You might be wondering how much does it cost to tile a kitchen floor in 2024. Well, today, I’ve got the answer for you! Actually, though the question might seem straightforward, it’s a pretty tough one to answer.
To be honest, the kitchen is one of my favorite rooms in my home. From enjoying delicious meals to enjoying the savory smells of meals in progress, it’s just a great place to be. Of course, the floors will eventually wear down over time, and that’s around the point where you might consider replacing the floor.
Whether you already have a tile floor that needs replacing or want to do a complete redo of the area, it’s nice to know what to expect. What is the average price including labor? What if you do it yourself instead? Keep reading to find out the answers.
How Much Does It Cost to Tile a Kitchen Floor: The Quick Answer
As mentioned above, the cost to tile kitchen floor can vary quite a bit. The average cost of a tile installation currently sits between $949 to $3,422 for installation by a professional tiler. Of course, this price range doesn’t tell you exactly how much does it cost to tile a kitchen floor specifically.
There’s a reason for that though. The truth is that your tile installation cost can vary quite a bit, depending entirely on the specifics of your particular project. Whereas some people may only be planning on redoing their floors, others may also be doing the walls or adding a decorative backsplash into the mix.
Perhaps you’re just after a general answer. In that case, you can expect to pay anywhere from $2 to $100 per square foot of tile installed, depending on the type of tile you’re installing. However, look below if you’re after more accurate numbers.
How Much Does It Cost to Tile a Kitchen Floor: The Contributing Factors
So, now we know that figuring out how much does it cost to tile a kitchen floor requires considering multiple factors. The national average might give you a general idea of the average cost, but it’s not really that helpful overall. The tile installation cost alone will vary from place to place, and then there are additional costs you might need to factor in as well.
Still, figuring your budget out should be fairly straightforward once you know what to think about. Whether you’re remodeling the kitchen or building a beautiful bathroom, your tiling needs will stay largely the same. Well, enough chit-chat. Let’s get into the things to think about!
Project Complexity
The first thing to consider is project complexity. This will have a major effect on the total cost of your project, as it encompasses everything your project will need to succeed. Required materials and labor costs will have a major impact on your costs.
As an example, if you’re doing both the flooring and installing a kitchen backsplash, the complexity increases as you’ll need multiple materials. In turn, the overall costs increase as well.
If you want to get a clear idea of your overall budget then it’s important to plan out your entire project before you get started. Adding additions to the project later on can easily run you over budget.
Tile Removal
Figuring out how much does it cost to tile a kitchen floor can actually be a bit misleading, as you also need to figure out how much it will cost to prep the area so you can get started. Prep work plays an important role in the overall success of your project. Skipping it just isn’t an option.
For some homeowners, prep work might be as simple as removing the old flooring or old tiles. Others might need to fix imperfect, uneven flooring. Some people may even need to replace entire countertops or even whole walls. As you can imagine, this can quickly run costs up.
For those with wooden floors, backer board must be installed to protect the wood from excess moisture. This costs from $5 to $8 per square foot. Subfloor repairing will run you $40 to $65 per square foot. Waterproofing for kitchen tiles is charged by square feet as well, and can cost up to $750 (or more).
Fortunately, these costs will be usually included in the estimates you receive from licensed contractors, making it somewhat easier to crunch the numbers.
Tile Type
Alright, so there’s one thing you’ll definitely need to figure out before we go any further. What type of tile will you be using? Remember, you’re not limited to just a single type. Actually, using multiple types or fancier tiles—like mosaic tiles—can open up a world of options for you, so it’s worth seeing what’s out there.
Just like figuring out the best tile for your bathroom, determining how much does it cost to tile a kitchen floor will depend on your specific needs, the design you’re after, and the tiles you end up using for the job.
| Type of Tile | Cost per Sq. Ft.(materials only) | Requires Sealing | Best for… |
| Ceramic | $3 to $15 | No | Floors and walls |
| Glass | $30 to $60 | No | Backsplashes and accent walls |
| Natural Stone | $5 to $45 | Yes | Floors and countertops |
| Porcelain | $2 to $15 | No | Floors, walls, and other high-traffic areas |
| Porcelain Wood Tile | $3 to $12 | No | Floors, walls, and living areas |
| Quartzite | $5 | Yes | Countertops and floors |
| Vinyl | $1 to $12 | No | Floors and wet areas |
Ceramic
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly option then ceramic floor tiles are a great option. Despite being so affordable, they’re actually quite resilient, making them ideal for high-traffic areas.
Ceramic tile flooring is considered resistant to scratches, stains, dents, and color fading from sun exposure. It does require regular cleaning if you want it to look its best, but I think this tradeoff is worth it.
Glass
Glass tiles most likely won’t make up the majority of your cost to tile kitchen floor, as they shouldn’t be used for the floor at all. Still, glass tiles are excellent for backsplashes, so they might still work their way into your overall plans.
This is actually a good thing, as glass tiles demand higher costs in general. On the plus side, they’re generally available in many different colors. This provides the perfect opportunity to highlight and complement the rest of your kitchen design.
Natural Stone
For those who prefer a more natural look, natural stone tiles are a solid selection. Being a natural material, these types of tiles are never perfectly uniform. This is great, as it means your floor will never look like your neighbors.
As there are many different types of natural stone, you have plenty of options to choose from. However, natural stone is susceptible to moisture damage. This means it must be sealed to prevent moisture damage.
Scratches and chipping are also potential problems to be aware of, as natural stone can suffer from both of them.
Porcelain
| TEXT | IMG | SOURCES |
Porcelain tile is a great, albeit more expensive, alternative to ceramic tiling. Using this will definitely increase your cost to tile kitchen floor, but it will also give your kitchen that “premium” feel.
Like ceramic, it’s extremely durable. It’s also water-resistant, making it a great option for the kitchen. You will want to be aware of the rating system for porcelain tiles, though, as different thicknesses of tile are best suited for different placements.
Fun fact: all glazed tiles receive a PEI rating, not just the porcelain ones! Here are the ratings.
- PEI 0 – For wall use only
- PEI 1 – Suitable for light foot traffic
- PEI 2 – Suitable for moderate foot traffic
- PEI 3 – Suitable for regular foot traffic
- PEI 4 – Suitable for light commercial foot traffic
- PEI 5 – Suitable for public foot traffic
Porcelain Wood Tile
This type of porcelain tile is designed to mimic the visual appeal of wood while providing the benefits of porcelain. Pricing is generally the same as traditional porcelain tiling.
Quartzite
Quartzite is a specific type of natural stone tile that can be compared to marble tile. It offers a unique sense of beauty to any floor space. However, being stone, it is quite heavy, making the installation process a bit more involved.
It’s especially popular for use as a countertop, although you can certainly use it for your flooring as well. Regardless, it’s highly resistant to stains, scratches, and heat making it suitable for either application. This is great if you have kids or are worried about dropping your heavy cooking pot on the floor.
Vinyl
If you really want to keep your tile costs down then vinyl might be the material for you. Although synthetic, vinyl tiles do offer quite a bit of variety when it comes to styling and design options. With types of vinyl that look like stones and wood, you should easily be able to get the style you’re after while keeping your cost to tile kitchen floor down.
Tile Patterns
Tile patterns are one of the things you might not be thinking about when trying to determine how much does it cost to tile a kitchen floor. Still, if you’re after a particularly unique look for your kitchen then it’s something to consider.
After all, implementing more complex patterns will take more time to install. This will be reflected in the installation costs. That said, it might be worth the added costs, especially if you have a specific color scheme to work with.
If something more complex just isn’t in your budget then I’d recommend taking a look at your current kitchen first. Try to find basic patterns and color combinations that will highlight the current features of your kitchen, like any paintings or other decorations you might have.
Room Size
Room size is another thing that will definitely affect how much does it cost to tile a kitchen floor. This ties into the size of the tiles you’ll be using as well. Generally, you’ll use larger tiles on the floor, with smaller tiles being allotted to backsplashes and walls.
Your contractor likely won’t charge anything extra if they have lots of space to work with. However, if you’ve tasked them with installing tiny tiles in a smaller space then they might charge you a bit of a premium.
Even if they don’t, a larger space might take longer to tile, which could increase the cost to tile kitchen floor. I recommend talking to your contractor or comparing options to see which one will net you the best deal for the size of the room.
Installation Costs
I’ve already mentioned a bunch of different things that can factor into the cost of a professional installation. Exact charges and factors will vary from contractor to contractor, making it best to talk to them about the specifics. That said, like wallpaper, you can always take the DIY if you want to save the most money.
It’s important to note that this approach won’t save you any material costs. It can also be quite time-consuming and requires a high level of quality control, especially if you’re tiling an area with heavy traffic.
Still, if you’re already doing a project like replacing the kitchen cabinets or just want to give your wall tiles a personal touch, the DIY approach might be worth looking into.
How Much Does It Cost to Tile a Kitchen Floor: A Summary
There are a lot of different things to consider when trying to figure out how much does it cost to tile a kitchen floor. The national average can give you a very general idea. Hopefully, this article helped you get a bit more specific with your numbers. Still, I definitely recommend getting a few professional estimates if you want the most accurate numbers possible.
Well, that’s all I have for you guys today. This article has mainly been an overview of the various things to consider when pricing your project, but I hope it’s been helpful. Feel free to let me know if you have any tiling projects you’re currently working on, or if there’s anything you’d like me to go into a bit more detail with!
As always, thanks so much for reading. Have a great week, y’all. I love you xoxo
Similars FAQs to “How Much Does It Cost to Tile a Kitchen Floor”
How much is labor to install tile in kitchen?
Well, it varies from company to company, as well as by location. Speaking on averages? You can expect the cost of tile installation to run you from $4 up to $14 per square foot.
Why is tile labor so expensive?
Tiling might seem fairly straightforward, but getting things right requires expert setting, grouting, installation, and sealing of the tiles. While you can always save money by doing things yourself, it might be a good idea to pay a professional if you’re not entirely confident in your abilities.
Is tile cheaper than flooring?
Tile is generally cheaper than hardwood flooring, but laminate tends to be cheaper than tile.
What is the best flooring for a kitchen?
Tiles, laminate, and engineered hardwood floors are considered to be the best flooring solutions for your kitchen. If you ever get tired of the same old background, you can always switch things up with a decorative kitchen rug!
Do tile floors increase home value?
Yes! Tile floors can definitely give you a great ROI (return on investment), although the value will ultimately depend on the potential buyer and the type of tiling you use.
Are bigger tiles cheaper?
Potentially, but it depends entirely on your specific project. Bigger tiles tend to cost more, but you won’t need as many either.
