Kitchen Floor Options...

[Hallagan]

I am working on a kitchen remodel. Right now working on cabinets. Recently I finished the hallway in living room and refinished the hardwood. I wanted the entryway to look nice so I tore up the old 1980's linoleum and laid some laminate that looks like 12" tiles. The stuff wears well, has been down for 6 months and virtually no wear, but it feels like walking on plastic or an office chair matt if you know what I mean. The kitchen entry is just to the left of the main entry so the left side of the entry floor butts up to the kitchen floor.

At this point I am not sure what I want to do here. Those of you who have laminate in a kitchen... what do you think of it for a kitchen. I worry about a water leak ruining the whole floor. I have will be tearing up the old lenolium and the 1/4 ply it is on. I know it is sitting on top of another old linoleum floor just like the entry was.

New linoleum's.... what do you guys think of some of these new products. They seem very soft and maybe prone to tearing or ripping. Are they difficult to lay down?

Lastly, considering 12 inch ceramic or stone floors. The sub floor is the original. Will the cement board laid over an old linoleum floor and then the tile laid over that be a stable base without cracking or problems like that?

Sorry for all the questions. I guess I am looking for the reliability and wear of these different products and ease in laying. Thanks and sorry for all the questions

Corey

[newbie2wood]

Laminate and engineered flooring products are easily damaged by water and are not normally recommended for bathroom and kitchen areas. Vinyl floorings are more suited for these types of areas and are more cost effective. However, they do look cheap IMO. You will have to decide which is more important, looks or durability. A good compromise would be solid wood flooring.

Ceramic tiles are great but are a PITA if cracked after installation. For tiles, I would remove the old vinyl floor to reduce the risk of the tiles cracking. I'm sure that other people will tell you that laying tiles on top of the old vinyl floor with the cement board will be fine. It really depends on the risk that you are willing to take.

I am not familiar with the "new" linoleum. If you are referring to the commerical xf product, its advantage is in the reduced maintanence of the linoleum.
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affair Cams

[Pappy]

I redid my entry floors a few years ago with the best 12" vinyl tiles I could find. Ok under normal use at the front door but the entry to my work room has some damage. Next time around, it will be ceramic or porcelan tile along with the kitchen, baths and laundry.

[dkhoward]

I did our entry, dining and breakfast areas with laminate. I was going to do the kitchen but a friends of mine did hers several years ago. Just the normal drips and spill of everyday use have impacted the laminate in her kitchen .. the edges and joints are swollen and you can see every one of them

[cobob]

I don't have a name but I could get it. I just moved and the new hospital had put down a 'linoleum' that lookes like wood laminate ... exactly like wood. It's textured like wood. It's more difficult to clean due to the texture. It's in all the hallways, high traffic areas, and wears very well. It glues down in strips, like laminate, according to the hospital, it has to be 'professionally installed' but how hard could it be? Anyway if anyone's interested, I can ask around & find the manufacturer.;

[Popeye]

I don't have a name but I could get it. I just moved and the new hospital had put down a 'linoleum' that lookes like wood laminate ... exactly like wood. It's textured like wood. It's more difficult to clean due to the texture. It's in all the hallways, high traffic areas, and wears very well. It glues down in strips, like laminate, according to the hospital, it has to be 'professionally installed' but how hard could it be? Anyway if anyone's interested, I can ask around & find the manufacturer.;

OK, I'm asking Thanks Pat

[wardprobst]

I'd recommend against laminate in the kitchen area- it's a pain. We have oak strip floor every where but entries and bathrooms. If I did it over I'd skip the kitchen as well, just more trouble than it's worth. I don't much care for the options available either. The best tile we were able to find at Lowe's was the commercial Armstrong tiles- not pretty but durable.
DP

[Hallagan]

Thanks All, I am pretty much crossing off the laminate. I am not a fan of vinyl square tiles. They just don't hold up and are an open invitaion for problem on the joints. Looking at either sheet vinyl or ceramic tile. Just not sure if I go with the ceramic or stone tiles if the cement board over original floori is ok or not.

corey

[jaybee]

Try looking here:

http://www.congoleum.com/res-product...ne=duraceramic

You have to put down 5 by 5 sheets of thin ply underlay (they give a couple of brand names in the installation pdf), but if you draw lines - the glue used goes clear when it is dry enough to place tiles. The warranty is fantastic. You can heat them a bit and bend them into place around a depressed floor drain. I went to a local dealer and their huge sample flooring area was very impressive. Next summer will be the big project kitchen replacement, and duraceramic is, after 2 years of looking, still in 1st place for the new floor.

Oh yeah, no concrete board and yes I did say glue, not thinset!!

[jziegler]

OK, I'm asking Thanks Pat

Pat,

I'm not there, but when looking for kitchen flooring, I saw something similar and have the brochure for it. Mannintgon Limms has the Adura line of "luxury resilient floors" which includes some wood look, and lots of nice stone look times. Some of the wood is in strips, the stone is 18" square tiles. There brochure even shows them mixed.

www.mannington.com is the website.

They are a local company where I live, make good products, and help out the community, so a good company to deal with.

Jim

[jhart]

We put down Laminate in our kitchen 3 years ago. As we were also concerned about moisture and spills, we put 3 coats of poly on and have had absolutely no problems with any type of moisture on it. Has really worked out great.

[brooks]

Lastly, considering 12 inch ceramic or stone floors. The sub floor is the original. Will the cement board laid over an old linoleum floor and then the tile laid over that be a stable base without cracking or problems like that?
Corey

These stone/ceramic floors are too hard on the back and legs. Plus every single noise is exaggerated and anything dropped breaks. People who work in the kitchen need a quieter, softer surface. Cork is good if you want a natural floor. New vinyls are easier to install than they used to be, they're soft and pliable. Floor cleaning products are also easier on the top coats. New wood floors are also easier to clean and some have long wear top coats applied at the factory.

[thrytis]

New vinyls are easier to install than they used to be, they're soft and pliable.

Is "soft and pliable" a good thing for a kitchen floor? I think that describes the vinyl on my kitchen floor. At ten years old, it has been scratched from things sliding across the floor, gouged from things dropping on the floor, and excessively worn in higher traffic areas. It isn't pretty.

[jziegler]

Is "soft and pliable" a good thing for a kitchen floor? I think that describes the vinyl on my kitchen floor. At ten years old, it has been scratched from things sliding across the floor, gouged from things dropping on the floor, and excessively worn in higher traffic areas. It isn't pretty.

The ancient (fake brick pattern) in my kitchen certianly looks kinda like that. But it's not stopping me from going with teh new stuff. The floor I mentioned earlier has a 30 year warrenty, so they certainly think it will last a long time. The texture on it I think may also help to hide some scratches. I don't know how easliy it will clean, but can't be much worse than what's there now. Of course, kitchen, bath, and basement are the only places you'll find me using vinyl.

Jim

[Russianwolf]

real wood with poly applied after installation. If it's good enough for basketball stadiums it's good enough for your kitchen.