Total remodeling of kitchen questions

PARIS · 05-28-2010, 01:59 AM

I will try and make it brief, but I have so many questions.

I am an older single female and want to redo my whole very small kitchen. I will not be replacing the appliances. I was thinking of making an appointment with Lowes to help me come up with a design, as I want to completely reconfigure this small 10x 15 ft. space, as what I have now is not working. I have a vinyl sheet floor in there and I have laminate (over wood floors) in the next room, which is my den. It also goes down the hall. I would like to change the den floor too. I rescue and foster dogs and they hae ruined the laminate. I need something dog proof as I work during the day and the dogs use pee pads most of the time, but not all of the time.

OK, questions: what is the best floor I can put down for this situation? I would like to have the same floor for kitchen, den and hall. I would love some type of tile 16" x 16", or vinyl tile that looks like stone, such as Armstrong. I want something nice, nothing that looks like vinyl. I don't want anything cheap looking. I don't mind mopping daily, but I don't want warped floors either,like I have with the laminate. My den is also small 13' x 14' and my hall is about 20' x 4', so I'm not talking about a lot of sq.footage. Also, can you put this type tile, stone or whatever or anything on top of the old wood floors? I do not want to refinish the wood floors.

Any suggestions or ideas are very welcome. Just don't jump on me about the little dogs (5). This is something I will not give up. Oh, the den and kitchen are separated by a door. I just need something waterproof. I have a budget for the floors of around $3,000 -$3,500.00, but would love to spend less. Resale value is not an issue. thanks.

**oh'mike** · 05-28-2010, 08:14 AM

Seriously consider a ceramic tile floor with epoxy grout. An area rug over that in the den will keep you feet warm.

Properly installed,you can scrub that floor nice and clean--thousands of times and it will look just like the day it was installed.

The vinyl square that you mentioned have seams---the urine will eventually get under the squares and spoil them.
---Mike---

rusty baker · 05-28-2010, 09:40 AM

The urine will eventually ruin anything you install. The acid in the urine will eat the sealer over time, too.

Bud Cline · 05-28-2010, 11:14 AM

A ceramic tile floor over time could develop hairline separations between the grout and the tile, even epoxy grout in some cases. The urine will penetrate and get into the thinset and substrate and STINK like it does now.

I think the best-bet is to have a commercial "welded-vinyl" installed. This is a heavy waterproof sheet vinyl with welded seams. The vinyl should also be coved up the walls. This system is used in sterile environments such as hospital operating rooms and labs and the like.

Don't know that this will fit your limited budget but frankly this is the only reasonable option short of containing the animals in another area outside the living space that is more suitable for cleaning such contaminates.