6 Kitchen Flooring Materials to Boost Your Cooking Comfort
Give your joints a break while you're standing at the stove, with these resilient and beautiful materials for kitchen floors
Jennifer Ott
November 27, 2014
San Francisco-based architectural color specialist and design writer. Jennifer's work has been featured in many print and online publications. Her recently-published book, "1000 Ideas for Color Schemes," is a beautifully illustrated and easy-to-navigate guide that takes the guesswork out of selecting the perfect color palette for your home or special event. For more information on Jennifer Ott Design, visit http://jenottdesign.com/.
San Francisco-based architectural color specialist and design writer. Jennifer's... More
I love the look of polished concrete floors in kitchens, but concrete — along with other nonresilient floor surfaces, such as stone, ceramic and porcelain tile — can take a toll on your joints. I’ve heard complaints from many homeowners who regret putting in a hard flooring material in their kitchen because of the subsequent knee, hip or back pain they feel after standing or walking on it for a long period. Fortunately there are plenty of softer, resilient kitchen flooring types available that are as functional as they are good-looking.
Cork
Sustainably harvested from the bark of the cork oak tree, cork is an excellent resilient floor choice in a kitchen due to its high level of cushioning. It’s available in a variety of colors, patterns and textures, and in tile or plank formats. It is somewhat self-healing but can get scratched and dented. You can mitigate this by regularly applying a protective layer of wax or polyurethane and by using protective felt pads on the feet of your furniture.
Material cost: $4 to $14 per square foot
Read more about cork flooring
Sustainably harvested from the bark of the cork oak tree, cork is an excellent resilient floor choice in a kitchen due to its high level of cushioning. It’s available in a variety of colors, patterns and textures, and in tile or plank formats. It is somewhat self-healing but can get scratched and dented. You can mitigate this by regularly applying a protective layer of wax or polyurethane and by using protective felt pads on the feet of your furniture.
Material cost: $4 to $14 per square foot
Read more about cork flooring
Linoleum
Not to be confused with vinyl flooring, linoleum is made from all-natural and renewable materials such as linseed oil, pine rosin and powdered cork. It's soft underfoot yet quite durable, and it comes in a wide range of colors and patterns. As with cork, applying and maintaining a protective finish will keep it looking good for many years.
Material cost: $5 to $10 per square foot
Read more about linoleum flooring
Not to be confused with vinyl flooring, linoleum is made from all-natural and renewable materials such as linseed oil, pine rosin and powdered cork. It's soft underfoot yet quite durable, and it comes in a wide range of colors and patterns. As with cork, applying and maintaining a protective finish will keep it looking good for many years.
Material cost: $5 to $10 per square foot
Read more about linoleum flooring
Vinyl
A popular budget-friendly option, vinyl flooring comes in both sheet and tile formats and in an endless array of styles and colors. I like to have fun with vinyl; I like to use bolder colors or lay it out in an interesting pattern. However, it’s not as durable as other resilient flooring options and can get dinged up pretty easily. Therefore, it tends to have a shorter life span than other options.
Material cost: $2 to $10 per square foot
Read more about vinyl flooring
A popular budget-friendly option, vinyl flooring comes in both sheet and tile formats and in an endless array of styles and colors. I like to have fun with vinyl; I like to use bolder colors or lay it out in an interesting pattern. However, it’s not as durable as other resilient flooring options and can get dinged up pretty easily. Therefore, it tends to have a shorter life span than other options.
Material cost: $2 to $10 per square foot
Read more about vinyl flooring
Wood
A favorite flooring material for kitchens, wood is more forgiving on our joints than stone, ceramic, porcelain or concrete. It also looks and feels warmer than nonresilient flooring. Some drawbacks to wood are that it can get scratched and dinged easily, and it also must be protected from contact with water. In kitchens I recommend going with a site-finished wood floor rather than a prefinished floor. Yes, it’s a messy business sealing the floor after installation, but by sealing it after installation you also seal up the joints, preventing water and dirt from collecting in them.
Material cost: $5 to $20 per square foot
Find a hardwood floor dealer near you
More about solid wood floors and engineered wood floors
A favorite flooring material for kitchens, wood is more forgiving on our joints than stone, ceramic, porcelain or concrete. It also looks and feels warmer than nonresilient flooring. Some drawbacks to wood are that it can get scratched and dinged easily, and it also must be protected from contact with water. In kitchens I recommend going with a site-finished wood floor rather than a prefinished floor. Yes, it’s a messy business sealing the floor after installation, but by sealing it after installation you also seal up the joints, preventing water and dirt from collecting in them.
Material cost: $5 to $20 per square foot
Find a hardwood floor dealer near you
More about solid wood floors and engineered wood floors
Bamboo
Not technically wood — it’s actually a grass — bamboo has many of the same advantages and disadvantages as wood. It’s a good option if you are looking to use a sustainably harvested material for your kitchen floor. Not all bamboo flooring is the same, however; be sure to look for moso bamboo, as it’s considered the hardest and most durable.
Material cost: $5 to $12 per square foot
Bamboo Products — Earth Friend or Foe?
Not technically wood — it’s actually a grass — bamboo has many of the same advantages and disadvantages as wood. It’s a good option if you are looking to use a sustainably harvested material for your kitchen floor. Not all bamboo flooring is the same, however; be sure to look for moso bamboo, as it’s considered the hardest and most durable.
Material cost: $5 to $12 per square foot
Bamboo Products — Earth Friend or Foe?
Laminate
Similar to vinyl flooring products, laminates are a budget-friendly flooring choice and are soft underfoot when compared to rigid flooring materials. They tend to be more moisture resistant than wood floors, but because they are not a solid material all the way through, they can’t be refinished if damaged.
Material cost: $2 to $5 per square foot
Read more about laminate floors
Similar to vinyl flooring products, laminates are a budget-friendly flooring choice and are soft underfoot when compared to rigid flooring materials. They tend to be more moisture resistant than wood floors, but because they are not a solid material all the way through, they can’t be refinished if damaged.
Material cost: $2 to $5 per square foot
Read more about laminate floors
Alternate Option: Mats and Rugs
For those who simply must have their hard tile or concrete kitchen floor, there's always the option of placing gel mats or other cushioning rugs in areas of your kitchen where you spend large amounts of time standing, such as at your sink or in front of the range.
See more flooring guides
Tell us: What's your favorite material for the kitchen floor?
For those who simply must have their hard tile or concrete kitchen floor, there's always the option of placing gel mats or other cushioning rugs in areas of your kitchen where you spend large amounts of time standing, such as at your sink or in front of the range.
See more flooring guides
Tell us: What's your favorite material for the kitchen floor?
Scott Davidson founded Davidson Builders in 1998. Scott graduated from Michigan State with a BS in Construction... Read More
Related Products
Buckeye Basements, Inc. is a multi-award winning company that provides complete basement remodeling and finishing... Read More
Related Stories
Housekeeping
How to Clean Your Windows and Keep Them Streak-Free
Try these tips, tricks and tools to wash your windows so they’re crystal clear
Full Story
Housekeeping
Choose Your Own Spring Cleaning Plan
Instead of trying to do it all, pick one of these six cleaning approaches that’s right for you now
Full Story
Bathroom Workbook
How to Remodel a Bathroom
Create a vision, make a budget, choose your style and materials, hire the right pros and get the project done
Full Story
Monthly Home Checklists
To-Dos: Your April Home Checklist
Kick spring cleaning into high gear, and troubleshoot cooling and irrigation systems for the warmer months ahead
Full Story
Kitchen Backsplashes
Where to Start and Stop Your Backsplash
By tidgboutique
Consider these designer tricks to work around cabinets, windows and other features for a finished look in your kitchen
Full Story
Kitchen Workbook
How to Remodel Your Kitchen
Follow these start-to-finish steps to achieve a successful kitchen remodel
Full Story
Decluttering
10 Decluttering Projects You Can Do in 15 Minutes or Less
Try these ideas to get organized at home one small step at a time
Full Story
Decorating Guides
7 Major Decorating Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
By tidgboutique
Gain confidence to start your interior design project with this advice from a professional designer
Full Story
Working With Pros
6 Reasons to Hire a Home Design Professional
Doing a construction project without an architect, a designer or a design-build pro can be a missed opportunity
Full Story
Decorating Guides
7 Common Decorating Mistakes to Avoid
Pros share solutions to design problems they often find in people’s living spaces
Full Story
Doc, I cared for these men and women. They use air tanks but they run out or give the air to victims. Cork is natural resilient flooring. We need to be aware of our choices.
They wouldn't last long if they didn't have fresh air the smoke is so toxic. I am a fan of cork and have used it for backsplashes and table tops as well - even commercially.
I love cork! We have it on the walls in our kids rooms too. Such a great material.