Kitchen Flooring Ideas: Hardwood vs Tile vs Luxury Vinyl

Kitchen Flooring Ideas: Hardwood vs Tile vs Luxury Vinyl

Are you planning a kitchen remodel? As you make your wish list, you are probably excited to pick out cabinetry, appliances, countertop materials and the backsplash. There’s another vital decision to make that isn’t quite as fun as those, yet it’s right under your nose: What type of kitchen flooring will you choose?

The talented designers at Kowalske Kitchen & Bath have compiled the top trending kitchen flooring ideas. When you partner with us for your kitchen remodel, you’ll learn why we’re a trusted remodeling and design company serving homeowners in Elm Grove, Wisconsin and the surrounding areas.

What kitchen flooring is best for your home?

Check out the pros and cons of these 3 most common kitchen flooring choices.

1. Hardwood Flooring in the Kitchen

Hardwood kitchen flooring remains a popular traditional choice. Just peruse a high-end catalog these days, and you’ll see that many kitchens have lovely, gleaming hardwood floors. Without question, hardwood in the kitchen brings elegance, warmth and richness to a room. For many open-space contemporary home layouts, installing the same hardwood floors in the kitchen as the great room allows there to be unbroken flooring throughout a wide-open space. 

Wood flooring species are endless and include oak, maple, teak, ash, pine, hickory, cherry and more. Kitchen hardwood flooring has a trendy natural look in today’s modern home. Our favorite woods include maple and oak.

Hardwood flooring in the kitchen does require care. Your kitchen is a place where glasses are dropped and shattered. Kids and pets spill water. The home cook might splatter grease everywhere. Occasionally whole pots of hot spaghetti sauce hit the floor. Unlike many other kinds of flooring, you can’t leave clean-up until later without risking unsightly damage to your hardwood kitchen flooring.

2. Tiles for Your Kitchen Flooring

Another popular option for your Elm Grove kitchen is tile flooring. Tile in the kitchen offers many benefits. Ceramic tile is known for its durability. It won’t wear out in high-trafficked areas. When it comes to tile in the kitchen, you’d have to hit it pretty sharply for it to chip or crack. Also, clean-up is a breeze. As long as the tile and grout are properly sealed, you don’t have to worry about water seeping through to the underlying floorboards. The variety of tiles available allows for plenty of style choices.

Not everyone loves tile floors in the kitchen, of course. Without radiant heating installed beneath, tiles can be cold and hard against bare feet. If installed with wide, light grouting, keeping the grout clean over time can be a challenge. If you have tile questions, ask our kitchen design team.

3. Luxury Vinyl Plank in the Kitchen

Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) flooring is an affordable and excellent option for a kitchen remodel. Many different designs look and feel like wood and other materials. There are hundreds of designs to choose from, and it is an excellent option at a lower price for every family.

A few advantages of luxury vinyl plank flooring are:

  • Easy to install. Quickly click together, or glue down the vinyl.
  • Most vinyl planks & tiles have a lower price per square foot than wood and tile.
  • The texture and design of LVP looks and feels like wood, slate and stone.
  • It won’t get damaged from water and most are stain-resistant.
  • Most suppliers offer a long product warranty.
  • It’s an excellent choice if you have pets or kids and want a durable kitchen floor.

Start Your Kitchen Remodel

When considering flooring in the kitchen, make sure it matches not just the aesthetic of your overall design but also your busy lifestyle. Contact the kitchen design experts at Kowalske Kitchen & Bath, serving homeowners in Elm Grove and the surrounding areas. We are happy to help you find the perfect flooring for your kitchen remodel. Call us today.

Learn More

Frequently Asked Questions about Kitchen Flooring

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