Flooring entry, family room and kitchen

8 years ago

We have a patchwork of flooring in our two story house., including lots of laminate. We are beginning a kitchen remodel and want to take the opportunity to make the entry, short hall to family room, family room, short hall to garage, guest bath and kitchen all the same flooring - and possibly even a split staircase that goes down to second floor with all the bedrooms. We live in the family room, including two lively dogs (one small and one medium.) The laminate has been damaged in spots and just looks dated to me. It has been suggested that we go with engineered hardwood, but my style is not one of being okay with the 'natural' look of chips, dents, etc. I also worry about water damage in kitchen. My husband worries about tile being too cold, but I am beginning to think it is the only reasonable solution. I have heard about increased use of vinyl that looks like tile or wood - but wonder if that looks too commercial and maybe not as good for resale. Would appreciate any ideas, experiences, etc.

Comments (4)

PRO
Studio M Designs
8 years ago
Engineered Hardwood is one the best for ROI when it comes to resale. They come in a variety of finishes even without dents & chips. With basic maintenance, they work great for kitchens too.

Check out some modern style options here : hardwood options.

For pics of Kitchen with hardwood floors :[https://www.houzz.com/photos/wood-floor-tile-kitchen-phbr0lbl-bl~l_43189[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/wood-floor-tile-kitchen-phbr0lbl-bl~l_43189)

As for bathroom floors, I have seen hardwood being used. If you are not comfortable with that , you can get tiles that look like wood planks ( to coordinate with the rest of the wood flooring ). Easily available at most home improvement stores.
joadurkee thanked Studio M Designs
calidesign
8 years ago
I second the engineered hardwood. It is fine in a kitchen. Just use a rug under the main sink area. We also have it in a guest bathroom without any issues. Tile is much colder and harder to walk on.
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We have engineered hardwood (maple) and my son's dog scratched it up badly when he stayed here a few months. I was grateful that the laundry room flooded into the family room and was able to replace the floor. It also showed paw prints and I had to clean it every day. Maybe he was just a sweatier dog than others. Lol. BTW, I replaced it with the same floor but it's only the two of us so it looks good.
PRO
Cancork Floor Inc.
8 years ago
You do not have the personality to handle the "patina" of hardwood (patina is the nice way of saying "damage" or "age-related appearance"). I'm going to say "Good for you for knowing who you are and what you accept and won't accept in your flooring". I always say, "Homeowner Know thyself!". You do. Good. You are 10 steps ahead of people who want perfection but don't know they want it.

When it comes to someone who does not accept patina (aging) that leaves you with 4 options: concrete (polished, stained, epoxy, whatever makes you happy), ceramic tile, porcelain tile, stone or vinyl. That's it. We are done. No other options available for your personality type. None.

I would say concrete is out and so to the tile/stone options because your spouse is worried about being "too hard". Excellent. We are down to 1 option. Super easy to narrow down the choices when you know what you DON'T want.

Good. On to vinyl flooring. The "commercial" grade vinyls look commercial. The residential grade vinyls look cozy and "natural"...even though they mimic something else.

With your home and the dogs, I HIGHLY recommend working with the expensive stuff...the glue in place vinyl. Glue down vinyl planks (not all can be glued down...so choose wisely) are the toughest residential floors a professional flooring installer can put into a home. The planks are slightly cheaper than the click-together but the adhesive and the cost of install cause the price to SKYROCKET. This is the price of "perfection".

Many resilient flooring installers LOVE the performance of glue down vinyl planks. Especially the high-end brand names like Karndean. They have ZERO call backs for problems with install/performance.

Be aware that vinyl will, eventually, scratch. Oh...and concrete eventually scratches as well. So does porcelain. So does ceramic. So does stone. But these materials do it THE LEAST.

If you know you can't handle anything other than perfection (you don't like patina) then you will be spending more. That's OK. You will purchase a floor that will last a VERY long time. Quality will out perform low-end every time.

Flooring entry, family room and kitchen

Comments (4)

Studio M Designs

calidesign

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wheatey123

Cancork Floor Inc.

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