The Best Wood Flooring Alternatives to Spruce Up Your Kitchen

Wood-look anything is always popular when it comes to homes, but it’s definitely not your only option if you’re ready to switch things up. And when you consider the fact that hardwood flooring is not always the best choice for your kitchen since it’s not impervious to water spills, you’ll definitely want to learn more about alternatives for your kitchen flooring. 

Ready to update the look of your kitchen? Get ready to peruse some non-wood flooring options that are equally as stylish and luxurious!

Kitchen Flooring Criteria

The kitchen is more than just a room in which to prepare food; it’s the heart of the home. It’s where families gather and chat before the meal is tabled, so you want to create a welcoming space that helps bring family and friends together. 

If you’re going to hire experienced installers in Mississauga or across the GTA to lay new flooring, then these are some kitchen floor criteria you’ll want to keep in mind:

• Water resistant: One of the most critical requirements for kitchen flooring is that it’s water resistant or waterproof. Kitchens see a lot of spills and messes, so you don’t want absorbent flooring as it’ll soak up all the moisture and warp over time. Kitchens are semi-wet, meaning that even if the hardwood is treated, it isn’t a great material to use.
• Easy to clean: Kitchens are not only high-traffic zones, but because they are semi-wet rooms, they encounter a lot of moisture, so floors need to be easy to clean. Tiles, for example, are a great flooring choice as all they need is a quick mop to whisk away water, and you’re good to go!
• Durable: Any flooring material used in the kitchen must be long-lasting and durable to withstand high-traffic, constant cleaning, and cooking accidents (like frying pans and pots hitting the floor). 
• Stylish: The final criteria for kitchen flooring is that it’s appealing to you, not necessarily what’s on trend! Having the latest trends is not always the best choice as many quickly become dated, unless you’re fine with frequently hiring flooring installers in Mississauga or surrounding areas to rip it up and replace your floors. 

Now that you know what to look for, let’s dive into your options for your kitchen flooring. 

Wood Flooring Alternatives for Your Kitchen

Truthfully, hardwood flooring is not ideal for your kitchen. But instead of looking at this as a bad thing, see it as an opportunity to lay an equally impressive flooring! Here are our top picks for the best flooring for your kitchen. 

Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring

You simply cannot go wrong with this game-changing flooring; it’s waterproof, easy to install, and best of all, it’s engineered to look and feel like hardwood! Luxury vinyl is made of a new material called Coretec Plus, a wood and plastic composite, which creates hyper-realistic wood or stone-look (plank or tile) flooring that is so spot-on it’s hard to tell the difference between it and the real deal. 

In addition, luxury vinyl is scratch-resistant, durable, and stain-resistant. Anyone could benefit from luxury vinyl, but it’s especially ideal for busy households with pets, kids, or if you entertain regularly. 

Laminate

Laminate is an ever-popular choice among homeowners as it’s known for its durability. Laminate is composed of a wood composite with a tough resin and external layer that makes it water and scratch-resistant. However, it is important to note that laminate is NOT waterproof, and spills should be wiped away quickly as a precaution. 

Another thing to consider is that not all laminate products are created equally. Much of the laminate flooring sold at big box stores isn’t high grade, which means it’s less durable and not as water and scratch-resistant. If you’re going to hire a flooring contractor in your area, be sure to ask them where to buy high-quality laminate flooring.

Porcelain Tiles

There is a reason porcelain tiles cost more than their ceramic counterparts; they’re denser, making them more durable, water resistant, stain-resistant, easy to clean, and longer lasting. So for these reasons, porcelain tiles make for an ideal flooring for your kitchen. 

Another key feature is that porcelain tiles come in wood-look or stone-look finish, meaning you can get the look of hardwood or natural stone for less.

Ceramic Tiles

Having an experienced tile contractor install ceramic tiles is a solid choice: they’re water-resistant, hard-wearing, affordable, and come in various patterns and styles. Ceramic is cheaper than porcelain tile, but offers many of the same features, making it an excellent flooring for kitchens.

Stone Tiles

The final option is one of the most expensive choices: stone tiles. Of course, nothing beats the beauty of natural stone. What makes stone a great choice is that it’s waterproof, easy to clean, durable, you can add radiant heating, and every tile is unique, giving your flooring plenty of character. 

Keep in mind, laying stone floors can be tough. If you’re worried about the end result, you may want to hire a professional flooring installer in Mississauga or the GTA to lay the tiles properly. 

Try These Floorings for Your Kitchen

Hardwood flooring may be timeless and naturally beautiful, but it’s not practical in the kitchen. However, there are so many other choices available that are better suited for your kitchen, as they are more durable, better with water, and just as visually striking!

If you’re struggling to figure out which flooring you put down in your new kitchen, give us a call today for a risk-free consultation. At The Brothers Flooring, we’re here to help you discover the perfect hardwood-alternative kitchen floor, so you can fall in love with the heart of your home all over again.