We are coming to completion of a large kitchen remodel and addition that will include areas for a desk, computer center, chairs for reading and a large eating area. Our question is flooring.
The practical choice would be slate or granite. My wife already has knee problems and the hard surface would probably aggravate that.
Hardwood would give a warmer more comfortable feel to the room but she worries about maintaining the surface with the normal kitchen spills, water at the sink and dishwasher. We would use unfinished hardwood, sand in place, stained and finished after installation. How will the finish stand up?
Are we going to be happy with hardwood flooring?
Richard
Replies
Richard,
I think one question that you and your wife need to ask yourselves is what sort of wear is acceptable. If you are both fine with a slightly worn, "antique" type look, then even if the floor wears quickly, you'll still have nothing to worry about. However, if you want a pristine, glossy, and smooth-as-glass look, perhaps it would be advisable to consider a more modern surface.
In a kitchen remodel about five years ago, I had the original fir floors resanded, followed by three coats of Swedish finish. The client is a single dad with three boys and a dog -- so the kitchen gets a lot of abuse!
Anyway, it's still holding up well. And remember, that floor is FIR - much more prone to damage than hardwoods. I think you'd be fine with a hardwood floor, but remember to ask yourselves what your expectations are.
Ragnar
Wood will last indefinitely as long as your upkeep it proper. When it wears, screen and apply additional coats of poly BEFORE it wears down to the bare wood. Once it wears to the bare wood you have already abused it and sanding is required. The finish is what should take any use/ abuse.
As for installation/ finishing: Stain/ seal and apply 3 coats oil poly. The first 2 coats should be high gloss - more solids, better build - and the final coat should be satin. Satin will not show the wood/ sanding imperfections nor the scratches which will occur from daily wear and tear.
One last thing; DO NOT install a wood floor with bevel edged boards/ strips in a Kitchen. The grooves act as dirt and sauce catchers. Prefinished flooring is also not practical. The seams between the strips/ planks will not be sealed as when a floor is sanded and poly applied.
Good Luck!
I have used a product called Bonatech in kitchens with hardwood (and elsewhere). It's a two part water based epoxy that is rather durable and produces an attractive finish. Also, it's doesn't have the offgassing of a poly or Glitza so the house can be lived in after application.
I have found that normal human wear and tear is not a major factor, if you maintain like Frankie suggests. Dogs and chairs on the other hand can tear through a finish in no time. Of course, if you have pets you already know if your dog is the kind to scratch at doors and floors. Which means he/she needs more attention...and so will your floor! Chairs can be adapted with proper glides that do a good job as well.
You mention staining. If the floor is not properly maintained and the finish is worn through, then staining, depending on how dark the color is, could make the abuse and lack of proper maintenence very obvious. Also requiring a full sanding to new wood to make coloring consistent. But that's at the extreme.
Seth
mistake. There is no win
and there is no fail . . . there is only
make."
John Cage
I use FLECTO brand poly finish (oil base), did a kitchen and entrance floor for customers that have two border collies that are in the house all of the time. After two years the floor looks like it was just finished. FLECTO is the original poly finish, it was developed for roller rinks (remember those times). I have used their water borne product and been very unhappy with it, but the oil base is fantastic.
I think I would focus on your wife's needs first. If she is already suffering with bad knees and you don't want it to get worst, I would recommend a natural cork floor. As a rule of thumb I don't normally recommend any wood product in any area that water ponding may occur but I think a person's health is more important.
You can get commercial quality cork tiles that are more than 1/8 inch thick that would do the trick.
Soft to walk on, warm to the touch, outlast most wood floors, easy to upkeep and looks good.
Give it some thought, may cost a little but cheaper than a set of new knees.
Gabe
Thank you for your comments on cork. Cork has been our original choice. We looked at our nearby University of Illinois student union building that was built in the 1930's and it still has the same floor in most of the areas!
Our concerns have been and why we are looking at wood or slate are:
No one has laid it here. Flooring stores say, "I think I have someone that could do it." I have read some of the instructions of manufacturers and they talk about 20 minute open time and things like if it doesn't lay down to sand bag it for 24 hours. I would rather do this my self than hire someone that had no more experience than I did.
I am concerned that if it did not suit and had to be replaced that we have put a thin product down. If we then went to 25/32 wood we would likely have things like the dishwasher and Sub Zero refirgerator "trapped'. We had our current dishwasher locked in as a new layer of vinyl had been installed and we got it out only by raising up the counter. The new kitchen will have 40 feet of granite that would not move.
Someone discussed Cork a few weeks ago and said the smell was such that it would not be put into spec houses. We have samples that are in plastic bags that don't smell objectionable--but maybe that is a concern. I appreciate your help.
Thank you. This is a great place to get information. I appreciate your time. We are still considering options.
RICHARD
HOLD THE PHONE!
If your cabinets are not in yet, install and finish the floor throughout FIRST. Otherwise your countertop height will be affected as well as the pull out ability of the dw and range as you mentioned. It may cost more for materials but the installation will be faster. Also if there is a flood, water is less likely to get under the flooring.
There is a special glue for cork. $$$ But it's pretty idiot proof. Wear gloves and old clothes and you're okay. The cheap cork wreaks. Not the good but $$$ stuff.
Thanks for your reply. Who has the good cork and the good glue? We have samples from Luxury Home Products in Apopka, Florida.
I still have the concern that if cork doesn't do it, I have put down a 1/4 inch product and then if we put wood on top, it would be thick enough to trap the dish washer etc.
Thank you again.
Richard
So the cabinets are in?
Where are you located? I'll get the manufacturer's name Mon or Tues. so you can find a distributer in your area. I don't know if they are east vs west territories or random.
Edited 12/29/2002 10:24:33 PM ET by Frankie
Thanks for your comments. No floor is not in. Intend to floor wall to wall before cabinets. Drywall goes up next week. Floor a couple weeks after that. Most Cabinets are ordered for Feb delivery. Others I will make and also I will make cherry wainscoating from our own farm grown wood.
Do you have recommendations for cork sources and the name of the good adhesives? One responder discussed floating floor. The kind with a MDF backer looks like trouble to me.
Richard
We are located near Champaign, Illinois. The center of the state.
Richard
If you wanted to use a cork floating floor installation instead, it would have a thickness of about 1/2 inch and would still do all that I described.
Installation of the floating floor is exactly that of any floating floor system with tongue and grove assembly.
Installation of the tiles is done with standard contact cement and anyone can do it.
It's all to easy for local contractors or suppliers to dismiss a product by claiming installation problems, but I can assure you it's only a wood product and nothing magical.
I don't understand the comments about smell. Every wood has smell. Pine smells differently than oak or cedar or maple and so does cork. Cork is only the outer bark of a species of oak tree and nothing else.
Gabe
Have you considered laminate? Even though most of my new craftsman style house is natrual material (copper flashing and porch roof, hand made ceramic tiles, natural stone columns, custom cherry cabinets) I went with a synthetic for the kitchen floor.
I used Wilsonart because I thought the construction was better than Pergo. It looks beautiful. Since it's a floating floor it is soft on the feet. An optional "extra cushy" pad is available, though I used the standard on mine. The seams are glued, so the floor is completely waterproof on the surface. If you let water get underneath and sit there for a long time I suppose there could be problems.
Mine has been in two years, and there is not a single scratch, even under the kitchen chairs. I haven't actually even washed it, just wipe up spills with a damp sponge, and vacuum the dirt and dust occasionally. (The vacuum has soft wheels, not metal.) It still looks brand new. Though most people use a real light color, I chose cherry and it has a great warm look.
They also make it to imitate stone and tile.
Why not stay with stone and use area rugs where she is prone to stand for long periods? Area rugs are cleanable/replaceable and can change with changes in decorating. They would be easier on the knees than even cork.
Don't forget real linoleum. Natural product.
bit