Kitchen Flooring in Rental Properties

Q: I own several rental properties and am looking at renovating the kitchen floors. I want something that is durable but that also looks nice. What should I use? 

A: When it comes to choosing the right rental property, flooring is really up to you. Here are a few things to take into consideration:

1.     The frequency of tenant changes

2.     The area of the rental property geographically speaking

3.     Budget

4.     Future of rental property (rent/sell/lease to own)

5.     Tenant price of the rental property

One of the best ways to add value and attract tenants to your rental property is to upgrade your floors, specifically your kitchen floors. There are various types of flooring, and some of the most popular include wood, tile or green options such as cork and bamboo.

1.     Wood: Wood flooring might be the most expensive option for a rental property but for a good reason. Hardwood flooring is extremely durable and elegant. You probably would be able to charge more for your rental with an upgrade to wood, as most tenants are willing to pay for the enhanced feeling of luxury living in a wood-floored home. Also, if you do sell in the future, wood has a great reputation and resale rate.  The downsides are potential for water damage and the potential for scratching. If you have tenants moving in and out frequently, you will probably get a few scratches here and there. You will also want to be sure your tenants know how to maintain the floor and take care of excess water that might get on the floors to keep them at their best.

2.     Porcelain or Ceramic Flooring Tile: Porcelain or ceramic tiles are the strongest flooring available. Porcelain is a version of common ceramic tile and it is very durable. It’s fired at very high temperatures and can produce a hard, durable and stain-resistant tile that is impervious to moisture. You can even use it outdoors! Porcelain tile comes glazed or unglazed. The glazed versions have a glass-like coating that can be made in almost any color and looks very much like stone (for much less!). Unglazed tiles will take on the color of the clay mixture they are made of and will look more earthy.

3.     Cork Flooring: For a green option you can use a cork, which is a sustainable material, meaning the bark that is harvested to make it from grows back and is reharvested year after year. Cork flooring is comfortable and moisture-resistant and comes with a unique grain pattern of various swirls and speckles. It is also slip-resistant as the surface is naturally textured.

4.     Bamboo Flooring: Bamboo is become increasingly more popular as a choice for flooring. Technically it isn’t a hardwood though, it’s a grass. Bamboo is tough, durable and also green as it can be re-grown quickly and easily. The costs will be similar to hardwood.

A flooring upgrade will have the long-term impact and is well worth your investment and time for future tenants.