Cross Post from DIY forum... Need advice on kitchen flooring if you'd like to throw in your $0.02

[grace0418]

We've lived in our condo for 11 years and it's a great place but we need more space and plan to sell soon. The building itself is an old brick building from 1925. The interior was gutted and we were the first owners after the renovations. Some of the renovation was great, some was not. They left the original hardwood floors in place which seemed like a great thing at first. The problem is that the floors are too old and have been sanded and refinished too many times so they are very thin.

The worst areas are in the kitchen, where you can't walk around and talk to someone at the same time because they can't hear you over the squeaking. Some spots are so soft we deliberately avoid walking on them because we're afraid they'd going to bust through one of these days.

We had a few flooring guys come out and quote repairing the floor. It's pretty expensive, as you can imagine. It's not actually that much more to replace the entire kitchen floor. A few years ago we figured we'd just give a credit to have the floors repaired and be done with it. But now we feel like the floor needs to be addressed before we can put the place on the market.

So now we're thinking, if we need to replace the floor, do we:

a) replace with hardwood
b) replace with slate
c) replace with something cool like poured/stained concrete

It's a cool, very urban place in a cool, urban neighborhood. So we're not concerned about the options above being too edgy. Pergo, ceramic and linoleum tiles are not options. People who buy around here wouldn't like those choices. It's a very specific style of condo and it seems like the three options above are the best stylistically speaking.

With that in mind, what do you think would be the most cost effective? Any of these three would look great in our kitchen, so since we are selling the place I'd like to spend the least amount of money I can while still having it be beautiful and chic. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

[Kali]

1. wood for feets/leg comfort

stained concrete for cheap

but isn't this above a basement? - so wood may be cheaper and even slate might be cheaper than setting forms for concrete

whatever happened with the mysterious lump in the corner? (pretty sure that was you???)

[grace0418]

4. Hi Kali! That *was* me, good memory! Well, the only guys who had any theory

about the lump were the concrete guys. Based on all the evidence (the absence of water or tree roots), they think the concrete mix was bad, and was laid way too thin (it was only a little over an inch thick). So they replaced it with new concrete.

Unfortunately I wasn't home the day they replaced the concrete and they only did the immediate area around the hole. I had a bad feeling about that and, sure enough, earlier this year we felt a new lump forming. The good news was that the new lump was forming outside the area that had been repaired, so we knew their solution had worked, they just didn't replace enough the first time.

So they came out again and dug up the whole area that had been poured with the bad concrete. They reinforced it with rebar and poured a 4" thick slab of new concrete. It's been fine ever since and I feel pretty confident that we found the solution this time. Thanks for asking!

Anyway, yes, the kitchen is above our basement. Actually it's above the common area basement for the building, and the guys who did the rehab plastered a bunch of crap on the ceiling so it's nearly impossible to get to our floor from underneath. They'll have to pull up everything to get to and repair the subfloor. No matter what flooring we choose they're going to have to do some repairs to the subfloor because it's not good. But I suppose if the concrete needs additional preparation that will drive the cost up.

Thanks for your input!

[LeftyFingerPop]

2. I've had pre-finished, 3/4 inch, oak tongue and groove...

in my kitchen for 20 years and it has yet to need refinishing. And the big thing is...it is much easier on the feet than other materials. This is a big consideration if you cook a lot.

Figure $5 sq/ft for material, and $5 sq/ft for labor, maybe a little more for tear up of old.

[grace0418]

6. Thanks, LFP. I know it's going to be spendy no matter what we do. I do love hardwood

floors but I don't want to spend an ungodly amount on a place we're going to sell. I guess I need to start getting some quotes.

[Bennyboy]

3. well you are way out of the DYI range of project...

The old floors need to be removed, underlayment put in place and then any new flooring on top of that.
Slate is hard to lay, is very irregular in both size and height. Grouting is very difficult and you must seal the tiles at least once before grouting and once afterwards and then take my advice on cleaning them. (NEVER EVER MOP ANY FLOOR EVER).

Hardwood, I like the rustics. Applied now as a floating floor, in other words, just the weight of the floor holds it down. so that can probably be laid without underlayment because it uses a foam subflooring. They must be sealed (usually at the factory) if in kitchens and baths or water will destroy them.

Stained concrete is cool, if you already have the concrete. If in a condo and it is not on slab, then that means you need to pour some lightweight, then stain it, finish it and seal it. YOU MUST Use the best of the best here as far as contractors go though. Sometimes (and I know this from experience) they don't come out quite right and then you are stuck.... These floors also need to be sealed and have some type of protectant sealer applied. One that wears away or a poly urethane that is great, but quite expensive and hard to apply....

If you have the slab, it will need to be free from glue etc and all cracks must be chased and backfilled, usually at 10 dollars a foot.

I would consider some ceramics, but the same install methods are in place as for slate..

[grace0418]

5. Oh, yeah, I never had any intention of doing it myself. I was only asking in the DIY

forum because there are so many knowledgeable people there. I know my limitations and flooring is not in my bag of tricks.

Thanks for the advice. I will print all this out.

[Bennyboy]

7. If cost is your problem...

look in the Pennysaver shopper for workmen. They will be cheap and more than likely problematic.

Of hire a good one, get a great job, on time.

The suppliers know who is good, they won't refer anyone that is not for fear of losing their reputation. They might be more, and quite a bit, but insuring a good job, on time with no excususe is the way to go IMO...

[grace0418]

9. Cost is my problem, but I will pay for good work. I don't skimp on stuff like that because

it only hurts you in the end. I've always found great referrals on Angie's list. I was just wanting to get an outside opinion because I know if I ask the hardwood floor guy he's going to tell me hardwood floor is the best choice. Same with the concrete guy.

[elehhhhna]

8. one small unnoticed leak and the wood floors are toast.

just saYIN'. If you do wood, check your HO policy & make sure it's replacement coverage.

[trof]

10. Bamboo?

Short growth time renewable.
Just a thought.

[grace0418]

11. I've definitely thought about that.

I definite want to do it in our next home, but I'm afraid it would be pretty spendy for this place considering we're not staying. I suppose it's worth checking out though.

[trof]

13. I thought bamboo was relatively cheap?

???

[grace0418]

14. Maybe I'm wrong. But I know a few people who wanted to do it in their places and

couldn't afford it.

[Bennyboy]

16. bamboo is around the same price for all the other materials.

Under 2.00 per square foot. Most all of the materials are about that with some stone being more. Slate less. Good wood more.

[grace0418]

17. Good to know. That may end up being our choice then. I love how it looks and

anything eco-friendly would be a big selling point in our neighborhood. Thanks!

[MajorChode]

12. Real linoleum would be the way to go

What most people think of linoleum is really vinyl. Real linoleum looks different and will last for decades. It's an ideal surface for a kitchen or bathroom. At one time it was hard to find anyone who had it, but it's making a comeback. It's always been quite popular in Europe as it was in the US before cheaper and less durable vinyl surfacing replaced it.

http://www.armstrong.com/flooring/products/linoleum

[grace0418]

15. That could be cool in the right place but it wouldn't work in ours. It just wouldn't

fly in our neighborhood, people are definitely into a certain look here. Thanks for the link though. I will tuck that away for future use.

[Curmudgeoness]

18. Just get prices on all three options from contractors, and

go with the cheapest. Since you are moving, and all would work, spend the least amount, even if it is just a few hundred less.

[Moondog]

19. Hmmm.

I'd do slate, (or some other kind of stone or ceramic) but I live in FL, and that would be cooler for most of the year here in the heat. Your linkie says you are in Chicago. Hardwood. Definitely. Had hardwood throughout, as well as in the kitchen, in metro DC where I lived for years. It worked very, very well. I can definitely recommend it for a cold weather area. Looks nice too.

[blue neen]

20. We just had Congoleum Durastone installed in our family room, also on cement.

We love it! There is also Duraceramic. Check it out; you might be surprised! :)

[applegrove]

21. My sister has hemlock floor at her place. They put the wide planks down and once it is all in

they walk around with a mallet and a bag of knots and fit a knot in a hole and smash away with the mallet. They are really pretty floors. Don't know if they would be considered hardwood. They are wide, unlike most flooring you see.