Flooring

Reply to: I love my vinyl floors. Sheet throughout the house (by Forbo) and vinyl tiles in kitchen and bathroom. Feel great, look great, durable (no scratching due to high wear layer) and easy to clean.

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Reply to: And he's right...everyone and their DOG are doing vinyl. And some people in the hot areas (temperature hot not "fashion" hot) have discovered the draw backs of vinyl. It does NOT like direct sunlight (can either FADE or BLACKEN). At the same time, it doesn't like HEAT (like the heat produced by direct sunlight). Excess heat can and will cause vinyl to warp curl (ever left something "plastic" out in the sun for a day...now imagine thousands of dollars of flooring doing the same thing). Vinyl MUST have PERFECT climate control. If you are someone who likes to leave windows/doors open then vinyl will be an issue. You have to work with the VERY high priced/high end stuff to get away from these issues ($4-$6/sf). Porcelain in Florida is the most common and most accepted floor type. There won't be any issue with "resale" in the future. Keep a box of tiles after install. It will be your "repair kit" for the next 30 years. Have fun. Vinyl may not be the right floor in Florida...depending on how you like to live your life.

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Reply to: I would highly consider vinyl plank. You can check out the Modin Collection, it is 5 mm thick, and very forgiving for uneven sub-floors. As with all vinyl plank, unevenness in the sub floor will telegraph to the surface, but if that's acceptable then it is a good solution. The planks are 9" wide, and 60" long, larger than anything else on the market that is similar. No underlayment is required, it can go right on your existing floor or sub-floor. And it has an easy-to-use click mechanism. Lifetime residential warranty. Here are some options in your color range (you can order samples here http://www.flooret.com/modin-vinyl-plank-flooring/):

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Reply to: We used a wood look sheet vinyl in my craft room. It is a very heavy duty and cushioned sheet vinyl. It works great as it is over the concrete floor (this is the finished basement area) and I wanted something that would be easy to clean and sweep up pins and threads and such. Good thing too as the cat has "nailed" it several times (old, ornery male cat) and it has cleaned up easily. The cushioning also makes the concrete more comfortable to be on, yet my desk chair rolls easily across the surface.

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Reply to: Yes, we have it in our kitchen/dining area. I do not remember the brand, we got it at Lowes several years ago and it was quite spendy-so I know we got the top line. Everyone who sees it comments that they thought it was wood...but I guess since we have the original HW floors in the house that I can definitely see (and feel) the difference. Regardless, it works well for us in the space. It has been subject to a few nicks, which does not make me happy. And like most vinyl, it can be hard to clean since it's got a texture to it, but I still like it. Eventually I will change out when we do a significant reno of the kitchen, but for the kitchen, it's good to have since it has a bit of cushion, making it easier on the foot...and the occasional dropped glass does not break.

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Reply to: We just had some installed in a house we moved into. Not sure what brand name it was, but know it wasn't Mannington. The one I selected looks like tile, not one of the wood looks. I am a rebel and had real tile ripped out in two baths and replaced it with sheet vinyl instead. Don't care what's popular or trendy right now (everything looks outdated at some point), I'd rather be comfortable, have something softer on the joints and warmer on the feet, and not spend all my time trying to clean grout lines. I like it and it's easy to clean. A lot of people turn their noses up at sheet vinyl, but some of them haven't seen the newer styles or luxury vinyl. It looks a lot better than the old stuff. At an open house, I saw a kitchen floor with new vinyl that was hard to tell wasn't tile. I also like how vinyl is much easier and cheaper to rip out and replace when it's time for an update or replacement down the road. So if you're not worried about trends, do consider it as it's easier on the wallet, feet, and joints, and handles moisture better than some other choices.

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Reply to: In case anyone is reading this thinking they want a "wood vibe" but not necessarily something that is mimicking hardwood floors (and I am also imagining this in a discrete area like a bathroom), we used this dailtile porcelain tile called bamboo forest in our bathroom and chose a matching grout. I liked it because it gave a similar feeling to a wood floor without looking like it was trying to be a wood floor, if that makes sense. The grout lines in these photos are more visible than ours - I chose a grout that was almost identical to the darkest tone of the tile and you can barely see it. http://products.daltile.com/series.cfm?series=377

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Reply to: A lot of great responses from the Houzz community! One thing you might be interested in learning more about is the Life Happens Collection from Shaw Floors – our first line of carpet featuring waterproof backing. We truly mean waterproof. [Video: Swimming Pool Made of Waterproof Carpet] This means that pet accidents won’t seep into your carpet pad or subfloor, which can trap odors. And because of the special fiber treatment we apply to the carpet, those accidents will stay on top of the carpet longer, allowing you more time to clean up. Shaw offers a luxury vinyl collection that’s also waterproof, called Floorté. Vinyl flooring is softer underfoot than porcelain or ceramic tile. We actually offer a luxury vinyl tile that can be grouted to look more like tile, pictured below. Luxury vinyl, tile and waterproof carpet are safe choices when pet accidents are a concern.

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Reply to: pjever70, I am in the process of researching and preparing to comit to a whole lot of square footage of a product called CoreTec Plus. We came upon a vendor at an annual local Home Show several months ago at the local Convention Center in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We have a Cocker Spaniel who has been a NIGHTMARE to house break. I feel sure she will be better moving forward, but the scents trapped in the thick padding that keep wicking back up, I believe are a huge part of the problem. It costs approximately $6 per sq ft, and in order to retain the warranty which is a mega year warranty, it needs to be installed by a certified installer. It is somewhere in between a general engineered wood and a vinyl, it has gotten very good reviews. The website link below will be able to describe it far better than I can even begin to do. The parent company is USFloors. https://www.houzz.com/discussions/coretec-plus-flooring-dsvw-vd~1242589 The link above may help you, it is a discussion thread on this product that I have been getting feedback on. A couple negative comments, almost made me change my mind, but the good far out weighs the bad. I hope you will take a look at their website, the link is below. Their product also includes a variety of colors and textures, and a few that simulate a tile type pattern. I especially like the Travertine imitation, and one called Amalfi Beige. We are using the Acai Gold, throughout our den hallway, formal Living Room and Dining room and going with the upgraded new version for pets by Stainmaster for the bedrooms. http://www.usfloorsllc.com/display-category/coretec-plus/ This link may be of help too. http://www.fastfloors.com/search.asp?qtxt=CoreTec+Plus&submit=GO Best wishes of finding a product that is right for you.

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Reply to: We had a similar decision to make because we have large Dogs (Greyhounds) who love to run thru the kitchen to get the mail when it comes thru the front door! They needed traction so they would not slip on a floor with no texture. I finally decided on tile (36x4) that resembles very closely, a nice dark wood. It is everything resistant :-) Cannot find dirt or any spots at all. I have to remind myself to clean it with a mop now and again. The grout is very narrow and looks very much like to dark tile. I can't find a negative aspect. Good luck with your pets. The things we have to pay attention to when we have a pet family.

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Reply to: Have you looked at Marmoleum? It's available in big sheets. Many patterns. It looks much higher end than vinyl planks or laminate. Also, you may want to choose a light color flooring so the cat barf can be found easily and quickly. http://www.forbo.com/flooring/en-us/products/residential-products/cgnra1

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