Kitchen Flooring, Peoples Opinions and advice please....

[jasbauk]

Hello All,

We are currently redoing the Kitchen, following some moving of internal (non load bearing) walls.

The Kitchen has been designed and is on order for the end of August, but now we have the challenge of working out the flooring.

The House is a 1960's Semi House with a concrete slab base.
The Kitchen is now half, Tiled Floor, (over some old old vinal / tiles) (the original Kitchen floor) and half Parquet flooring (5block squares). (and where the wall originally was there is approximatly 5cm differences in height (from the Concrete floor to middle of the parquet flooring)

The question is what to replace it with we have about 20sqm, and a budget of all in about £70 - £80 a sqm, and looking for a low maintaince,

I want to move away from Ceramic tiles, as they are COLD, although SWMBO wants them, not really interested in the underfloor heating option due to running costs.

I have looked at Polished Concrete floors, but I am not sure the finish is good enough, or suitable

So looking at our remaining options so it seems its tile / slate effect kitchen Laminate or "luxury vinal" (Kandean or Polyflor)

I like the looks and feel of the vinal tiles, but after reading this post all be it 3 years old (unless things have changed since then)

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewto...&start=0&sid=9e30431f5c3a7e07a3a1c87efb767ecb

I was hoping one could just level the floor then lay this over the top but it seems not the be case, so thats probably going to be very costly, and over the budget we have, I have also heard reports that it scuffs easily.
Is this true?

So from ease of use it seems kitchen tile effect laminate will be the best bet, but will it be robust enough for a family of 4, including a 1 year old, and a cat.
Will it be good enough to level the difference with latex then lay the laminate over it?

Help????

What would you do if you where in my position?

 

[lymmranger]

....your budget would easily cover LVT tile flooring, Karndean and Amtico are only two manufacturers in this rapidly growing market.

Here (up north) we would level the floor and supply and fit and you would get change too!

This is NOT a diy job (I wish people would realise this) and any good independant flooring retailer will happily arrange a painless installation for you.

Look at ranges by "Polyflor" and "Distinctive" - they are better specified tiles for less cash!

....In general all LVT products offer a warm (ish), quiet to walk on surface that is as tough as old boots, most have an anti-slip rating (usually R8).
.....Dont forget these are sometimes known in the trade as designer floors because.... - you can "add a design" using contrasting colours or borders etc.

Be wary of buying off the net - often its discontinued stock. This means its old and may not have been stored correctly, which WILL lead to future problems.

Edit because the "8" in the antislip rating turned into a smilie

 

[jasbauk]

Thanks Lymmranger

Perhaps I will have to move you (down south) for a few days then....

I realise the LVT's are not DIY jobs, I would probably give it a go, should I be putting it in an understairs cupboard though, but not on something so large and on view.

I will have a look at Distinctive, been more impressed with Polyflor than Kandean so far in requesting samples and the quality of them etc etc.

Are the LVT's really that tough? what put me off was a few peoples comments, (but i think they are thinking about the older stuff) and the cleaning process as described on Kandean's website.

Am I right in thinking due to the Parquet flooring on one half this will all need to be lifted and re screeded?

Thanks

 

[lymmranger]

we calculate the quote on the sq meterage that will be required.
BUT....

there are usually minimum charges, which would normally make small areas uneconomic. but as part and parcel of a big job, having it fitted in a cupboard will just increase the price by the sqm of the cupboard.
- so yes go for it!

regarding toughness - yes it is - nearly all B and Q have this type of flooring as do most marks n sparks etc etc

Our forklift hasnt managed to damage our warehouse flooring yet (been down 5 years) - so you will be getting a prize if you manage it!!!!

the parquet should be dealt with as part and parcel of the job - remember to ask questions - ask for a detailed breakdown of costs - i will quite happily do that if a customer requests it

I cannot believe prices are so much higher - we would fit distinctive for £60m2 and charge extra to fix the parquet - but not hugely - you should easily get what you want inside your 70 - 80 budget

Good luck

Edit - missed your last point re cleaning. Just mop it with soapy water - no need for all that special cleaning rubbish - unless the party was really wild in which case why werent we invited

 

[mac391]

Your parquet floor should ideally be removed but...... i have covered them in the past with latex and water based screed (primed first) and fitted karndean and other floor types successfully, although,,, "with no guarantee".. only at the customers request.

Your main aim i think should be to level the floor so it will take any covering you wish. If you remove the parquet, you will need a dpm and a screed equivelant to the parquet which will contain moisture.. and will probably go over budget.

If it was me ? screed over the parquet and take a small risk. not technically correct advice but a risk i would take on say my own property to keep under budget..

Good luck

 

[jasbauk]

Mac391, have you been called back to any of these? following it? we do live on a hill so respecitvly there is no water table near by!!

Looks like I will have to get a few quotes then for removing the parquet and restoring it to a suitable flooring.

Think I will get them to break up that costings, as have no objections to doing some of the work myself. (its just time factors)

I take it there isnt a high demand for reclaimed parquet flooring at the moment to cover the costs of getting the floor to recieve it.


Just a thought, the original kitchen floor, in your experiences would that have had a DPM put in when it was done? its concreate with (old style) vynal tile things, then Ceramic over the top. or would that need doing as well?