Have you decided to take on a home remodel? Perhaps you’re feeling overwhelmed with the amount of choices out there. Choosing floors alone can be overwhelming, especially if you aren’t sure where to start. We always suggest thinking about the rooms you’re installing where you’ll be installing new flooring. You might lean towards warmth, beauty, and comfort for living rooms and bedrooms. On the other hand, the best flooring choices for kitchens and bathrooms are typically harder and more durable.
Best Flooring Choices for Kitchens and Bathrooms
If you’re looking to replace the flooring in your kitchen or bathroom, this list contains some of the best and most popular choices.
Porcelain Tiles
Porcelain tiles are denser and more durable than ceramic, making them a good option for areas with heavy foot traffic, such as kitchens, bathrooms, and entryways. Because they are heated at a higher temperature during manufacturing, porcelain tiles are scratch and stain-resistant. They are also waterproof, so they’ll hold up against any spills or drippage.
Design Considerations: Large porcelain tiles lend a modern appearance to your space and look great in a kitchen or bathroom. If you hate cleaning grout, you should also consider using an epoxy grout. It’s more durable and won’t discolor as easily.
Wood-Look Tile
Do you hate the idea of tiles and grout but also hate the idea of having wood floors that are prone to scratching and stains? Try a wood-look tile. As the name suggests, this flooring option is made of stone, like porcelain, but looks extremely similar to a wood floor. It is easier to clean, more durable, and often less expensive than natural hardwoods.
Design Considerations: You can have lots of fun with wood-look tiles in your kitchen or bathroom. There are several options for patterns and colors that look just like natural hardwood.
Luxury Vinyl Plank or Tile
Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) and luxury vinyl tile (LVT) are waterproof, budget-friendly options for a kitchen or bathroom floor. They look like real hardwood, stone, or concrete but stand up much better to scratches and spills. Investing in a high-quality LVT or LVP will allow you to get the biggest benefit.
Design Considerations: Not sure whether to choose LVT or LVP? They’re made the exact same way, just cut differently. LVT tends to offer the look of stone or concrete. You can also install grout with them if you’d like. Meanwhile, LVP leans toward looking like natural hardwood floors.
Engineered Hardwood
Engineered hardwood is another less expensive option for flooring that looks like hardwood without the upkeep and price that natural hardwood floors require. It’s made by pressing together several thin layers of fiberboard or plywood and adding a layer of real hardwood on top. Engineered hardwood is water-resistant, durable, and easy to clean, making it a good option for kitchens and bathrooms.
Design Considerations: Similar to LVP, you’ll have lots of options when it comes to engineered hardwood, all offering the look of natural hardwood floors. We suggest talking with your contractor and doing your research on the best quality products to install.
Concrete
This option is for those who aren’t afraid of a bold look. Concrete floors are extremely hard, making them durable against scratches, stains, spills, dirt, and grit. They’re also easy to clean and maintain—a great characteristic for your kitchen or bathroom floor. Finally, concrete floors offer a stunning look to any room.
Design Considerations: Believe it or not, there are quite a few design choices you can make with concrete floors. Choose from different textures, like smooth, polished, troweled, or stamped. There are also a variety of colors and treatments you can add to make them your own!
Worst Flooring Choices for Kitchens and Bathrooms
We’ve covered the best flooring choices for your kitchen and bathrooms–but which one should you avoid at all costs?
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Carpet. Having carpet in your kitchen or bathroom is not the best idea. The carpet isn’t stain-resistant or waterproof, and any spills will cause a mess. If you have carpet in your bathroom, the humidity can quickly cause mold growth. While we appreciate that some people like the comfort of carpet, that’s something a nice rug can provide–which is a lot easier to wash if stained.
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Natural hardwood. Everyone loves a natural hardwood floor. And while you may be able to get away with it in your kitchen, it’s not a good option for a bathroom. Wood floors don’t tend to stand up well to high-moisture areas like bathrooms. If you really want a hardwood look in your bathroom, consider one of the options in our list above.
Want to learn more? Whenever you’re planning to install new floors, it’s best to talk to an expert (like our team of Cleveland home remodelers). They’ll be able to give you the best options for your space and budget.
