Asked on Jan 02, 2014
Kitchen floor
by
Dina S
+11
i'm looking into vinyl tiles for a kitchen floor. am i better off with ceramic or porcelain? also - if I find a good price on overstock tiles in Home Depot, should I purchase it and look for an installer, rather than have them do the installation. how do I find a responsible and reasonable installer
13 answers
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Porcelain is harder and more durable and can be used indoors and out. The only problem is porcelain is harder to cut since it is so hard. You can go to a flooring place that deals with porcelain tiles and they usually have someone the use and who should be good since the stores reputation relies on it. Do not go with white grout or you will drive yourself crazy trying to keep it white. There are so many options that you will want to take a few weeks and look at them all and even take pics and notes so you can keep it straight. Plus buy 1 if you really like it to take it home and see what it looks like. Just like paint, the colors will vary with sunlight and location. Good luck!
The Garden Frog with C Renee
on Jan 02, 2014
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what about vinyl tiles? are they all similar in quality or should i look for specifications if i go with vinyl?
Dina S
on Jan 02, 2014
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I had vinyl tiles and did not like them. They seemed to come loose in spots and just didn't look all that great. I have ceramic tile and I love it. I would have gone with a much darker grout if I could do it over again.
Darlene Mapes
on Jan 02, 2014
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If you can afford it go with a sheet good floor ( Fiber Floor , made by Tarkett is a reasonable priced floor, and carries a 30 year warranty ) It is made to go over your exsisting floor ..So not alot of floor prep ..I would find an independent contractor ..I am down here in North Carolina , and it's cheaper to live here than there , so the install will be higher ..Down here we get $7.00 a yard laying Sheet goods ..
Terry's Flooring
on Jan 03, 2014
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Porcelain is denser because the clay is finer, but not so much harder than a good quality ceramic tile, so don't limit yourself to porcelain tiles.Vinyls are always good options, but do not buy cheap ones. A good quality vinyl floor should do . The more expensive you go, the more features you get. No matter what, the vinyl must go over a smooth, clean, and stable floor.I prefer vinyl.
Kelly Miller
on Jan 04, 2014
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Have you considered laminate? My kitchen and foyer have laminate flooring with a stone floor look, and I love it!
Nancy Bode
on Jan 04, 2014
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HI Dina, I would go with porcelain over ceramic, much better quality for the most part. For the second question- you would be much better purchasing the material and hiring your own installer vs. a retail store as all retail stores (mine included) add about a 30% mark up on labor. And you always find the best deals when you can pick and choose when you are ready to buy, so when a closeout does come up, your ready. Finding a reputable installer isn't that difficult, there is Angie's list, and several other directory sites as well as networking at the office or wherever you socialize to ask for referrals. Hope this helps and good luck with the project!
Qualityflooring4less.com
on Jan 04, 2014
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hi dina it is funny how you get so many different opinions. do what feels right . I have worked in flooring for 25 years and you get what you pay for . there is nothing wrong with ceramic (I have had it for 12 years)don't go cheap it will not hold up but you don't have to get the best either. if you don't go through the store the warranty is void make sure you get someone reputable. just because someone tells you they can install tile does not mean they are good .
Terry S
on Jan 04, 2014
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I had sticky vinyl tiles and they were OK for a few years. When we decided to remove them, that's when we realized how horrible they were. They had to be scraped off with a sharp tool. There was so much black glue left on the floor that my husband had to use some toxic liquid to help remove it. No floor sanding company would do the job because the glue would ruin their machines. We had to do the job ourselves. I'll never use those tiles again, anywhere.
Christine O
on Jan 04, 2014
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This is very good overview of kitchen flooring.Kitchen floors are a good investment in your home and can add beauty to any space. If you are designing a new kitchen,it helps to choose the floor first and build your kitchen from the ground up.We have everything from rustic timber effects to smooth classic marble,something to suit your space, your needs and your style. I even wrote a blog about kitchen flooring. You can check it out here: http://blog.macflooringservices.com/kitchens-flooring-options-choose-best/.
Kristin Topping
on Nov 04, 2015
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I had vinyl tiles installed in my kitchen...I think they're 14" or 15" square...and they were then grouted so really look like tile but are much more comfortable to stand on. Love them! If I was at home now, I'd post a pic.
Mary Lou
on Nov 05, 2015
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My vinyl tile is 30 years old. It was a pure vinyl-top of the line-tile. We chose it because it was soft underfoot and better for my back and joints. You can easily replace individual tiles which is fabulous. Will definitely do vinyl again.
Mary-Ann
on Nov 05, 2015
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I just had ceramic tiles installed and I love them. Easy to clean, look great. And Home Depot will do the installation for you. They send out an estimator to measure then give you a quote. If you're getting clearance stuff, make sure the lot numbers are the same and buy enough for your project, plus one extra box. I bought one box of tile from a different HD and it was vastly different.
Anna
on Dec 07, 2015
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