Kitchen Floor Price Guide

Kitchen remodelling is one of the most popular forms of home renovation projects, especially the floors. Our kitchen floors deal with a variety of tough incidents that lead to their eventual depletion, including carrying the weight of heavy bodies, dealing with hot liquids or other substances spilling as well as the various forms of wear and tear that happen in this space.

With that in mind, it's important we renovate our kitchen floors every so often. However, this can be a costly project depending on the type of material chosen. Since there are a variety of different options for your floors, RenoQuotes.com has created a list of price points to look out for, which may help you decide which material is best suited for your home's kitchen!

Follow our kitchen floor price guide for your next reno project!

1) Wood Floors

Installing hardwood floors in your kitchen is an excellent choice, as this material is timeless and beautiful. However, wood floors sit at the top end of the price range. The average hardwood comes in at $5 to $10 a square foot, as well as a $2 installation fee per square foot. If your kitchen flooring project requires the removal of an existing floor, then it is recommended you budget for an additional $1 per square foot for the discarded material. If your sub-flooring needs to be replaced, this may ring in an added amount of $1.60 per square foot. 

Finally, if you are just looking to refinish the hardwood floors currently installed in your home, either by sanding, staining or varnishing, this will cost an approximate amount of $2 per square foot.  These costs will vary depending on the wood you use. As each type of wood has its own characteristics, it is a good rule of thumb to take samples home and test them in your kitchen before committing.

Also worth considering is the inexpensive alternative to hardwood: engineered wood. This material consists of a wood floor top wear layer followed by layers of plywood underneath. Since it's not solid wood, it is not as durable, but still incredibly cost-effective and long-lasting. Engineered wood will cost an approximate $4 to $9 dollars per square foot, so if you like the look of natural wood but don't have the budget, this is a way to pinch some pennies.

2) Tile Floors

Tile comes in a variety of materials and this can sometimes be overwhelming for the homeowner. Perhaps you are considering porcelain, ceramic, marble, natural stone or mosaic? Some tiles can ring in incredibly cheap, especially if you check your local Habitat for Humanity and find those at a discounted cost. However, it is important to consider the cost of installation, as a small per-unit cost can translate into a huge finished product cost.

The cheapest of tiles can average as little as 60 cents per square foot, looking mostly at ceramic tiling for this price. Slate and porcelain tiles are on the lower end of the spectrum, ranging between $3-$4 per square foot. The costliest of the bunch would be natural stone, which will be an approximate amount of $5 to $12 per square foot alongside a $9 per square foot installation cost. A natural stone mosaic can reach well into the higher amounts, looking at an average of $100 per square foot. Luckily, certain tiles are widely mass-produced, and these will cost far less than natural stone or marble.

3) Laminate Floors

source: Flickr, Gary Limjap

Laminate is a budget-friendly option and is almost always cheaper than other kitchen flooring materials. Its appeal does not only lie in its price point, but also in the variety of choice, as laminate can be made to mimic the look of wood, stone and even tile. Not only is the material itself of low-cost, but the installation process is also considerably less complicated than other flooring installation projects.

Laminate is made from images of wood grain adhered to layers of melamine resin and, typically, medium density fibreboard. This material ranges anywhere between $1 to $7 per square foot, as well as an additional $1.50 in labour. If your subfloors require work, there will be other obvious additional costs added on. Cost of the laminate itself will vary, depending on the thickness of the material as well as the manufacturer and supplier.

4) Vinyl Floors

Vinyl floors can save any homeowner a fair amount when undergoing a kitchen flooring project. Like laminate, vinyl can mimic the look of more expensive flooring materials, such as stone, wood or tile at a fraction of the cost. When purchased in individual squares, it can be incredibly easy to install, and some homeowners take it on as a DIY project.

Vinyl tends to range between $2.50 to $6 per square foot and is generally sold in either large sheets or tile form. Costs will vary if the floor you are installing the vinyl on is not smooth, as an underlayment of plywood will be needed for it to adhere properly.

5) Cork Floors

Cork flooring is growing in popularity for kitchen renovation projects.  This environmentally friendly material is renewable and durable and comes in a variety of colours and textures for any style of kitchen. The average cost of cork is $5 to $10 per square foot, plus an average $2 square foot installation cost. 

*All prices indicated in this article are for information purposes only and are subject to change.

Here is a table which summarizes the kitchen floor prices mentioned in this article:

To see examples of kitchen renovation projects completed by RenoQuotes.com contractors, check out "10 examples of inspiring renovation projects".

To find out about the average prices of different home renovation projects, check out our Home renovation price guide. 

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