Kitchen tiles come in a nearly endless variety of shapes, sizes, colors, textures, and materials to suit a range of design styles and aesthetic preferences. While it’s only one of many kitchen flooring options, tile is a popular choice because it’s hard, durable, water-resistant, and easy to clean. If you have your heart set on a tiled kitchen floor, use this guide to help you understand your choices.

Kitchen Tile Materials

• Porcelain is a member of the ceramic tile family with one slight difference—it’s made with sand, not just clay, making it harder, denser, and less porous than regular ceramic. Porcelain is ideal for high-traffic areas like kitchens and bathrooms.
• Ceramic is easier to cut and install than porcelain but slightly more damage-prone. Be sure to choose tiles with waterproof glazing to ensure they’re impervious to kitchen splashes and spills.
  Natural stone tiles include slate, granite, limestone, travertine, marble, and more. The surface can be polished or honed and cut into any shape and size you desire.

Kitchen Tile Colors and Patterns

• White tile is a chic, distinctive option that gives you the freedom to play up the design in other parts of the kitchen.
• Black tile requires minimal maintenance and creates an instant sense of depth. It’s best for contemporary homes with a classically moody motif.
  Other colors, such as blue, green, and earth tones, can add subtle color to bring the kitchen to life.
• Patterns provide a slight twist on traditional kitchen flooring. You can find patterned tiles in just about any color and style you want.
• Encaustic-look tile features charming decorative patterns that feed into the tile next to it, creating a beautiful, cohesive look. The pattern is inlaid into the body of the tile, so the design remains even as the tile wears down.
• Wood-look or stone-look porcelain tile provides the aesthetic of traditional hardwood or natural stone floors with durability, ease of maintenance, and lower price point of porcelain tile.

Kitchen Tile Shapes

• Square tile is the most common shape. A popular size is 12 inches by 12 inches, but larger and smaller kitchen floor tiles are also available. You may choose tiles in all one size and color, nestle varying sizes together, or arrange them in a checkerboard pattern—the choice is yours!
• Rectangular tiles are another option. You can lay them in various patterns, including half-offset, straight-stack, herringbone, chevron, basket weave, or parquet.
• Hexagonal tiles make a statement. They work best in modern homes where the goal is to achieve a truly unparalleled design.

For more help selecting kitchen tile flooring, turn to Capitol Design Build. We have over 30 years of experience performing custom bathroom and kitchen remodeling in homes and businesses across Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC. Our services span many disciplines, including engineering, design, remodeling, and construction, allowing us to take your project from start to finish. For a free, no-obligation estimate, please contact us at 703-436-6919 today.