Current status:
– Carpet in family, lving, dining room and hallway.
– Vinyl in kitchen and nook area
– ceramic in foyer
– house is 10 years old and carpet in family room and hallway is showing its age. Vinyl flooring also needs replacement.
– have 3 children – twins age 4 and a 10 year old.
– not likely to change ceramic in foyer as it is still in good condition.
Needs:
– What do we replace the current flooring with? (carpet, hardwood floor, ceramic, cork etc?.
– criteria – cost effective, durable and allergy/ asmtha friendly
Please advise
Replies
A properly installed solid hardwood floor is hard to beat and if it gets beat up over time, can be refinished. Cost varies, with Oak strip floors quite durable and less expensive for the material than wider plank.
Cork looks nice but is relatively soft.
FHB magazine had a pretty nice feature on floor coverings 3 or 4 issues ago...everything from vinyl to linoleum to bamboo and wood to stainless steel. If you can't find a copy, check your local library.
Hi:
Thanks for the advice. We are still trying to understand the various options and the pros and cons of each. Perhaps this magazine issue will help. We will look for it.
Not long ago, I installed some prefinished 5/8" bamboo flooring in a new house. It was my 1st experience with bamboo, but it's really nice stuff!
The finish is backed with aluminum oxide (for toughness)and it has a very good warrantee. The micro bevel (the bane of prefinished floors) is very small, but it can be ordered prefinished without the micro bevel.
It cost just under $4 per sq. ft, delivered. Ordered via internet from Fastfloors ( I think you"ll find it at http://www.fastfloors.com ).
I put it down with a pneumatic floor nailer, which I would suggest you rent if you're doing it yourself. Unlike a lot of unfinished flooring, this stuff was dead on straight and went together like a dream.
If you're doing this yourself, get Tauntons book on floor laying...it will give you a good idea of how to and what you're in for.
Notchie...why do you say the bevel is the bane of prefinished flooring? I thought that was the only saving grace, since you can't sand it smooth after installation, the bevel reduces the inevitable uneveness.
Do it right, or do it twice.
those bevels look like crap across an entire floor and if they are big enough, they can collect dirtNever be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, Professionals build the Titanic.
Ok, but I saw a friends house that had 1 YO pre-finished square edge floors, and there were a significant number of places where the edges had splintered off, leaving a much lighter color showing through.
Do it right, or do it twice.
Some people prefer the continuous surface of a wood floor sanded and finished in place. And some folks consider the micro bevels as a place for dirt and dust to accumulate.
And I think, in part, some of the early prefinished floor products were of inferior quality, creating a stigma that persists. So the micro bevel, for some folks, is like a sign that says "el cheapo."
While I don't necessarily concur with the above, I've encountered it frequently with customers, who insist on a traditional installation of unfinished wood, sanded, filled, finished, etc., despite the additional expense.
Quite honestly, I've been impressed with some of the newer prefinished products and installation is really a breeze.
I think one of Marge Can's problems with installing hardwood is that his existing sub-floor may be particle board (I know because we work together and I spoke to him about it this morning). One of the wood lamenate floating floor products(which I have never been crazy about) may be an easier solution.
I'm going to dig up the FH on flooring material and get it to him.
paul
Thank you to everyone for your help. It looks like wood is the preferred option. Does this still include the kitchen -- remember I have the twins and we all spill and drop things on occasion.
If wood is the answer, and as Paul indicated I have a particle board sub-floor, where do I go from here? We are more inclined to go with a pre-finished product but we want something that is a close to the real thing (i.e. traditional wood flooring planks) as possible.
pbd subfloor?
or did you mean underlayment? .
Excellence is its own reward!
Good point Piff (I knew we kept you around for a reason). I thought it was my inexperience when he said particle board subfloor, and I didn't want to raise the question and look toopid again.
Do it right, or do it twice.
Be careful if you decide to go with engineered flooring. We just installed prefinished bamboo this weekend and paid $6/sq to get one that didn't offgas a formaldehyde. We could have gotten some that didn't offgas for less, but we didn't want the bevelled edges either. If allergies are indeed a problem for you, do a little research on the exact brand and product you are putting down.
That said, I'm really happy with our new floor, and hopefully our daughter's nose will like it better than the carpet.
It seems that more research is still in order. I am still waiting for my working buddy Paul to give me a copy of FH magazine. Thanks for all the advice so far. I will keep you posted of progress....
Marge Can and eventually will make a decision on what to do.
What kind of budget do you have? Is this a do-it-yourself project or contracted out? Welcome to the forum...where are you?
Do it right, or do it twice.
Edited 5/25/2003 3:13:24 PM ET by ELCID72
Hi:
This would be a contracted out project. We live in Canada. We are looking at about 800 square feet of floor area. I would like to keep it to about $6 or $7 per square foot it possible.
$6-7 is uhhhhhhh.
Go for the wooden floor IMO. Use a mositure cure sealer and no stain if you want to keep the price down. Moisture cure is seriously durable and wood is refinishable and adds to the value of your home big time. you can use place rugs over it as well....Done deal? I think so.
Don't know if youre near Tremblant but if you are I might just do the job myself next winter for a place to stay and ski...(kidding)...uh, hows about whistler?
WOOD!
Be allergy free
Namaste
abdy
In his first interview since the stroke, Ram Dass, 66, spoke with great difficulty about how his brush with death has changed his ideas about aging, and how the recent loss of two old friends, Timothy Leary and Allen Ginsberg, has convinced him that now, more than ever, is the time to ``Be Here Now.''
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
I guess based on your reaction, my cost numbers may be out. These are in canadian dollars too! It looks like carpet runs about $4 - $5 per square foot installed with traditional flooring around $8 - $10 installed.
P.S. We are about an hour and a half from Tremblant in Ottawa. Too bad your kidding about your offer ... room and board for installation hmmmmmmm....!!!
Marge
If you have a particle board sub floor then I'd recommend laying felt paper before you start the wood floor. Thing is....no water should get under it anyway and using moisture cure as the finish reallyyyyyyyyy helps.
One other thing...be sure to let the bundles of wood sit in the house for a good few weeks to acclimate to the climate in your house.
I hear Ottawa is an awesome city......How far from the border is that to get back to NY? Took me about 2 hours to get to Tremblant from the NY border.
Only thing is...this SARS thing better get cleared up...way bummer huh?
Actually I like Tremblant so much I think I'd go anyway.
Be well
Namaste
andy
In his first interview since the stroke, Ram Dass, 66, spoke with great difficulty about how his brush with death has changed his ideas about aging, and how the recent loss of two old friends, Timothy Leary and Allen Ginsberg, has convinced him that now, more than ever, is the time to ``Be Here Now.''
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
I haven't seen the floor, your probably right it if their is pbd, then it's probably an overlay.
paul
Andy,
Ottawa is about 45 min. from Alexandra Bay. When I was young / single and foolish, I'd drive Ottawa to the upper east side in 7 hours (without traffic). Now it's more like 9.
No SARs in Ottawa, but if you really want some, Toronto's only 4 hours away!
paul
SARS....yummm
Engineered Snap together flooring for that price.
Then when the kids are grown you can go to real wood - if they are still growing trees by then.
Excellence is its own reward!
Engineered Snap together flooring
Sounds a lot like Pergo and the like, Pergo sucks, don't use Pergo, Please don't use PergoNever be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, Professionals build the Titanic.
Pergo bad
but
there are a hundred other brands.
Excellence is its own reward!
was hoping you would clarify, didn't think you meant pergo, but thought the guy asking the question might think along those lines.
I don't know the brand, but the stuff my parents have in their house in Houston ain't half bad, might be the only redeeming quality of that home.Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, Professionals build the Titanic.
As a person who has lived in and around Toronto most of his life, let's not blow the SARS thing out of proportion. In big cities, more people are dying from car accidents or gunshot wounds each week than are dying from SARS in Toronto. Life in Toronto is going on quite normally right now.
I've installed Witek laminate flooring (can go by the North American distributors name, too, which I can't remember - look at the packaging). Seems okay as far as laminate goes, 20 year guarantee, made in Germany. Cuts easy, goes down easy. $3 to 5/ft in Toronto, available at big box stores (they've dumped Pergo up here) and flooring specialty stores. Won't damage from kids playing like hardwood will. (My parent's hardwood floor has got a quarter inch deep, dime-sized depression punched in it; grandchildren or perhaps my father managed to drop something). Witek, because of the foam underlay and the fact that it's floating, is also softer on aging ankle and knee joints than hardwood.
If you do have underlayment down, I'd remove it. I'd also screw down the subfloor if it was nailed.
Regards,
Tim Ruttan