your floors look, but you need to balance versatility. If we had to choose, engineered hardwood would be the best flooring for kitchens. It has all the looks and feel of solid hardwood mixed with all the best qualities of LVP and LVT.
