Re-did the floors.

[ccheek]

Gorgeous floors! Replacing carpet is on my short list as well @so lucky. So if you have any good information on the laminates let me know.

 

[thistlebloom]

Gorgeous floors! Replacing carpet is on my short list as well @so lucky. So if you have any good information on the laminates let me know.

I'll tell you right up front that I'm biased, and though you can't beat real wood floors for beauty, ceramic tile floors have no off gassing issues.

 

[ccheek]

I have seen the ceramic tile. They have some really pretty designs. I'm just afraid of anything ceramic around my kids . Not that I'm not afraid of what's in the laminate, health-wise. Just searching for the best solution to both.

 

[majorcatfish]

love your floors.. someday would love to have true hard wood floors....

 

[thistlebloom]

I have seen the ceramic tile. They have some really pretty designs. I'm just afraid of anything ceramic around my kids . Not that I'm not afraid of what's in the laminate, health-wise. Just searching for the best solution to both.

You mean because they fall? Or is there something ominous I don't know about fired clay?

 

[Nyboy]

About 20 years ago I spent a small fortune and put ceramic tile on all the floors at work. I had a colored grout used. The floors with are washed all day long with strong cleaners looks like the day in was put in. I did get rubber mats to stand on next to grooming tables, much better when standing for hours.

 

[ccheek]

I'm more worried about my children seeing how many pieces they can shatter it into. Kids are rough on a house, lol.

 

[Nyboy]

My avatar shows floor after about 15 years. I have dropped many things over the years never cracked a tile

 

[thistlebloom]

My kids were raised on concrete in their earliest years, and you can't get more durable than that, but then we finally put saltillo tiles in. That was our old fixer upper.
This house has ceramic tiles we put in 3 or 4 years ago. I never broke a tile in either house and I believe I can be harder on things than any kid. I have dropped glasses and plates and pots in the kitchen and dropped the log poker and fire wood in the living room.
Tada! Look mom! No broken tiles! I have received a few exasperated looks from my husband though.

Tile is much tougher than you think. My dh has been a tile and stone man for more decades than he wants to think about, and I don't think he's ever had more than half a dozen calls to replace a broken tile.

But wood is still prettier.

 

[baymule]

@so lucky and @ccheek I put down laminate floors in my old house. Easy installation, b-u-u-u-u-t under the laminate is MDF or medium density fiberboard. Total crap. If you don't have pets, children, husband/wife, never walk in with wet feet, then maybe it's for you. It looked real nice, I was proud of it, but it was starting to de-laminate in the entry way. It snaps into place and it goes down quick. Maybe there is more expensive stuff that is not MDF based, but if you are going to spend the money for the good stuff, get what you want.

I paid less for the pine boards I laid in our new house than I paid for laminate. It was 10 times more work, I had to sand, stain and put 3 coats of polyurethane, but I am so happy with the floors. I had to nail down each board, cut and fit, and boy did I get sore muscles.