Tiles or laminate in a kitchen and hallway?

How tiles and laminate differ

Tiles or laminate in a kitchen

In a kitchen, the risk to the floor is water by the sink, the dishwasher and the fridge. With a tiled floor, the joints next to furniture and plumbing fixtures are filled with silicone. Ceresit CL 51 waterproofing is also intended for kitchens, if the floor needs protection under the tiles.

For a kitchen, choose a laminate that its manufacturer intends for use in a kitchen. Each manufacturer writes the water resistance and cleaning requirements in its own instructions, and they differ between products. Check this before buying, not after installation. Laminate needs a gap around pipes and thresholds; Quick-Step states that the hole for a pipe must be 20 mm larger than the pipe.

Another option is vinyl flooring, which is laid in the same way as laminate but has its own manufacturer requirements.

Tiles or laminate in a hallway

In a hallway, water and sand from shoes get onto the floor. If the hallway is large, tiles can be laid by the front door and laminate in the rest. Then the transition between the coverings is important.

In the Ceresit CN 76 technical data sheet, movement joints in the levelling compound are provided also over room thresholds, and joints in the subfloor are repeated in the levelling compound. For laminate, Quick-Step requires a gap also at thresholds and under doors. That is why the transition is planned before the floor is levelled, so that the surfaces of both coverings are at the same height.

Underfloor heating under tiles or laminate

If you plan underfloor heating in the kitchen or hallway, each covering has its own requirements. Quick-Step states that with floor heating the subfloor surface must not be warmer than 28.8 °C and the moisture must be below 1.5%. For a cement subfloor with heating under laminate and parquet, Ceresit CN 76 gives a moisture content of up to 1.8%.

Connecting a water-based underfloor heating system to the building's heating usually affects common property, because the building's heating elements are common property, so the consent of the association is usually needed. For electric floor heating, when the electrical wiring is rebuilt, a requirement for residual current protection may apply. More on the page underfloor heating.

Before installation

1. Subfloor check Unevenness and moisture are measured and compared with the covering manufacturer's requirement.
2. Levelling If needed, the floor is levelled and left until it has dried.
3. Acclimatising the laminate Quick-Step panels acclimatise for 48 hours in unopened packaging at room temperature in the room where they will be laid.
4. Laying and joints Tiles are grouted after the adhesive manufacturer's time (CM 17: on a floor after at least 24 hours); for laminate, gaps are left and skirting boards are fitted.

How much tiles or laminate cost

Example: a kitchen of 10 m². Tiling 10 × €24 = from €240, laminate installation 10 × €6.50 = from €65. A hallway of 6 m²: tiles from €144, laminate from €39. Prices are for labour. Materials are calculated separately in the estimate.

The price of tiling is affected by the tile size and pattern, and the price of laminate by the condition of the subfloor; skirting boards are a separate line. An exact estimate can be made after seeing the apartment.