Great Room + Kitchen flooring options?

ZeroLot

ZeroLot

New member
I just bought a home in CV and can't figure out how to do the flooring for the first floor. 

Downstairs I plan on wood or vinyl.  I'm not sure how to tackle the kitchen + great room flooring.  I want the same flooring in both rooms so it'll make the room seem larger.  But don't want food spills all over wood floors in the kitchen area.  Any thoughts on that?  Thank you.
 
ZeroLot said:
I just bought a home in CV and can't figure out how to do the flooring for the first floor. 

Downstairs I plan on wood or vinyl.  I'm not sure how to tackle the kitchen + great room flooring.  I want the same flooring in both rooms so it'll make the room seem larger.  But don't want food spills all over wood floors in the kitchen area.  Any thoughts on that?  Thank you.
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Choose an engineered wood that has a UV Acrylic coating.
 
Have you looked at the tile pieces that look like wood?  This way, you get that "wood feel" but with tile durability.
 
No Quarter said:
These wood style ceramic tiles are awesome and they come in multiple hues and textures.  We looked into these for outside, but our contractor thought it would have been too slippery for people so we ended up with brick pavers.

You can go to Thompson Design center in Orange to see some of the other styles.
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I love the ceramic faux wood floor look.  Beautiful!  Thanks for sharing guys!  :D

@No Quarter - Since it comes in different textures, wouldn't there be a texture that would not be slippery for people? 

I had NO idea that some of the wood floors I've seen in model homes were actually ceramic tiles.  I knew they felt different than hardwood or laminate but would never have guessed it was made of a form of ceramic.  Technology ... sheez.  Got me fooled!
 
It's gonna get nippy for your toes during the brutal CA winter... I personally don't like tiles except for wet/flood areas like baths and kitchens... And if you do decide to change your mind later.. it's gonna be a bitch to rip them out.. (I think)
 
I need engineered wood for my entire downstairs.  If you go to the design center they call it a hybrid floor.  Looks better than your standard laminate or engineered and just as durable.
 
We have to decide on how to do our first floor as well.  We know we want light colors, and right now we're thinking of white engineered wood for the hallway/great room, transitioning into white tiles for the kitchen area.  Has anyone done or seen this combination before?

I was wondering if maybe the transition would be awkward.  We also like the faux-wood looking tiles as well, and figured maybe the white faux-wood tiles + engineered wood would look fine.

As mentioned previously, the tiles are useful for wet areas.  As for the wood, it's just a nicer, warmer texture to walk on.
 
gwailo168 said:
Have you looked at the tile pieces that look like wood?  This way, you get that "wood feel" but with tile durability.
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I would argue that you don't get the "wood feel" with tiles, but you do get a "wood look". Having had both tile in my prior home as the majority of flooring, and hardwood now as the majority of my downstairs flooring, I can definitely appreciate the difference in feel on my bare feet (wood being more comfortable). So far, doing hardwood in the kitchen hasn't been a problem. We have a large 4x8 feet jute rug in the area in front of sink/dishwasher/stove (all adjacent) that goes well with the hardwood. Certainly, if you have kids that may be a consideration, since there tends to be more spillage.
 
I have hardwood in my entire living area except for the bedrooms - if I had to do it over again I would pick the wood tile.  My wood floor is engineered and it's quite durable, but I still worry about it a lot if there's any water spills, or if we drop anything heavy on it (it's not totally impervious to imperfections). 

I always wear socks around the house so wouldn't mind the wood tile texture so much unless it's gritty (as long as its smooth, should be fine).  When we put in the floor, we had no kids so it seemed perfect, but now with 2 little ones, I always grunt when I hear a loud bang of my son dropping his toys, or when he runs across the room with a cup of milk. 

Go for the wood tile!  Don't get it too dark though, will show a lot of dust.  Also get long planks if you can, looks much nicer.
 
aquabliss said:
I have hardwood in my entire living area except for the bedrooms - if I had to do it over again I would pick the wood tile.  My wood floor is engineered and it's quite durable, but I still worry about it a lot if there's any water spills, or if we drop anything heavy on it (it's not totally impervious to imperfections). 

I always wear socks around the house so wouldn't mind the wood tile texture so much unless it's gritty (as long as its smooth, should be fine).  When we put in the floor, we had no kids so it seemed perfect, but now with 2 little ones, I always grunt when I hear a loud bang of my son dropping his toys, or when he runs across the room with a cup of milk. 

Go for the wood tile!  Don't get it too dark though, will show a lot of dust.  Also get long planks if you can, looks much nicer.
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Wouldn't you be scared of your kids doing a face plant onto tile as opposed to wood?  We do not have kids yet, but this is our worry.  So the compromise is to get tile in the wet area (kitchen), and engineered wood for the living room and hallway.  We know we want light colors, just not sure if white tile with white wood would mesh, so may have to be open to white tile with light brown wood, or vice versa (although our cabinets are java colored, with white counters).

We are doing carpet for the second floor and bedrooms.
 
phanpd said:
Wouldn't you be scared of your kids doing a face plant onto tile as opposed to wood? 
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im pretty sure the outcome is the same. both are pretty damn hard. in the future just get your kid an inflatable vest, the kind they would use for swimming, that way if they fall face first, their face/head wont even hit the ground.
 
aquabliss said:
I have hardwood in my entire living area except for the bedrooms - if I had to do it over again I would pick the wood tile.  My wood floor is engineered and it's quite durable, but I still worry about it a lot if there's any water spills, or if we drop anything heavy on it (it's not totally impervious to imperfections). 

I always wear socks around the house so wouldn't mind the wood tile texture so much unless it's gritty (as long as its smooth, should be fine).  When we put in the floor, we had no kids so it seemed perfect, but now with 2 little ones, I always grunt when I hear a loud bang of my son dropping his toys, or when he runs across the room with a cup of milk. 

Go for the wood tile!  Don't get it too dark though, will show a lot of dust.  Also get long planks if you can, looks much nicer.
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wood tiles don't come in long planks...they are ceramic tiles and are tile sizes.  Or so I was told when I asked.  I did see some homes not put grout between the tiles so it gave it that seamless wood floor look.  I've been looking at these tiles for the bathrooms because I'm tired of my standard issue vinyl floor.
 
oh...and one more thing, even though the tiles are textured they still get more slippery than wood floors (not to say wood doesn't get slippery) when wet.
 
qwerty said:
phanpd said:
Wouldn't you be scared of your kids doing a face plant onto tile as opposed to wood? 
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im pretty sure the outcome is the same. both are pretty damn hard. in the future just get your kid an inflatable vest, the kind they would use for swimming, that way if they fall face first, their face/head wont even hit the ground.
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They are, but the wood has more give that's for sure.  You can simulate these things by throwing a toy (let's choose Buzz Lightyear) on the tile vs wood.  Buzz can defeat the wood (ding it a bit), but most likely not the tile.
 
phanpd said:
qwerty said:
phanpd said:
Wouldn't you be scared of your kids doing a face plant onto tile as opposed to wood? 
Click to expand...

im pretty sure the outcome is the same. both are pretty damn hard. in the future just get your kid an inflatable vest, the kind they would use for swimming, that way if they fall face first, their face/head wont even hit the ground.
Click to expand...

They are, but the wood has more give that's for sure.  You can simulate these things by throwing a toy (let's choose Buzz Lightyear) on the tile vs wood.  Buzz can defeat the wood (ding it a bit), but most likely not the tile.
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you are comparing apples/oranges (sharp/hard object hidding wood vs a soft babies face/head). a kids face hitting wood floor or tiles is going to result in the same outcome. the wood floor is not going to give at all to a baby's head/soft cheeks.
 
if you get a real wood floor and it's glued down, the firmness will be the same as tile.  Let's just put helmets on your kids and be done with it.
 
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