What Is the Best Flooring Choice for the Kitchen?

Selecting the perfect flooring for your kitchen is crucial. Given the significance of this space in your home and the fact that its renovation can yield a return on investment in Quebec of 75 to 100%, it's vital to make the right material choice.

Before you choose your flooring: key considerations

The choice of flooring plays a critical role in defining the room's ambiance. But what are the reasons to prefer one option over another? Here are the main points to consider.

Durability

The kitchen is a high-traffic area prone to spills. If you have children and pets, you need a floor that can withstand a lot! Therefore, the chosen covering must be durable enough to handle daily wear and tear.

Maintenance and cleaning

The kitchen is the quickest room in the house to get dirty, so easy maintenance is paramount. Remember that solid floors are more likely to show stains, while patterned or wood-imitative floors hide them better.

Cost and budget

Budget is a crucial aspect of any renovation project. Set a specific price range and discuss it with your store advisor.

Si vous désirez un revêtement de sol spécifique mais êtes limité par votre budget, il est bon de savoir que le marché propose aujourd'hui des imitations de qualité remarquable à des prix plus abordables pour la plupart des matériaux.

Style and aesthetics

Are you leaning towards contemporary, boho chic, Scandinavian, or modern? If you need guidance, we're here to offer decor advice tailored to your needs. Don't hesitate to reach out to us!

Installation

The method of installation can be a deciding factor. Will it be a DIY project, or will you hire a professional? Make sure the installation costs are within your budget.

Ecology and sustainable choices

More and more homeowners are prioritizing eco-friendly options. If that's important to you, choose materials with a low environmental impact from their production to end-of-life. Consider recyclable options and look for certified products.

Top 5 types of wooden floors for your kitchen

Wood brings warmth and natural beauty to any space, making it a popular choice for kitchens. Offering both underfoot comfort and timeless aesthetics, wooden floors vary in species, finish, and installation method, adapting to various decorative styles.

Hardwood

Sourced directly from tree trunks, hardwood is valued for its durability and its ability to age gracefully. The process involves cutting, drying, and planing the wood into planks.

Current trends lean towards light and dark oak planks.

• Pros: Durable (25 years and more), adds value to your home, can be restored if damaged.
• Cons: Some wood types are more prone to scratches, and without proper maintenance, hardwood can warp with moisture.

Bamboo

Made from the bamboo plant, this flooring has risen in popularity for its eco-friendliness, longevity, and modern look. Processed into planks or strips, it offers a similar appearance to wood.

• Pros: Eco-friendly, easy to clean, moisture-resistant.
• Cons: Installation challenges, can dent under heavy impact.

Laminate or floating floor

Comprising several layers, including a top layer that mimics the appearance of wood, on a compressed wood fiber base. It's designed as an economical alternative to natural wood.

• Pros: Cost-effective, easy installation, highly scratch-resistant.
• Cons: Cannot be sanded down, not recyclable, shorter lifespan than hardwood.

Engineered wood

Combines a real wood top layer glued to plywood or high-density fiberboard. This flooring can be laid directly over an acoustic membrane but can only be sanded 2 or 3 times during its life.

• Pros: Various installation options, easy to install, more moisture-resistant than hardwood.
• Cons: The top layer may wear more quickly than hardwood, and it doesn't allow for multiple sandings.

Cork

Made from the bark of the cork oak tree, this eco-friendly material is transformed into sheets or tiles. It's appreciated for its numerous benefits.

• Pros: Underfoot comfort, sound and thermal insulation, antimicrobial and slip-resistant.
• Cons: Prone to scratches and requires periodic treatment.

Top 4 natural stone floors for your kitchen

Natural stone flooring adds a touch of luxury and character to your kitchen, symbolizing durability and elegance. Like hardwood floors, they can enhance your property's value.

However, being naturally porous, natural stones require sealing every 3 to 5 years to maintain their long-term beauty.

Slate

Appreciated for its durability and rustic look, slate offers numerous benefits as a kitchen flooring option.

• Pros: Slip-resistant, doesn't fade in sunlight, stain-resistant, and easy to maintain.
• Cons: High cost, potentially challenging installation, and regular sealing needed to prevent stains.

Granite

Granite isn't just for countertops! This natural stone is excellent for floors, offering a high-end, noble look.

• Pros: Extremely durable, scratch and heat resistant, unique appearance.
• Cons: Expensive, difficult installation, polished surfaces can be slippery.

Marble

Characterized by its distinctive white colour and veins, marble is considered the pinnacle of luxury. Available in white, beige, grey, black, green, and pink.

• Pros: Highly durable, adds value, stain and scratch-resistant with periodic sealing.
• Cons: Expensive, requires regular maintenance, the subfloor must be solid and level.

Travertine

A limestone rock, travertine comes in shades from light beige to brown. It's chosen for its natural beauty and durability, offering a good value compared to other natural stones like marble or granite.

• Pros: Low cost, trendy, available in several finishes.
• Cons: Regular maintenance needed, installation may require a skilled person.

Ceramic or porcelain: the perfect choice for your kitchen?

Both offer a wide range of options in terms of colours, patterns, and textures, allowing for almost unlimited customization. However, significant differences exist.

In summary, porcelain, being harder and more resistant than ceramic, is better suited for wet areas like bathrooms, basements, and kitchens.To learn more about the difference between ceramic and porcelain, consult our dedicated article. 

Porcelain

• Pros: Long lifespan (40+ years), almost non-porous with great water and humidity resistance, wide inventory choice, ideal for underfloor heating.
• Cons: Hardness can be less comfortable, colder for bare feet, not recyclable.

Ceramic

• Pros: Ideal for DIY projects, some are made from recycled materials, good moisture resistance, and thermal conductivity.
• Cons: Prone to cracks if the subfloor isn't stable, less durable than porcelain, difficult to remove.

4 other flooring options not to overlook for your kitchen

Terrazzo 

Currently in vogue and originating from Italy, terrazzo is a flooring made of concrete or resin mixed with marble, quartz, granite, or glass fragments. It's celebrated for its durability and unique aesthetic. 

Offering a vast array of colours and patterns, terrazzo provides a smooth, glossy surface. However, authentic terrazzo is pricey and demands skilled installation, leading to the emergence of porcelain and other material imitations.

• Pros: Wide range of colour and pattern choices, moisture-resistant, made from recycled materials.
• Cons: Can feel cold underfoot, tiles may crack under heavy loads, real terrazzo installation requires expertise.

Epoxy resin flooring

For those seeking a modern, almost seamless solution, epoxy resin coatings provide a smooth, durable, and easy-to-maintain surface.

• Pros: Extremely durable, water-resistant, easy to clean, variety of finishes.
• Cons: Professional installation required, can be slippery when wet, difficult to remove.

Concrete flooring

Polished or textured concrete adds an industrial and modern touch to the kitchen, while being highly durable and easy to maintain.

• Pros: Most durable option, modern look, can be stained or painted, minimal maintenance.
• Cons: Hard underfoot, not recommended for young children, can be cold in winter, requires sealing to resist stains.

Vinyl planks and tiles

The latest generations of vinyl flooring brilliantly mimic materials such as ceramic and wood, offering remarkable acoustic comfort and unparalleled ease of maintenance.

• Pros: Very affordable, water-resistant, easy installation, wide variety of styles, comfortable underfoot.
• Cons: Can be damaged by sharp objects, some products may emit volatile organic compounds (COV).

Natural stone, ceramic, or porcelain for the kitchen: which to choose and are they all equivalent?

These three options vary in terms of durability, maintenance, and cost. Here's a brief overview to help you make an informed decision:

• Price: Ceramic is generally more affordable than porcelain and natural stone.
• Eco-friendliness: Some ceramics are made from recycled materials; natural stone has a higher ecological impact due to its extraction and transport.
• Daily wear resistance: Porcelain has the highest resistance, closely followed by ceramic and some natural stones.
• Ease of maintenance: Porcelain is the easiest to maintain, requiring less attention compared to natural stone, which needs periodic sealing.

Keep in mind that no flooring is perfect, each option has its advantages and drawbacks. Choosing the right flooring for your kitchen in Quebec requires careful consideration of several key criteria such as durability, personal priorities, budget, and lifestyle. Take time to weigh the pros and cons of each material, and don't hesitate to seek expert advice for this important decision.

For those considering underfloor heating, check out our article on the best flooring options for underfloor heating in Quebec, where we explore the most suitable flooring choices for this technology.