In short: Laminate costs KSh 1,799 per sqm for 8mm and KSh 1,999 for 12mm at Excel Deco, against roughly KSh 1,800 to 4,000 per sqm for tiles plus cement and labour. Laminate fits in a day and suits bedrooms, while tiles win in wet rooms.

Side by side

Prices last updated October 2026. Ask on WhatsApp for today’s rate and stock.

Choose laminate for

Bedrooms, living rooms, home offices and rentals. Anywhere dry where you want warmth and a quick change.

Choose tiles for

Bathrooms, kitchens with heavy use, verandas and ground floors with any damp.

The third option

SPC flooring gives the look of laminate with the water resistance of tiles, from KSh 2,200 per sqm. Many of our customers who started with this question end up choosing SPC for the kitchen and laminate for the bedrooms.

One bedroom, two ways: the real numbers

Take a 4 x 4 metre bedroom. That is 16 sqm. Add 10 percent for cutting and you buy about 18 sqm either way.

At the cheap end the material costs are close. The gap comes from cement, labour and the days you cannot use the room. With 12mm laminate at KSh 1,999 the bedroom comes to 18 x KSh 1,999 = KSh 35,982.

Over ten years the picture changes again. A well laid tile floor can stay for decades. Laminate in a bedroom lasts many years with care, then can be replaced in a day. Ask yourself how long you plan to stay in the house before you decide.

Living in the house while the work happens

Most people in Nairobi re floor while they live in the house. That changes the choice more than people expect.

• Laminate clicks together over the old floor. Furniture moves out of one room, the floor goes down and the furniture comes back the same day.
• Tiles mean breaking or levelling, cement dust through the house and a room you cannot walk on until it sets.
• If you rent, tiling is rarely allowed. Laminate can be lifted when you leave.

Planning a full fit out? Our interior finishing checklist shows what to do first.

Plan the room order with the fitter. Start with the bedroom you can empty most easily, then move the furniture into it while the next room is done. Most families sleep in their own beds the same night.

Kenyan habits that decide it

Heavy mopping. Many homes wash floors with a full bucket every day. Laminate does not like standing water at the joints. If your house help floods the floor, tiles or a waterproof click floor suit you better.

The long rains. Mud comes in on shoes. Laminate copes if you wipe it, but a mat at the door matters.

Ground floor damp. If walls show damp near the floor, sort it before any laminate goes down.

Noise upstairs. Tiles echo. Laminate on underlay sounds softer to the flat below.

Children and pets. Laminate is warmer to sit on than tiles, which children like. Pet claws can scratch both, but scratches show more on dark laminate.

The mixed plan most homes end up with

You do not have to pick one for the whole house. A common split is tiles in the bathroom, laminate in the bedrooms and a waterproof SPC floor in the kitchen and living room.

• Excel Deco does not sell tiles, so use your usual hardware for those.
• For bathrooms, see what else works in bathroom flooring.
• For the main rooms, compare SPC flooring vs tiles.
• For full laminate costs by room size, see laminate flooring prices.

Where a laminate room meets a tiled bathroom or kitchen, a threshold strip covers the join and stops water from the wet room running under the laminate. Keep the bathroom door closed when mopping the bathroom so water does not track out onto the laminate.

Shop the products on this page

Laminate Flooring 8mm and 12mmKSh 1,799Peel and Stick Vinyl Planks and TilesKSh 1,250Garage Grid Tiles 40 x 40cm 18mmKSh 949Rubber Gym Tiles 20mm InterlockingKSh 4,800

Questions buyers ask

Is laminate cheaper than tiles?

Yes once fitting is included. Laminate needs no cement or drying time.

Can laminate go over tiles?

Yes if the tiles are level. Lay underlay first.

Does laminate work in a kitchen?

It can, but spills must be wiped at once. SPC is safer.

Which lasts longer?

Tiles. Laminate lasts 10 to 15 years with care.

Is laminate noisy to walk on?

It can sound hollow without underlay. Laid on a proper underlay it is quiet enough for most homes and quieter than tiles for the flat below.

Does Excel Deco sell tiles?

No. Excel Deco sells laminate, SPC, vinyl, carpet and mats, but not tiles.

Is laminate a good choice for a rental?

Yes, for bedrooms and living rooms. It goes down in a day and can be lifted if you move, which tiles cannot.

Shop and read next

• Laminate flooring
• Laminate prices
• SPC vs tiles
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