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What a kitchen floor goes through
A kitchen floor takes standing water from a leaking dishwasher, hot fat from the hob, grit from the garden door and the occasional cast iron pan. It is cleaned more often than any other floor in the house, and in an open plan home it also has to look right next to the sofa.
So the choice is a balance between durability, comfort underfoot and how the floor joins the rooms around it. No single material wins on every count, which is why it helps to be honest about how your kitchen is used day to day.
Porcelain and ceramic floor tiles
Porcelain is close to indestructible in normal use. It shrugs off water, heat and stains, and it pairs perfectly with underfloor heating. The trade off is that it is hard and cold without heating, a dropped glass will not survive, and standing at the worktop for long periods can be tiring.
Tiles also need a stiff base. On timber floors that usually means overboarding first, and the floor gains some height, which affects door thresholds and the plinths under the units.
LVT
Luxury vinyl tile is waterproof on the surface, softer and warmer than stone, and quieter when people walk across it. Modern ranges imitate wood and stone convincingly, and planks can be replaced individually if one is damaged. It does need a very smooth base, because every bump shows through, so levelling compound is part of most LVT jobs. Our LVT cost guide explains what drives the price of fitting it.
Read more: LVT flooring cost
Flooring
- Subfloor checks, levelling and damp readings
- Engineered and solid wood, LVT, laminate and tile
- Neat beading, thresholds and scribes
Engineered wood
Engineered boards have a real hardwood top layer bonded to a stable core, so they move far less than solid timber with changes in heat and humidity. A lacquered or hardwax oiled finish copes with everyday kitchen life if spills are wiped up rather than left to sit. Standing water from a slow leak under a sink is its weak point, so we take extra care with sealing around plumbing.
Laminate
Laminate is a printed image under a hard wear layer on a fibreboard core. Standard laminate does not like water at the joints, but newer water resistant ranges with sealed edges are much better suited to kitchens. It can be a sensible budget option where the room is used lightly, and our laminate fitting guide covers what affects the cost.
Read more: Laminate flooring fitting cost
Floor before units or after?
Tiles and screeds are usually laid before the units go in, so the floor runs under everything and a future layout change is easy. Floating floors such as laminate and many click LVT products are normally fitted after the units, butting up to the plinths, because heavy cabinets should not pin a floating floor in place. We set the order on the day by day programme so the kitchen and floor trades never clash. Preparing for a kitchen installation explains the wider sequence.
Read more: Preparing for a kitchen installation
Thresholds into the rest of the house
Where a kitchen opens into a hall or living area, the new floor height has to meet the old one without a trip edge. Sometimes the same floor runs through both rooms; elsewhere a slim threshold strip marks the change. We measure finished heights at survey, including any boards, heating mat or adhesive, so doors can be trimmed and transitions planned before anything is ordered. Comparing engineered wood with LVT is a good next read if you are torn between the two.
Read more: Engineered wood or LVT
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Common questions
- Should kitchen flooring go under the units?
- Tiles usually do, so the floor is continuous. Floating floors such as laminate and click LVT normally stop at the plinths so the units do not pin them down.
- Is laminate OK in a kitchen?
- A water resistant laminate with sealed joints can be, in a kitchen that is not too heavily used. Standard laminate is a poor choice near sinks and dishwashers.
- Which kitchen floor is warmest underfoot?
- LVT and engineered wood feel warmest without heating. Tile becomes the warmest of all once underfloor heating is fitted beneath it.
- Can engineered wood go in a kitchen with a dishwasher?
- Yes, with a good finish, careful sealing around plumbing and prompt attention to any leak. Standing water is what damages it.
- What kitchen floor is easiest to keep clean?
- Porcelain tile with a narrow, darker grout, or LVT, which has no grout at all. Both handle frequent mopping well.
The service behind this guide
Covering Hertfordshire and Essex.