which is better for a kitchen floor? ceramic tile or wood?
which is easier to install? which is more affordable to install? i live in a duplex and need to redo both kitchen floors. the wood laminate pieces are like 80 cents a square foot and the ceramic tiles(12×12) are 70 cents each. what all would i have to buy with each to actaully install them
Wow there are a lot of variables in this question. Most of the time it is personal chose. Each one has it’s difficulties and benefits. I like ceramic because I find it easy to do, but it is very time intensive. A true hard wood floor is durable and I feel more aesthetic looking but is very labor intensive. Laminate flooring is easy to install but if you do not get a quality brand it will not hold up well. I would suggest thinking about what you want most appearance, function or durability and in what order and then talk to a flooring specialist at your local home improvement store ( Lowes or Home Depot etc.)
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I have wood and I’d never choose it again. It’s very hard to keep clean and shiny. The small spills you wipe up right away dull the finish. It shrinks when the air is dry–every winter–and tiny stuff gets in the cracks and can’t be removed, even with a vacuum.
Ceramic tile is, of course, cool underfoot, and can be cracked if something heavy falls on it.
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In my experience, the ceramic tile is easier to install and easier to clean and they both look great! If you go with ceramic tile, you’ll need grout, adhesive, and a trial to apply the adhesive with. You may also need to rent a wet saw if you have to cut the tiles and this may be a little tricky if you don’t have help.
The wood tiles are easier to cut and can be done with a traditional saw but if your floor is not perfectly even can be really frustrating to line up and snap together to get the pieces to fit perfect. The wood can also scratch a lot easier and if these are rental units you may want to take that into consideration, especially if you will be moving in appliances such as a refrigerator, stove and washer and dryer. Ther ceramic won’t really scratch, you just have to be careful not to actually "drop" anything heavy on it, but it’s much more durable than it looks!
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You could use high quality vinyl looky-likey timber flooring – virtually indistinguishable from the real thing but extremely practical, unlike the real thing, if it gets wet, and heaps cheaper.
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Laminate needs a saw, mallet and glue in some cases. We glued areas that might get wet as an added protection from spills. Ceramic will also need a saw, that you can rent, trawl, sponge, spacers. I’d go with the laminate. It’s nice to look at and easier to install than the tile. Good luck!
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Wow there are a lot of variables in this question. Most of the time it is personal chose. Each one has it’s difficulties and benefits. I like ceramic because I find it easy to do, but it is very time intensive. A true hard wood floor is durable and I feel more aesthetic looking but is very labor intensive. Laminate flooring is easy to install but if you do not get a quality brand it will not hold up well. I would suggest thinking about what you want most appearance, function or durability and in what order and then talk to a flooring specialist at your local home improvement store ( Lowes or Home Depot etc.)
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On the easiness, tile would be better unless you use a type of wood that clips together. It is very easy and looks nice all the same. I would stick with wood. It’s warmer under the feet and has a more homey look than tile.
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CERAMIC TILE – easier to install and more affordable… simple
xo : )
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I live in a large house and debated a long time as to which to put in my kitchen. I did a lot of research and decided the Laminate was the best. The Pieces just fit together like a puzzle. They do not require any caulking or sealing. It is much easier to work with and much easier to stand on in a kitchen. The laminate will not crack like tile either. I did not get the kind that looks like wood or hardwood. I got the 16×16 squares and they look almost like stone. But they are smooth. They are not glossy and do not need to be polished. Just clean with a damp mop.My laminate has a 50 yrs warranty. It can be installed on top of linoleum if it is level
The tile is hard to stand on, cold in the winter and will chip and crack. Plus you have to caulk between each one and it is much more difficult to install. Then you have the maintenance of keeping the caulking up. With tile you will have to remove the old floor before you can install it. So tile ends up costing more than the laminated and is not as good for a kitchen. The tile is okay for a bath but not the kitchen. They are only using laminate in the new homes around us and they are 4,000 sq ft homes.
There is also a counter top being made of a new stone that is better than granite or corian. It is called Silestone and is beautiful and does not require any polishing or maintence.
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I think the ones that say the wood scratches or spints at the seams is real hardwood and not laminate. Mine is eazy to keep clean with plain warm water and does not show up anything. It will not scratch.