New Kitchen Flooring-remodel

Hi All,

I am remodeling my house and am taking up the current flooring in the kitchen and carpet in the living room.
I have three kids and two big dogs. My goal is to put in something durable and scratch resistant that does not show dirt as easily as my light colored vinyl flooring.I am thinking about putting in a neutral color vinyl square that looks like fake tile.One product I like is Mannington Adura. Thinking about putting that over the entire main level and getting rid of carpet and just putting in some large 10 x 10 rug in the living room.

Any ideas or products you guys like? I am not fond of the laminated snap together wood products.

Thanks for any input.

Mike

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One product I like is Mannington Adura.

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Is that the stuff that looks like tile w/ grout lines and all? My parents put in something similar (not sure on brand) to that on their main floor (kitchen, informal dining, formal dining, and foyer) a few years ago. It looks pretty nice and has held up well, although aside from visits from us with our Great Dane and toddler son, I’d say they’re fairly easy on it. They do like it though, and I think they’d go the same route if they had to do it all over again.

I’d stay away from the sticky tiles, too many seam lines to get dirty and caught on dogs nails and such. Go with a vinyl with a pattern that will hide the abuse. my .02. We are about to do the same thing and I have to go that route, house is too old and floors are not level enough for anything else.

Ralph,

Mannington product adura can have grout line or it can go without.
One Stout- my floors are not exactly level either.This product is not a sticky back but can be glued down or “float” if I want to put a shoe or base all around the edge.

Thanks for the replies…keep them coming guys!

Mike

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Ralph,

Mannington product adura can have grout line or it can go without.

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My folks have a product that looks like tile with a grout line.

I know you said you weren’t a fan of it, but we built our house 10 years ago and used Pergo Presto Wood Laminate flooring on our entire main floor (except bedrooms and bathroom), and we love it. It still looks exactly the same as it did when it was installed 10 years ago, and overall it looks very nice.

I agree with Wadsworth, they make some amazing laminates. I just installed a laminate floor in my kitchen and I’m really happy with it.

The one thing to be careful about with laminates is an uneven subfloor. I’m just going from memory but I believe it was something like a difference of 3/16″ or more over a 10′ area. If it’s more it will create too much stress on the locking grooves.

The newer laminates are tough as nails. The laminate I went with has a 25 year warranty so they must believe in their product.

I did a laminate floor a couple months ago for a guy and the product he bought had set on the shelf too long. When two pieces were snapped together it wouldn’t lay flat. I called him and he said do what you can with it. I got it partially snapped together but not like it should be. It was a special order stuff in hickory and it looks nice and stays inplace but its not snapped completely together. I asked him if he wanted to return it and he said no that he didn’t have the time. It will lay there and not move but it has high and low spots. We looked at the manufacturing date and it was packaged 4 years ago. Make sure the manufacturing date is within the last year.

We have pergo laminate at the cabin we put in over 15 years ago. It had glued seams instead of snap fit. It still looks very good and is very durable. We have a cheap laminate at our house in the kitchen and it looks like crap with lots of scratches. I would put pergo in again for sure. I would also consider a tile floor. We have a slate tile floor in the basement at the cabin. It seems to be pretty durable. I really like the looks of a tile floor. Tiling is an easy do it yourself project. You can get instructions online. It is quite a bit of labor though.

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Tiling is an easy do it yourself project. You can get instructions online.

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Not for the dumb SOB that thought he could DIY the kitchen floor in our house! I think he did just about everything wrong.

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Tiling is an easy do it yourself project. You can get instructions online.

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Not for the dumb SOB that thought he could DIY the kitchen floor in our house! I think he did just about everything wrong.

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Ralph,
You are right. I should have added you need to follow the instructions too. I’ve done some smaller tile project (bathrooms) that I’m not very proud of.

Many options out there for flooring and deciding on one can be daunting. The most important factor for me is functionality, I let the wife deal with the fashion. I have layed down many floors, and more importantly I believe is I have ripped out many. Ride a car all you want but to really get to know it got to look under the hood. Kind of like wom……

Ceramic and better yet porcelain tile is your most durable. It is cold to the feet and can sore up the joints if walked on enough over time. But as far as an kitchen area will provide the best long term floorcovering, but also $$$.

Vinyl tile is softer and warmer than regular tile, and depending on manufacturer can be fantastic. Needs to be installed correctly and would recommend one that is grouted, that way all the joints are sealed up and any water penetration would be stopped from destroying it from below.

Laminates can be very nice as well depending on make but I will mention I have seen many of the nicer brands get destroyed from dogs. If your house is prone to being a bit more humid in the spring and summer then dry up a bit in the winter it will cause the seams of most every floor to buckle and contract just a tad, and just that little bit which is even tough to feel out with your socks is a big enough lip where that nail catches and bam chip, and that chip just gets worse and worse. Most laminates last forever, it is just all the edges here and there get nasty. And if there is any water damage at any time, forget trying to salvage any part of a laminate floor it is rip out and start all over. Being it is the kitchen that tends to happen a lot. And I am talking even a spilt pot of water, or dog urine, that a good amount gets to penetrate underneath the trim around the walls and cabinets.

Hardwood floors is a really good option depending on the species, and there are some commercial grade finishes available nowadays that will last just as long as the laminates and hey, its an actual real floor!! Not a fancy picture that was photocopied onto some vinyl junk. Sorry I am quite biased in this regard but I believe if you have the initial up front cost for a good wood floor, it will save you substantial money in the long run and you have the all the benefits that come with a beautiful hardwood floor. 2nd generation floorman and been at it now over a decade so just my honest opinion. Feel free to PM for any other specific questions that you may have.

There is a product out there called Konecto. It is vinyl that can be in a wood or tile pattern. Very good product. It is a little pricey to buy but you can put it down yourself. You save on the install.

We did a whole house flooring redo last August. We put the adura in the kitchen and all bathrooms. We love it. 2 kids and a 90 labrador. It is a great product. We went with a luxury vinyl in the living areas up and down. Metrofloor? I think? Went with Kerastan carpet in bedrooms and TV area.

Good choices for us.

If you can afford $2.50 a square ft. for oak (Menards prices here) and can use a drill to predrill the holes and then drive a 8 penny finish nail into the tounge side into that hole, do it yourself. Its not that hard. Maybe one of your friends has an electric mitre saw (chop box) to cut the pieces to length. Believe me its not that hard. If you can put a wood model airplane together you can put an oak tounge and groove floor down.

You can rent a nail gun made just for wood flooring

Are you trying to reel me in mossydan or have you not been around the const. trades for about 50yrs? Hand nailing wood flooring, maybe, maybe your friend has an electric saw That’s good stuff man.

Has anyone looked at the snap tile system they have at Menards? Looks like a guy could do it himself and have a tile floor. We need a new kitchen floor also and giving this a thought, the wife likes dura ceramic by congoleum it is vinyl with the grout lines or not, she has some friends that have it and like it.

I’ve put in three of these floors in kitchen/dining areas. Great product. Home Depot has one very similar and in fact may be made for them by the same company. Vinyl plank product to look like wood or tile or stone. Floating floor and the pieces glue together. My sis in law has for 6 yrs now and looks like day one.

Konecto

home depot

You state some good knowledge in you thoughts, but @ .50cents a square foot?

Give me a PM with a contact #. It’s like comparing ford to chev with a lot of great options to choose from. I’ve been in the biz since 85 and can give you some insight specific to your situation.

No Hamm, I see your a flooring contractor. Because you know your floors why wouldn’t you just put a wood floor down and stay away from the man made stuff. I didn’t know you knew floors until I looked at your bio, you just looking for something diffrent to put down? Heck I don’t know. Ya I know what flooring nailers and staplers are but you didn’t answer the question about the chop saw lol.

Sometimes wood floors aren’t affordable to everyone, and knowing that there are many other options out there and thought I would give my opinion on what I have run across over the years.

As far as the saw and possibly other tools go a case of beer would get me to loan out just about anything.

I know what your saying, a case of beer or a fifth of vodka works wonders sometimes.