Floor Finishes: So Many Choices

This article is another in an occasional series on kitchen trends.

By Rosalie Earle

earle@wvgazette.com

IN past decorating endeavors, I have had an anchor - an antique rug or a new sofa - something from which I selected matching and contrasting colors for the walls, furniture and floor covering.

But with trying to pick out new flooring for my kitchen, I have no anchor and find myself awash in options - wood of various grades and shades and depth; plastic wood that looks and costs like the real thing; and tiles, ceramic and what seems like an endless selection of linoleum and vinyl.

And don't expect much help from the experts, as I did going to Andrews Floors at Charleston's Five Corners.

Jennie Janney, who has worked there for 30 years, sees no reason to pay for laminate when you can have real hardwood floors for the same price. Still, she mentions that her daughter took up hardwood floors and replaced them with laminate.

"She said, 'Mom, with two golden retrievers, it's the best thing I ever did,'" Janney recalled.

As for part-owner Ellen Mann, she prefers vinyls: easy to care for, easy on the legs, and warm on the feet.

"Ceramic will crack. It's hard and it's cold," she said.

Big deal, say a couple of my friends who have tile in their kitchens and love its look and easy maintenance.

One solved the cold issue by wearing slippers in the winter; another has a soft throw rug in front of the sink and work area.

And they have some tiles for replacing cracked ones like Judy Deegans of Lewisburg has for her kitchen floor of brick on sand. "If I drop a heavy pot - which I have - and break a brick, it can just be lifted out and replaced by a supply kept in the attic," she said.

Kitchen designer Darin Fisher prefers wood floors in larger areas, such as a combined kitchen and family room. In the Charleston area, "You see more hardwood floors than anything else," he said. "They're cozy and warm."

Then there are the new "green" (environmental) choices - cork and bamboo.

Cork has been around awhile, but its environment-friendly traits are making it popular again. One Charleston woman had it installed in her kitchen, and it made her a convert.

Cork is made from the bark of oak cork trees, and the bark grows back.

Bamboo is considered green, according to a recent Associated Press story, because its fast regrowth makes it a sustainable plant that can be harvested repeatedly after it's cut.

About the only easy part of picking out flooring is that federal law requires all pricing to be based on square footage. So as long as you know the square footage of your kitchen, you can compare the cost of buying 12-inch versus 16-inch tiles or easy to fit and cut sheet vinyl.

What gets tricky is the installation cost. Is it labor- intensive? Does the existing floor have to be removed? Is a subflooring material required?

Here's a closer look at some of the choices in flooring:

Hardwood adds warmth

Most people select prefinished hardwood either in strips or the wider plank for a more casual look. The thickness of the wood may be important if it's going on top of layers of linoleum from past remodeling. If too thick, the new floor may not fit under a door or may trap a dishwasher below floor level.

The thinner, 3/8-inch wood strips can be stapled or glued to the existing floor, for easier installation. The thicker, 3/4-inch strips have to be nailed down.

There are different grades of wood, usually determined by the guarantee of the number of years the floor will last - 15 to 25 or a lifetime.

Andrews carries a large selection of Bruce hardwood, 3/8-inch strip for $5.95 a square foot. Other manufacturers range from $4.95 to $14.25.

Good points: Hardwood is classic, can be formal or rustic. No wax is required, just vacuum or dry mop.

Drawbacks: Hardwood gets scratched, a factor dog owners should consider. If not cleaned up immediately, water can turn the wood white.

Laminate stands up to claws

Laminate floors are like reproductions of famous paintings. Some scream fake and others would require a carbon test they look so much like wood or ceramic or slate or stone.

Most manufacturers have their own installation system, such as Armstrong's Armalock, whereby the strips of laminate fix together like a puzzle so no gluing, stapling or nailing is needed.

Andrews carries Armstrong laminate flooring that looks like wood for $1.95 to $5.95 a square foot.

Good points: Durable, easy to clean, won't fade, stain or scratch and is water-resistant (but not waterproof).

Drawbacks: It may look like wood, but it doesn't feel like it in your bare feet. One critic said the floors are hard to clean because they can streak.

Vinyl and linoleum choices

One entire wall at Andrews contains samples of vinyl and linoleum flooring. Some comes in rolls that are installed as one piece and cut and pieced together as needed. Others come in squares and the tiles are glued down individually.

Manufacturers such as Armstrong and Congoleum produce various grades that appeal to all pocketbooks. On sale, one Armstrong line costs as little as $1.20 a square foot.

Jennie Janney said Andrews sells a lot of Flexitec, a very flexible, cushioned sheet vinyl that comes in a width of 13 feet, 2 inches. It appeals to do-it-yourselfers because it can be maneuvered around tight spots and easily cut. The costs range from 99 cents to $2.97. Armstrong calls its soft floor CushionStep, with two grades selling for $2.30 and $3.29 a square foot.

When he measured my kitchen, Kenny Mann with Andrews recommended Kenecto, which makes hardwood-looking flooring that requires no adhesives. It differs from the other vinyls in that it's completely waterproof. Cost is $2.75 to $4.98.

Good points: Relatively inexpensive, warm underfoot and easy on the legs and feet. Easy to clean and is water-resistant to waterproof.

Drawbacks: Good vinyl and linoleum may have the look but not the feel of the real material. Kenecto, for instance, has a texture that my real hardwood floors don't. Warranties range from 10 to 25 years, depending on the grade. The Flexitec brochure gives instructions for removing creases and dents. Standing water will leave white marks on the flooring.

Cork: costly but comfortable

If you're a klutz, cork may be your best option. When that china cup slips from your soapy hands, chances are good it may bounce rather than shatter.

According to an industry flier, it's all the "millions of tiny prism-shaped air pockets" in the bark that gives cork a resilient, cushiony surface.

Cork used for flooring is made out of the leftover material from making cork bottle stoppers. The byproduct or waste is ground up with a little glue and compressed under high pressure. The cork is layered with five coats of UV-cured acrylic finish and, in recent years, treated with Microban to prevent the growth of mold and mildew.

Like some laminate flooring, a tongue-and-groove system allows for a floating floor, in which the planks are attached to each other rather than glued to a subflooring.

Good points: Soft, warm, absorbs sounds, easy on the legs. No trees are destroyed to make it.

Drawbacks: Expensive. Cork offerings run $6.75 to $9.25 at Andrews. Shows pressure marks, isn't resistant to water, and will fade when exposed to direct light.

Ceramic creates ambience

Nothing provides the look of a Tuscan villa or a country kitchen in Provence as ceramic tile. Look at the fancy home-decor magazines and you'll either see hardwood or ceramic floors. But what feels cool on bare feet in Florida can be freezing for those who cook in a cool climate.

Of course, the ultimate - admittedly expensive - solution is a heating grid beneath the tiles to warm them.

Judy Deegans has heat in her brick floor "and on cold Lewisburg mornings, it is toasty warm," she said.

Cooking instructor April Hamilton has - for the time being - tile floors and she says, "I wouldn't wish them on anybody." Not only are they cold, tiles are hard so they're hard on the legs. And kiss that antique china cup goodbye should it hit the floor.

Those who have tile floors often mention their easy maintenance.

Hamilton, however, said she has had little success cleaning the grout between the tiles. Most literature mentions epoxy grout makes for easier cleaning.

At Andrews, ceramic tile costs range from $1.95 to $6.95. Installation cost is higher with ceramic than other flooring, Janney pointed out. She recommended using larger tile for faster installation and fewer grout lines.

Fisher observed, "Ceramic is no harder on the feet than wood - it is hardwood, after all."

Good points: Ceramic tiles can be an art element, and reflect an individuality unmatched by other flooring. Easy to care for: no waxing, no refinishing. Dogs can't hurt it.

Drawbacks: Cold, hard and more expensive to install. Ceramic tile isn't colored clear through as is porcelain, so a chip or crack will be more noticeable.

As for me, I am still looking - taking out samples and putting them on the floor to check out the compatibility with dark wood cabinets and the ability to hide black dog hairs. But what if my next dog is a yellow Lab? Will I ever made a decision?

You have to take your time, sympathizes Janney. "It's something you're going to live with for a long, long time."

To contact staff writer Rosalie Earle, use e-mail or call 348- 5115.

(c) 2007 Sunday Gazette - Mail; Charleston, W.V.. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.