The type of kitchen tiles you choose will have a great deal to do with how stressed out you feel next time something’s spilled on the floor or next time a heavy pot gets dropped. Stone tile, for instance, is prone to staining and even chipping in a way that vinyl tile never will be. And because it’s a very expensive material, stone tile can cause stress and strain on the pocketbook if it stains or chips. Replacing this tile can be an expensive affair, both in labor and materials. If you have a very active kitchen and you cook a lot, stone tile is probably not the best choice.

You might want to go the opposite of a stone tile which is porous, and choose something that’s sealed and glazed to make it stain proof. Ceramic or porcelain tile can fit this bill, but they cost quite a bit to install and do take special care because of the grout. Porcelain tiles also tend to cost more, especially the ones that are solid color all the way through so that if a chip occurs it won’t mar the look of your floor.

Vinyl tile is one of the most popular tiles available for flooring in any room, and the kitchen is a great choice. You can find these tiles in any color or pattern you can imagine. And if you’d love the look of a wooden kitchen floor but can’t afford it or would find it impractical, you can achieve that look with relatively inexpensive vinyl floor tiles.

Don’t go for the outright cheapest brands. Choose higher quality, brand-name tiles, especially if you’re going for the parquet floor look. High-quality travertine tile will definitely give it that wood look, while cheap tile might start to look worn early on and ruin the wood-floor illusion.