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How to Choose the Best Flooring for Your Kitchen

Leanne Potts

By Leanne Potts
Updated August 18, 2025

Your kitchen is the busiest room in your house. Spilled food, dropped pans, splashed water and heavy foot traffic mean kitchen flooring must endure heavy use and still look good. The best choice is waterproof or water-resistant flooring. Here are seven kitchen flooring ideas to consider.

Cement floors are a durable surface for floors in a kitchen.

1. Hardwood Kitchen Flooring

Many people love hardwood kitchen flooring because they’re a beautiful, durable classic that brings a touch of nature to a room. There was a time when conventional wisdom was to avoid hardwood flooring in kitchens because it couldn’t stand up to moisture and inevitable food spills. That’s no longer the case. A new generation of water-resistant sealers and polyurethane finishes keeps wooden flooring in the kitchen from staining and warping. There are two types of hardwood kitchen flooring: engineered hardwood flooring, made of a plywood core with a layer of hardwood on top, and solid hardwood flooring, which is just what it sounds like — planks of solid wood. Engineered wood kitchen flooring is more affordable than solid wood kitchen flooring.

Good to Know

Solid hardwood flooring can be sanded and refinished three or four times and can last for more than a century. Engineered hardwood flooring can be resanded and refinished two times and can last for around 20 years.

Oak hardwood flooring is a classic choice for floors.

Oak Hardwood Flooring

White Oak Hardwood Flooring

Hickory hardwood flooring is a good choice for a kitchen.

Hickory Hardwood Flooring

Maple hardwood flooring brings warmth to a room.

Maple Hardwood Flooring

Pine hardwood flooring is a good choice for kitchen flooring.

Pine Hardwood Flooring

Bamboo Kitchen Flooring

A subset of hardwood, bamboo kitchen flooring looks and feels just like hardwood but is harder and more durable. Bamboo also resists water and spills, so it’s a popular choice for homeowners who want waterproof kitchen flooring. There are three types of bamboo kitchen flooring: engineered bamboo, solid bamboo and strand woven bamboo. Strand woven bamboo, made of pulped bamboo pressed into planks, is the best pick for kitchen flooring because it’s the most durable and water-resistant. Solid bamboo kitchen flooring, made by pressing slices of bamboo together, is the least resistant to water, so it may not be the best choice for a kitchen. You can refinish bamboo kitchen flooring, but since it doesn’t have natural grain, you’ll need to hire a pro to do the job.

Brown Bamboo Flooring

Gray Bamboo Flooring

2. Tile Kitchen Flooring

Ceramic tile or porcelain tile is a good choice for kitchen flooring because it’s waterproof and stain-resistant. Kitchen floor tile comes in a slew of patterns and colors, so you can find tile to fit any design style. You can even get ceramic or porcelain tile that mimics hardwood, terrazzo or stone, so you get tile’s waterproof superpowers and the luxe look of higher-end materials. Look for tile that you can use on floors, because some tile is made only for backsplashes.


Good to Know

Porcelain tile is harder and more water-resistant than ceramic tile, so it doesn't need to be sealed. It wears better than ceramic tile, too.

This porcelain tile has a patten that looks like encaustic tile.

Encaustic-Look Porcelain Tile

This porcelain tile mimics the look of pricey blue marble.

Marble-Look Porcelain Tile

This ceramic tile mimics the look of hardwood flooring.

Wood-Look Ceramic Tile

This tile mimics the look of a terrazzo floor.

Terrazzo-Look Tile

3. Stone Tile Kitchen Flooring

Stone tile kitchen flooring is a luxurious and durable kitchen flooring choice. Natural stone, like granite, marble, slate and travertine, is made by geological forces, so each stone is unique. Stone kitchen flooring comes in a variety of luminous, earthy tones and is a high-end material that’s super tough.

Stone kitchen flooring does have some challenges though, like being porous and susceptible to stains. Apply a stone sealer periodically to protect your kitchen flooring. Some types of stone are harder and more durable than others. Marble is beloved for its durability and resistance to water and stains. You can polish it to a high sheen, but keep in mind that the shinier the finish, the more slippery the surface becomes. Marble kitchen floor tile has beautiful natural veining and is available in blue, gray, white, red and orange tones.

Travertine is a sedimentary rock that has a naturally weathered look and comes in colors ranging from ivory to gold. Travertine is prone to etching and staining, so make sure to keep it sealed. When cared for, travertine can last forever. Fun fact: The Colosseum in Rome is made of travertine.

Good to Know

Lowe’s Flooring Visualizer makes it easy to see which flooring fits your kitchen’s look.

Genuine marble tile in creamy tones makes a beautiful kitchen floor.

Marble Tile Flooring

Black Marble Tile Flooring

Antique tumbled travertine stone tile makes a tough, textured floor.

Travertine Tile Flooring

4. Luxury Vinyl Plank Kitchen Flooring

Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) flooring is one of the most durable types of kitchen flooring. It convincingly mimics wood kitchen flooring and has the durability of vinyl. LVP resists stains and scratches and can withstand heavy foot traffic without showing wear, so it’s tougher than hardwood kitchen floors and when installed correctly is the most waterproof option besides tile. It doesn’t require sealing or refinishing and can last up to 20 years, making it a great choice for busy households.

LVP can be made to like oak wood in a range of finishes.

Oak Luxury Plank Vinyl Flooring

Luxury vinyl plank flooring can be made to mimic the look of acacia wood.

Acacia Luxury Plank Vinyl Flooring

Luxury vinyl plank flooring can be made to mimic the look of teak wood.

Teak Luxury Plank Vinyl Flooring

 Eucalyptus luxury plank vinyl flooring has the warmth of wood and the power of plastic.

Eucalyptus Luxury Plank Vinyl Flooring

Mahogany luxury plank vinyl flooring is water-resistant and affordable.

Mahogany Luxury Plank Vinyl Flooring

5. Hybrid-Resilient Flooring

Hybrid resilient flooring combines the durability of laminate with the waterproof qualities of vinyl. Our hybrid resilient flooring options are made with recycled and renewable materials and are PVC-free, supporting sustainability without sacrificing performance. Its thoughtful design makes it suitable for high-moisture areas like kitchens, bathrooms and mudrooms. They also feature scratch- and dent-resistant surfaces designed to withstand family and pet traffic, with long-lasting protection against wear, fading and stains. Built-in antimicrobial properties and easy, pad-attached installation systems add convenience and peace of mind. 

Visually, hybrid resilient flooring delivers authentic wood looks with natural textures and rich colors created through advanced printing and embossing technologies. However, it’s important to consider proper subfloor preparation for best results, and pricing may be higher than standard vinyl or laminate options—reflecting the premium features and performance it provides.

Good to Know

Most of Lowe's selection of laminate and vinyl flooring is either FloorScoreTM or GREENGUARD Gold Certified, which means the products meet some of the highest air quality standards in the industry. All the vinyl flooring we sell is phthalate free and Lowe’s only sells FSC-certified wood.

6. Luxury Vinyl Tile Kitchen Flooring

Luxury vinyl tile (LVT) kitchen flooring is a durable choice for a busy kitchen and it convincingly mimics the look of ceramic or porcelain kitchen floor tile. When installed correctly, it offers a waterproof option that's more affordable than standard tile. Luxury vinyl tile can also mimic hardwoods and natural stone, too, giving you the look of those high-end materials in your kitchen at a more affordable price. LVT kitchen flooring resists stains and scratches and can withstand heavy foot traffic without showing wear. LVT doesn't crack or chip like real tile kitchen floors, nor does it require sealing or regrouting so it's easier to care for than real kitchen floor tile. If you’re looking for an easy DIY project, LVT is a much simpler install and is more affordable than ceramic or porcelain tile. Check out the peel and stick tiles for kitchen floors available at Lowe’s today.

Luxury vinyl tile flooring is made resemble marble.

Marble-Look Luxury Vinyl Tile Flooring

Luxury vinyl tile resembles slate flooring for a kitchen.

Stone Look Luxury Vinyl Tile Flooring

Luxury vinyl plank flooring mimics parquet floor.

Wood-Look Luxury Vinyl Tile Flooring

Bronze Deco patterned LVT would be at home in a midcentury mod kitchen.

Patterned-Look Luxury Vinyl Tile Flooring

Midnight Blue LVT would be at home in a contemporary kitchen.

Solid Color Luxury Vinyl Tile Flooring

7. Laminate Kitchen Flooring

Durable laminate kitchen flooring looks like real hardwood without the cost and is available in many different colors and styles, including oak and hickory. Laminate is also great for a DIY floor project since you’ll only need a few tools and won’t have to glue it down or apply grout. Waterproof laminate flooring is perfect for the kitchen, as it allows you to take care of spills easily with a damp mop. It's also scratch and stain resistant, ideal for homes with kids and pets.

While looking through ideas for kitchen flooring, keep cleaning effort, cost and décor style in mind. Also don’t forget to account for additional costs, like removal and disposal of the previous flooring, delivery, installation, and underlayment. If you need help measuring your kitchen floor to get the most accurate cost estimate, use our handy Flooring Calculators. These make budgeting for your kitchen flooring remodel so much easier.

Gray laminate flooring.

Gray Laminate Flooring

Brown laminate flooring.

Brown Laminate Flooring

Light laminate flooring.

Light Laminate Flooring

Want New Kitchen Flooring Faster?

Even with plenty of DIY options sometimes we don't have time to tackle another home project. If you need the help of trusted pros, Lowe's offers flooring installation services. Schedule your in-home measurement today.

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