Want to know how to lay kitchen floor tiles? There’s plenty to consider and many choices to make to ensure your kitchen floor looks good and lasts. Before laying any tiles, you’ll need to decide which type of tile suits your style and budget.
Then, you must make the right design decisions. Will your selected tiles match your kitchen ideas? Getting it wrong can be an expensive mistake. After that, check and prepare the floor correctly. If you skip this step, you might find yourself replacing tiles sooner than you'd like. Here, we guide you to make the right choices to achieve the kitchen floor you desire.
Isabel Fernandez, Director at Quorn Stone, carries a wealth of experience and expertise from sourcing premium tiles globally, to leading the brands growth and awareness.
Best type of tile to use on a kitchen floor
There are several options for kitchen floor tiles, but porcelain tiles are a popular choice. Abbas Youssefi, managing director of Porcelain Superstore, shares why. “For most modern kitchens, porcelain tiles are the go-to choice. They’re dense, durable, and handle everyday family life without easily marking. They also work brilliantly with underfloor heating, and the latest designs convincingly mimic the look of natural stone without the upkeep.”
Isabel Fernandez, director of Quorn Stone recommends porcelain or natural stone, “Porcelain is durable, low-maintenance and water-resistant, while natural stone adds timeless character and texture.”
But, points out Stephen Russell, tiler at Ashley Cross Tiling, “ Choice is a complete personal preference.” He adds, “Porcelain and stone are both hard-wearing, but ceramic tiles are typically the budget option.”
Youssefi suggests an alternative budget option, “If you're on a tighter budget, LVT tiles are typically the most affordable option; but for longevity, porcelain is hard to beat.”
Try these to help lay kitchen floor tiles
This flexible two-part floor leveller is recommended for timber floors and underfloor heating. It can be used up to 15mm thick and is moisture-resistant. Sets in 2.5 hours and is ready to tile in 24 hours.
Made out of cement, this backerboard does not rot, swell, or delaminate and allows for proper bonding of the board and tile. Suitable for most tile types, including ceramic and stone.
Crafted from high-quality stainless steel, this notched trowel features 10mm notches evenly spaced along the edges. It is ideal for spreading tile adhesive onto floors and the back of tiles.
Abbas Youssefi founded Porcelain Superstore in 2014 alongside his brothers Ben and Sam. Tiles are in his blood. Growing up, his parents owned their own tile shop and armed with industry knowledge, Abbas and his brothers scout the tile factories of Europe and beyond to handpick the best tiles for their customers.
Stephen is an independent tiler with other 30 years in the industry. He specialises in kitchen tiling, walls and floors and general tiling repairs
How to prep the floor for kitchen tiles
How you prep the floor depends on the type of floor you have. The easiest floor to work with is typically concrete. Russell explains how to prep, “If a concrete or screeded floor is flat, no preparation is needed. However, if the floor is uneven, use self-levelling compound to even out the floor and use powdered floor adhesive for all these types of floors.”
If you have a wooden floor or floorboards, you need to prep differently, explains Colin Lincoln-Evans, Buyer at Tile Mountain, “In the UK, tiling directly onto old floorboards is a common cause of cracked grout and loose tiles. The best practice is to use a high-quality cement-based tile backer board, securely fixed and fully supported, to create a rigid, stable surface.”
Russell says, “Use cement board screwed down every six inches.” He adds, “Use a mask if cutting it with an angle grinder.”
If you are tiling over underfloor heating, Russell says, “Use self-levelling compound to cover the wires. Then use floor tile adhesive to lay the tiles as normal.” He adds, “At no point should you use nails or screws for any reason as these could damage the heating wires.”
Lincoln-Evans adds, “It’s essential to use flexible tile adhesive and grout to cope with thermal movement, with larger format tiles, an anti-fracture membrane should be considered.”
Colin is a seasoned tile expert with 25+ years in the industry. He specialises in materials, design trends and installation, curating globally sourced collections that balance standout style with everyday performance and practicality.
Where to start laying kitchen floor tiles
The shape of the room can have a bearing on where you start, but Isabel Fernandez points out the common option, “A common starting point is the centre of the room. This ensures the pattern stays balanced and cut tiles are positioned along the edges where they are less noticeable, giving a neat, considered finish.”
To ensure that you get the best finish, Russell says, “Measure out the room to gauge where you will get the biggest cut tiles to walls and units.” He adds, “Small cuts look bad and are hard to cut. Avoid at all costs.”
After measuring up, Youssefi says, “It’s worth dry-laying a few tiles first; it only takes a minute and gives you a clear feel for the best place to begin.”
What you’ll need to lay kitchen floor tiles
To tile a kitchen floor properly, Youssefi suggests the following gear.
- Tile adhesive and grout - use a powdered adhesive
- Notched trowel - the size depends on tile size (often 10mm for floors)
- Tile spacers or levelling clips - to keep joints even
- Tile cutter - manual for straight cuts, electric wet cutter for more awkward cut-outs (thy thos for heavy duty tiles (Excel 920mm Bridge Wet Tile Cutter from B&Q)
- Rubber mallet & spirit level - to keep tiles flat as you go - (try this Tough Master Spirit Level Set from Amazon)
- Grout float - to work the grout into the tiles (try this QEP Molded Rubber Grout Float from Amazon)
- Silicone - for movement joints around the edges
- Buckets, sponge and mixing paddle - simple but essential
Stephen Russell recommends the following tools, “Wet cutters are best for DIYers as floor tiles can be very hard to cut.” He adds, “A deep-notch trowel is needed as tiles need to be buttered on the back as well as putting adhesive on the floor.”
He adds, “Use a gauge trowel (like this OX Pro Brick Trowel from Amazon) to knock up the adhesive if you don’t have a drill with a mixer (like this Silverline Mixing Paddle from Amazon). In addition, he adds, “Buckets, grout float, pencil and sponges to clean as you go, and for wiping of excess grout when grouting.”
Tips for laying kitchen floor tiles
1. Choosing the right pattern
This can depend on the tile chosen; some are more straightforward than others. Fernandez says, “Classic patterns like a straight grid or running bond work well in kitchens.” If doing the floor DIY, it's best to stick to simple straight-line patterns. But herringbone and stretcher bond patterns add interest.
2. Open up space with large tiles
Fernandez extols the virtues of larger floor tiles: “Larger tiles can make a space feel more open.” However, she adds, “Consider the room size."
Lincoln-Evans adds, “Larger format tiles can make a kitchen feel more spacious because there are fewer grout lines breaking up the floor, but they do demand a flatter subfloor and benefit from a tile-levelling system to keep lippage to a minimum.”
3. Applying adhesive
Adding adhesive is straightforward, Russell says, “Apply adhesive to the floor using a deep-notch trowel and butter the back of the tile to form a good bond.” If new to tiling, have a few practice runs first.
4. Clean as you go
“Clean as you go” is Fernandez's advice. Russell adds, “Clean the face of tiles and the joints as you go, as this is easier than trying to clean set tile adhesive.” Make sure you have a sponge and a bucket of clean water with you when working.
FAQs
How long does floor adhesive take to dry?
This will depend on what floor tile adhesive has been used, explains Youssefi, “If you’ve used rapid-set adhesive, you can normally walk on the tiles later the same day. With standard adhesive, it’s best to wait until the next morning, and avoid placing heavy furniture on the floor for at least 24 hours.”
What is the ideal spacer size for kitchen floor tiles?
Abbas Youssefi suggests a variety of spacer sizes, “For most modern rectified porcelain tiles, a 2mm spacer provides the neatest, most contemporary finish. These tiles are cut with precise edges, so they sit closer together without appearing cramped.”
However, if you have a different tile or layout, he suggests an alternative, “For other styles - such as modular layouts, herringbone patterns or tiles with chipped or wavy edges - a slightly wider joint often works better.”
He adds, “A 3mm joint gives these patterns better definition and allows for the small variations that come with this style of tile.”You can use larger spacers if you prefer this style; 10mm is the maximum recommended size.
If you’re undecided about what kitchen floor tiles you want, then you need to check out our kitchen floor tile ideas. Alternatively, see our kitchen vinyl flooring ideas. If thinking of what else you can do in your kitchen, check our kitchen island ideas for inspiration.
