What Is the Best Tile for a Kitchen Floor?

The kitchen is the heart of your home where you’re probably spending a great deal of time. Before you shop for the best tiles for your kitchen floor you should take a few moments to consider your lifestyle, the vibe of your kitchen, how much time you want to spend maintaining the tile floor, and your budget. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Is your kitchen a high-traffic area bustling with family footsteps or a peaceful place where you and your partner share quiet meals?

• How much time do you want to spend maintaining your tiles?

• Is your goal to elevate the design of your kitchen, minimize the maintenance of your kitchen floor, or both?

The Best Tile to Use in a Kitchen

Thinking about your lifestyle when looking for the best tile for your kitchen is a smart way to navigate the process. Once you have those questions answered, the following materials are the best for kitchen flooring.

Ceramic

Ceramic is a popular tile that is a good fit for many kitchen floors. It’s easy to maintain and comes in a wide variety of styles and colors. Ceramic tiles are excellent conductors and can heat up and cool down making for a comfortable and durable all-season floor. Glazed ceramic tiles are a smart choice for kitchen tiles as they provide added protection from spills.

Key benefits of using ceramic tile:

• Water and stain-resistant

• Durable

• Low maintenance

• Comes in a variety of styles and colors

Drawbacks of using ceramic tile:

• Installation can be tricky

• Time-consuming installation

Porcelain

Porcelain tiles are similar to ceramic tiles in that they come in a wide variety of colors and styles, are excellent conductors, easy to maintain, and can heat up and cool down making for a comfortable and durable all-season floor. The thick tiles are fired longer than ceramic tiles and can also mimic natural stones, hardwood planks, wood, or brick. However, you will need to hire a flooring professional to install porcelain tiles.

Key benefits of using porcelain tile:

• Endless design and style options

• Durable and easy to maintain

• Stain- and water-resistant

• Can mimic many materials

• Transitions and blends well with wood planks

Drawbacks of using porcelain tile:

• Expensive

• Tricky installation

• Grout needs to be sealed

Slate

Slate offers a more affordable alternative to more costly tiles like marble and granite. Its smooth texture, natural beauty, and low maintenance make it a great choice for your kitchen floor. A bonus is that it is slip-resistant.

Key benefits of using slate tile:

• Extremely durable

• Can be used indoors and outdoors

• Water-and fire-resistant

• Natural material

• Low maintenance

• Affordable

Drawbacks to using slate tile:

• Can be brittle

• Hard to stand on for long periods of time

• Rough, cold surface

Marble

Marble is a fine stone that can add elegance and an elevated design element to your kitchen. Each tile is an individual piece of art that can be patterned or veined. Available in a medley of finishes, it can be tumbled, honed, polished, or brushed. Marble is an expensive option that requires a great deal of maintenance, compared to other tiles like porcelain.

Key benefits of using marble tile:

• Unique elegant style

• Natural material

• Easy to polish

• Adds to home value

Drawbacks to using marble tile:

• Can be tricky to install

• Expensive

• Scratches and stains easily

"Anything unearthed from the ground and cut to use inside our homes reacts to its new environment by slightly changing over time,” says Joe Renda of Tile by Design.

Granite

Natural stones are also excellent with some upkeep required to maintain their original appearance. Granite is an excellent choice for high-traffic areas. Its signature veining and speckling create design interest as no two tiles are the same. Available in a wide range of colors, granite is scratch-resistant and creates a luxurious feel for your kitchen.

Key benefits of using granite tile:

• Durable

• Heat, scratch, moisture, and fade resistant

• Available in a wide range of colors

• Low maintenance

• Hypoallergenic

Drawbacks to using granite tile:

• Can be tricky to install

• Expensive

• Can be slippery

Travertine

Travertine tiles are made from a type of limestone whose origins can be found in springs and caves around the world. Used in ancient Roman structures, the natural stone is available today in many colors. Travertine tiles add a natural element to your kitchen. 

Key benefits of using travertine tile:

• Durable

• Unique

• Adds value to your home

• Natural stone

Drawbacks to using granite tile:

• Expensive

• Can be slippery and cold

• Needs to be sealed periodically

Final Considerations When Choosing Tile

In addition to price and bathroom tile trends, Joe Renda of Tile by Design says to make sure to check for the following when picking out your new kitchen tile:

Availability

Before setting your heart on a unique tile that ships from a distant location, take a look at how the availability could affect your tiling project. Shipping times and costs can throw you off your budget faster than you can slip on wet ceramic. Limited availability may also throw off the contractor’s schedule, which can further delay installation. 

Budget

It’s tough to fall in love with a tile that blows your budget out of the water. For that reason, it’s helpful to have a clear sense of what you can afford before you start browsing. 

Talk to a local tile contractor to get an estimate if you’re not sure what a realistic budget looks like. If you’re doing the work yourself, factor in the cost of tile and materials, which includes the grout, tools, and any supplies you don’t already have on hand, like a grout float.

Tile Rating and Durability 

Here’s where knowing your lifestyle and kitchen habits can make all the difference. A busy kitchen with lots of foot traffic may not be the place for marble tiles, whereas slate can withstand bouncing sports balls and a few dropped pots and pans. 

Matching Style 

What’s your decor style throughout the rest of the kitchen and home? Marble might make your heart go pitter-patter, but if the rest of the home says casual farmhouse, it might not blend in. Some homeowners choose to coordinate new tile with what’s in other tiled areas in the house, like the bathroom. The goal is to find new tile that fully integrates with and complements your existing architecture, cabinets, and decor.

Installation 

The ease of installation can drastically affect the overall cost of the tile installation. Porcelain, for example, is durable and heat conductive, but it’s also difficult to install, which can bump up the price.

If you’re doing the installation yourself, you’re better off using a tile that’s installation-friendly to keep from getting partway through the project before you give up and call in a pro. 

Maintenance

How much work are you willing to commit to your kitchen floors? Be sure you know how to clean floor tile and grout. If you’re okay with resealing every six months, then a high-maintenance tile could work. However, a more durable tile might be a better idea if you’re a set-it-and-forget-it type of person. You might also want to think about how difficult it could be to regrout the floor tile should wear patterns form. 

Stacey Marcus contributed to this piece.