If you have actual wood already installed...do not go with a laminate (or a tile that mimics wood). Talk about tacky.. For the best overall look, use a tile (ceramic or porcelain) in the kitchen that mimics a stone. When looking at tile, try to purchase a product with a pei rating of 4 or 5 (pei is the strength of the fire glazing atop of the tile, which is the strength of the product. Both 4 and 5 are rated for commercial use and excellent for your residential install) Do not purchase the cheapest tile...you get what you pay for. I would stay within the $2-$3 sf range.

We had a similar question when we redid the flooring in our kitchen. We were told that laminate is not a good idea in a kitchen because it is easily damaged by water. We ended up with vinyl because ceramic tiles would have created an uneven transition between our hardwood floors and the kitchen. We love the warmth and softness of vinyl but would probably do luxury vinyl planks if we had it do over again. (we used Duraceramic and have had issues with fissures developing in the surface) Good luck, hope this helps

HD was right, laminate doesn't hold up the best with water so it's not highly recommended for kitchens. I would look at LVP or tile.

LVP holds up well against wear and water, but it's not a luxury (despite the name) material so it doesn't add any value to a home other than look.

Tile usually costs more and some people prefer natural materials, however, tiles can break and may raise the floor level.

Just don't pick a square tile or LVP. Square stones scream 90's in most cases and even newly put in flooring in a square size dates the room.

Hmmm....I'm definitely trying to update a 1986 era kitchen. I love the idea of putting in something that I can change in 5 years or so if I want to do something different. Of There is no substitute for high-quality tile but the complications and expense of installation, worrying about the elevation of this floor and the hardwood floors that are adjacent ....it all just seems like an inconvenient and expensive hassle. It seems like building materials are coming a long way, but I'm wondering if they really have. I guess I'll try to venture out beyond the computer and at least look at some samples in a store. : ). Thanks for the advice on the square tiles. I was about to do just that!

My experience w/ laminate is that it's noisy. I have it a home in my daughter's bedroom (she did ballet & wanted a dance floor). At work it's in all the common areas of our office bldg. I like Cinar Interiors' advice, only I'd add go w/ a color-body porcelain tile w/ rectified edges. The latter will allow a narrower grout bead, which will be easier to keep clean. Color-body will make any chips less noticeable, but w/ porcelain tile, chips don't happen much. We found our color-body, rectified porcelain tile at Arizona Tile for $3.25-3.50/s.f. Our 30+-y.o. 2nd-floor ceramic tile in master bath cracks & chips, leaving the white body glaring through tan surface coating. Going bye-bye next year.

No need to purchase an expensive color bodied tile which most have a pei rating of 4 or 5. Considering that no one will be running through the home with a bowling ball, dropping a glass cup, beer mug or plate will not break any tile with a pei rating of 4 or 5, color body porcelain or ceramic tile. Ceramic tile, pei 4, has a breaking strength of 350 lbs per sq inch. Porcelain and color bodied porcelain, pei 4, have a breaking strength of 450 lbs per sq inch. How often do tiles chip? Well if you purchase a cheap tile, very often. If you purchase a tile with the rating I have suggested, you shouldn't ever chip any tiles with normal wear and tear.

@Bruce Crawford - White bodied ceramic is strictly made for wall use, even 30 yrs ago. It's very common to see older homes with the incorrect type of tile used on the floor in bathrooms.

The more 'in style' size you see today is 12x24 or 16x24. Bear in mind, history and fashion tend to repeat. What's out today will be the next big thing tomorrow. Square tiles are not dated.

If you want a disposable floor - one that you HAVE to change in 5 years - then go with low-end laminate. At $0.79/sf you can have a floor that will give you 3-7 years and then it will need replacing.

If you want a little bit longer than 3 years, you need to move up the ladder with either a water proof laminate or vinyl, linoleum, cork, stone, etc.

I rarely suggest laminate in a kitchen but if the goal is only 5 years, then a laminate can work for you. So long as you REALIZE that is ALL THE TIME you are going to get. And it could go south faster than 3 years....which has happened.

If you really want a quick refresh before you throw down $50K for a new kitchen, then a quick pick-me-up with a low grade laminate will do the trick.

Beyond that, never put laminate (traditional laminate - not the water proof stuff) in a kitchen. It will need replacing sooner rather than later.

My main issue is the problem of flooring the kitchen and having it higher than the surrounding wood floors. Perhaps vinyl tile is the way to go, as unglamorous as that sounds.

What is your subfloor? Pier and beam or concrete?

Luxury vinyl tile. Armstrong has one that's groutable.

Either Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) or laminate. In order to do tile floor there has to be a lot of floor prep done. If on a crawl space or over a basement, the floor joists have to be assessed and maybe shored up, on a concrete slab there is leveling to be done. There is a laminate floor by Armstrong (I believe) that looks like ceramic tile. It can be loose laid or glued down.

Laurel, if keeping surfaces level is important, I believe tile is out. When I had my floors done, they floated, or leveled, the slab first. That requires putting down lathe about 3/8" thick, then filling w/ cement & going over w/ long straightedge. Then the tile goes over it, raising total height ~3/4".

Cinar Interiors, thx. When we did add'n w/ master bath in '84, I didn't know boo about tile even though I'd replaced linoleum in our K 6 mos. after we bought house in '76. In master bath, we picked color but tile subcontractor bought tile. It's a 4x4" on floor, vanity countertop, shower & tub surround. I think GC saved $$ w/ tile sub at end of project. Subs for other trades were good, but tile guy not impressive. When we resurfaced LR, entry, K & DR, we used 18x18" in diamond pattern w/ Emp. dark borders & baseboards. Hall, 2 bathrooms in front of house & laundry 12x24".

I would stay away from laminate in the kitchen. If needing to decide between laminate and tile, tile is always a better choice for the kitchen area and any area that is prone to moisture. However, there are a few key points to note when installing tile, tile SHOULD not be installed over a plywood subfloor. Too much movement causes the tile to eventually crack. While laminate can be installed over virtually any subfloor. There is usually a major cost difference between installing laminate and tile. Laminate being the much cheaper option. If you want a floor that will hold up well in a kitchen area, I would look into luxury vinyls- whether glued or floating/clickable. They typically cost less than ceramic and porcelain tile and hold up much better than a laminate.

Wood Look Luxury Vinyl Options

How to choose the right floor

Best Flooring For Your Kitchen

Tile can be level with hardwood with no transition. The expense of tile is the installation. I'd go with tile. What size is your kitchen?

no matter what you put on the kitchen floor today, in 8 years folks will say its dated. choose a material and format based on what you like unless you are prepping to sell.

I too find laminates noisy. I also used to clean houses, and one lady had a Pergo floor. I'd mop, it would dry, and you could see all the mop strokes in the right light. :/

Mannington carries some very attractive LV. It's what I will be putting down eventually. Have read great reviews.

I'm strongly leaning toward the mannington vinyl now that i've seen it.

360 sq. feet

I have a open concept floor in a new house. I am installing laminate on the floor except the kitchen where I want to install tiles. My contractor is saying the transition from laminate to tile will not be level and there will be raised surface. I do not understand why it can not be leveled ? He said tiles and the transition will look dated. The reason I am installing tiles is that I expect occasional water spillage on kitchen floor. Any comment on transition and dated ?

You should start you own dilemma, because this one is four years old and most people won't see it. The only reason I am seeing it is because I forgot to turn off notifications on it.