Help Choosing New Floor

7 years ago

We need to remove all this slate and floorboards from back room. Colour and type of flooring advice welcome. Flooring will also run into back laundry toilet area. Total 107sqm

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User

7 years ago

last modified: 7 years ago

We just had an awful dark and bumpy slate floor removed and replaced with limestone as part of a kitchen refurb. It was a messy process, but the builders got all the slate up in a day, and it has transformed the light of the room.

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Comments (32)

bigreader
7 years ago
I don't mind it as is.
Lee-Ann Kelly thanked bigreader
Lee-Ann Kelly
Original Author
7 years ago
Thanks...but I has to go.
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User
7 years ago
Massive job....does the slate run under the kitchen? Will mean removing and replacing kitchen as well.

You obviously hate it. Look at Pangea concrete veneer. It's expensive, but once you demo all the slate, then potentially have to replace whatever is under it because of damage the jackhammer will do, price will be at parity with Pangea anyway.

I love the texture of the slate. It gives your space a point of difference, rather than looking generic. It looks unique.
Lee-Ann Kelly thanked User
PRO
MB Design & Drafting
7 years ago
Timber to match the existing? Timeless and always looks great.
Lee-Ann Kelly thanked MB Design & Drafting
Lee-Ann Kelly
Original Author
7 years ago
We don't like the existing timber or slate.
blufitch
7 years ago
If you can afford it I highly recommend travertine in a light shade. Not high gloss though! Similar to what we have... really opens up the rooms and has a lovely bright and natural feel about it. Very hard-wearing - if it gets any scratches you can just buff them out as it's stone all the way through.
Lee-Ann Kelly thanked blufitch
Lee-Ann Kelly
Original Author
7 years ago
That looks great and might work for us. I called a company and it seems around $85 sqm plus delivery. That is pushing the budget for us as we have slate removal at $50sqm and then laying. looking around the $45 - $60 mark
PRO
Showhomes with Tracey McLeod
7 years ago
I agree that travertine would be stunning. However, given your budget, polished concrete may be a great solution. I have used it in a couple of projects recently. Looks fabulous and is easy to maintain http://www.boral.com.au/productcatalogue/product.aspx?product=2772
Lee-Ann Kelly thanked Showhomes with Tracey McLeod
PRO
2 FIND and DESIGN
7 years ago
Another option could be to resurface the timber floors and stain to a colour in the slate, I'm liking a grey. Then break up the slate by adding rugs in the grey tones also. A hall runner and one under the dining table.
Some contrasting dining chairs in black would add interest against all the white cabinets. Then you could invest in a statement pendant over the dining table to finish the look...
Lee-Ann Kelly thanked 2 FIND and DESIGN
alison179
7 years ago
I had slate, but the really dark one and I couldn't match the slate again, to tile the rest of the house. It would have been a nightmare to take up what was there, so I just used a contrast. Your tiles are quite neutral. Putting travestine down, is just another tile.

The tiler whom tiled the new section, was actually the tiler who tiled the first section. He said that they had been so well glued down, they would have been horrible to pull up. Your floors will need so much prep. People don't look at "just" your floors, they look at the furniture, the ornaments and the way in which you decorate.

You could get the most amazing rug for under the table or even a bigger area and perhaps a contrasting hall runner. It would look amazing and save you a fortune.

P.S I was a property manager for years and have seen hundreds of houses that really needed new floor tiles, but when I saw your room, I thought the look is very attractive.
Lee-Ann Kelly thanked alison179
Gallifrey
7 years ago
I could not imagine not having timber floors. We have had tiles, carpet, lino etc in previous houses, but just love our timber floors. Solid/traditional blackbutt t&G inner main house, and engineered oak in our holiday house. Love both, but chose engineered for our last build.
LesleyH
7 years ago
From another similar post. Great Texture.
Lee-Ann Kelly thanked LesleyH
Varinia
7 years ago
I had all my slate removed recently. Was a huge job, took 3 days but I also removed my old kitchen. When they removed the slate, they needed to redo certain parts of the slab. The removal process damaged stairs and skirting as well.

However I chose a tile that looks fabulous in a grey/white with an almost woodlike finish, the area looks bright and a lot more spacious.

I love it now and certainly didn't regret removing the dated and dreary slate.
Lee-Ann Kelly thanked Varinia
Varinia
7 years ago
KK1000
7 years ago
Normally I would say keep it but this one is not a keeper. You could use timber look tiles there is a huge range and it would work for the bathroom and laundry area as well.
Lee-Ann Kelly thanked KK1000
KK1000
7 years ago
If you are in Sydney look at TFO they are very reasonable priced
Lee-Ann Kelly thanked KK1000
olldroo
7 years ago
Lee-Ann - I'm wondering if it is possible to lay a floating timber flooring like laminate or vinyl over the top of the slate to save the cost and hassle of jackhammering the slate out. I'm just not sure of thicknesses and how much this would affect levels with adjoining rooms. If it was only a similar difference to the level of carpet and timber or tiles, then I feel it would be liveable.

I'm asking this question for myself too, as I'm looking to relocate shortly and so many homes now have tiled flooring in the living areas that are just too painful for me to live with.
Varinia
7 years ago
Hi olldroo, I considered that option too but the slate was too uneven and would have needed resurfacing anyway.
olldroo
7 years ago
Thanks Varinia - I haven't really gone exploring all options available these days but I know there is a cushioning that goes under the floating floors and I was wondering if this might come in different thicknesses to offset any unevenness. There also used to be a product that you could put over uneven flooring that found its own levels and provided a good surface for laying tiles.
Lee-Ann Kelly
Original Author
7 years ago
The levels are too high to go over the slate. There are many adjoining rooms so it would not work.
olldroo
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
:( :( That was the worry Lee-Ann. As slate tiles go, they are a nice slate ..... but. Looks like it is going to be an expensive fix, but on the positive side, it will give you a clean "slate" (pun not intended) to start over. Wonder if a Kanga hammer would work so you could maybe hire one and get them up yourselves to save some $$$ although by the time you dispose of them and clean up, having a pro is worth it in the long run.

Sorry can't be more help, but do let us know how you get on.
Bernadette Staal
7 years ago
I would look at all the colours you already have in your slate and pick the colour that you think best suits your style and space. It is a pity to rip up slate. I hope you can reuse it somewhere else or donate it to a charity or similar.
Kayli Wild
7 years ago
I love the slate. A beautiful natural product that hides the dirt. We live in such a wasteful world. I would learn to live with it and spend the money on an amazing holiday.
pascoeyvonne
7 years ago
It's going to be very expensive to replace the slate. I personally like the slate as it's a natural product, not like tiles or floating flooring which is man made. Tile and clothing fashions are much alike; where colours and styles change constantly. I've found that floating timber flooring scratches and dents very easily and great care must be taken not to use too much water when washing the floor. Any spills should be cleaned up immediately before it works its way under the flooring, causing damage.

If you want to use a flooring which is timeless, I suggest you have natural timber boards installed.
PRO
Morel Construction Ltd
7 years ago
Have you considered vinyl planks?
User
7 years ago
How about this as a cost saver- rather than pulling up the existing slate tiles- just pour a whole bunch of concrete over it!

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LesleyH
7 years ago
It may depend on the gap between floor and doors, cupboards and floors in other materials.
denisemarywalsh
7 years ago
I bit the bullet and paid to get my slate removed and taken away from open plan kitchen, lounge and dining area before getting the new kitchen installed - best thing I ever did although the process was painful - should have paid the extra to get the concrete slab levelled at the same time - anyway I then paid the floating floor company extra money to hire a concrete sander to level the floor before the bamboo boards went down. In the end it all worked out once I managed to clean up the concrete dust - very happy with the bamboo flooring so much better than the old slate.

If I was to do it again - I would pay a professional to get the slate up and floor levelled instead of just using the kitchen companies guy to remove the tiles - hopefully they would have a better method of dealing with concrete dust.
LesleyH
7 years ago
Looking forward to seeing the photos when all finished. Thanks for advising others of a better process.
Giselle Topper
5 years ago
Not sure if, this is a possibility or not - but could you get the slate ground back - like they do to cement floors and relay a new product over that - if the slate is sound, then you could possibly spend a few more dollars on the product, if it is cheaper than the cost of the slate removal. I'm thinking you would prefer a lighter normal type tile - since you have mostly white around you could then choose any tile colour that you liked but I would choose something that complemented your favourite pieces of furniture. Good Luck - but I think you will know what you want when you see it.
dreamer
5 years ago
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