New kitchen flooring

[Dan Hulbert]

Over the years we've had vinyl tile, carpet (came that way), vinyl sheet, pre-finished hardwood, slate, and ceramic tile. Of them all, the wife preferred hardwood. One note, in the two places we replaced the flooring (slate and hardwood) we continued the flooring into all the adjacent areas. The continuity of the flooring really made the places look bigger after they where done. Unless your kitchen is closed off from other areas, I'd recommend expanding the area for the new floor to include all the adjacent areas.

[Brian Deakin]

If you do decide on vinyl tiles consider laying them diagonally to the main door This is what we did and it does look my appealing

[Mel Fulks]

If you do decide on vinyl tiles consider laying them diagonally to the main door This is what we did and it does look my appealing

Agree the LOZENGE look is nice...less static ,and more engaging. "They're not just for sore throats anymore!"

[Ole Anderson]

Three years ago in my kitchen I went with stranded bamboo from Lumber Liquidators about $3.50/sf. I had it nailed, although it can be glued also. DIY? What is your skill level? Flooring is a basic skill simpler than many typical woodworker projects. Do it once, and you will be hooked. Whether it is a floating laminate, engineered wood or solid flooring (the three basic types of wood flooring) it is what most folks do these days. Easier and less stressful than ceramic where the mud set time has you on a timer. I have done ceramic, vinyl planks and squares, floating click style laminate. I had a friend do my kitchen floor just due to a time crunch. In the next week or two I am helping my son lay over 1000 sf of bamboo planks, likely getting a HF flooring nailer for the job. It will include the kitchen. Stranded bamboo is harder than oak and has a super hard ceramic (aluminum oxide) finish. Sanding and finishing raw oak or maple flooring does bring in a whole new set of skills. I would recommend prefinished flooring if you choose to go that route as a DIY project.

[Kev Williams]

A few years ago I bought some crap from HD, very nice looking, flexible vinyl stuff, looks like cermamic... it's 1x3' sections with adhesive lap joints. Designed to 'float'. Was easy to cut, easy to put down, still looks great-- other than the fact that nearly seam has pulled apart. Two sections going under the fridge get farther apart every day. Don't know where they're moving to, or why, since the 28 cu/ft fridge hasn't moved in 3 years.

And oddly, I put the cheapest grooved wood flooring Ikea sells in the kitchen of our mobile home. It's survived 2 years of us, 5 years of our son and his daughter, and 2 years of some friends renting the place. That cheap stuff still looks like new...

[Jim Andrew]

Thanks for the replies, will look into your suggestions.