Replies

1. 
   WayneL5 | Jan 12, 2004 07:00am | #1

   Of course it depends a lot on the style of the house and what room(s) you are talking about.  But here are a few suggestions.

   • Laminate floors patterned after tile rather than wood.
   • High end sheet vinyl or genuine linoleum.  There are some really rich patterns out there, not just the paper thin builders-special white.
   • Vinyl tile or commercial sheet rubber.  Obviously, only in a contemporary home.
   • Carpet, of course.
   • Concrete stain.
   • Painted concrete.  Could even be elaborate with borders, patterns, even trompe l'oeil.
   • Cork.
   • Terrazzo.
   • Stamped concrete.
   • Exposed aggregate concrete.
   • Authentic wood floors installed on sleepers.  I wonder if you could use very thin sleepers if you glued the boards to them instead of nailing them.  It would give you the authentic feel and sound of a wood floor.
1. 
   sanfords_boy | Jan 12, 2004 07:23am | #2

   what if you want to cover  a pitched area up to a floor drain.

2. 
   BillHartmann | Jan 12, 2004 07:57am | #3

   You can also put down plywood and then do a nailed installed wood floor.

1. 
   Muzzybldr | Jan 12, 2004 04:05pm | #4

   I thought about plywood, but you would have a number of issues to deal with regarding the height as it would effect steps, door heights etc. and then leave you with a pretty high transition to carpet.

   Doug

1. 
   BillHartmann | Jan 12, 2004 06:25pm | #5

   You left height change out the heigh change problem. Is this for a whole house? New contstruction where you can still make other adjustments in other rooms or remodeling just a part of it? On grade slab? Basment?

   But the plywood is much less than the sleeper the other person mentioned.

   But what about using one of the self leveling floor compounds. Then you would have a flat enough floor for a glue down or floating or vinyl.

   Mr Micro keeps recommending and interesting system, Stikabond or something like that. It combines floating with a glue down.

   It has a cushion pad similar to that used under the floating floor. But then is has some slots in it where you apply adhesive.

1. 
   Muzzybldr | Jan 13, 2004 02:47am | #6

   I would mostly look to install wood in the entry and Kitchen/dining areas and this involves new construction.  Thanks for the ideas.

   Doug