inexpensive durable flexible floor cover
I am helping friends remodel a house (built on slab) and we have come to an impass with the floor. The floor gently slopes in one direction and drops about 1.75 inches over a 25 foot run (the slope is uniform) there was a horrible carpet, and now, after the carpet and pad have been removed, there are 10 by 10 cork tiles most of the tiles are in good shape, but some are beat up.
The long term plan is to put in radiant heat and concrete, but that is going to be done as part of an addition that will be 4-5 years from now. This month they want to put in a floor covering to move in and start living on.
Current thoughts
1) Carpet.
pros Ok with unlevel floors, soft, warm
cons 1/2 of the homeowners hate carpets, cost, cleaning the carpet, damage to carpet from cats, allergens trapped in the carpet
2) Laminate
pros: easy to vacuum, snaps together
cons: expensive, not a level floor, time to install, and too much wood, and other 1/2 of the homeowners does not really like laminates
3) pouring concrete over existing floor
pros everything gets level
cons have to remove cork tile, have to use bonding agent, and it is probably messy
any other thoughts? could an epoxy garage floor covering just be painted on and call it done?
I am at a loss as to how this one should be solved, but it seems foolish to drop 6K on a floor only to pull it up 5 years later, but, what do I know
jeff
Replies
Depends on how good you want it to look, but since you say "inexpensive" then sheet vinyl comes to mind.
If you skip the embossing filler then every little texture in the subfloor will show through after a while. It would be a tradeoff between cost and appearance.
Vinyl is really easy to clean.
The better grades of vinyl will telegraph less and hold up better, but almost anything will hold up for 5 years. Some vinyls are less than a dollar a square foot.
It doesn't even have to be glued down all over. Just around the edges would suffice for a temporary installation.
Although you would have to clean up from the cork, what about concrete stain? Lots of interesting things can be done.
I am leaning towards concrete and steering their research that way, it would also help with the not so level floor...
You're talking about a five-year life for this floor, so K.I.S.S. would be the watchword, I'd say.
Lay a cheap, tight-weave, indoor-outdoor carpet in a colour both HO's can tolerate. These are fairly tough beasts and so should not show too much damage in 5 years from the cats. Many of them come with an integral carpet pad bonded to the bottom surface. They are also pretty easy to clean, ie you can flood it with soapy water, scrub it with a deck brush, and use a floor squeegee and shop-vac to get the water out of it. Give it a day or two and it'll be dry.
Don't bother gluing it down; just trap the edges under the baseboards and call it a done deal. Come back in 5 and do it right when the HO's are ready to put the money into it....
Dinosaur
A day may come when the courage of men fails,when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship...
But it is not this day.
I agree that cheap I/O carpet should be considered. It's durable, has a low, tight nap that is easy to clean, is easy to install, and can even be reused elsewhere when this area is redone.
Edited 7/16/2005 12:00 pm ET by DanH
>>1.75 inches over a 25 foot run
1/8" in 4' is pretty darn level. 0.583% slope is not noticable with out measuring devices.
More of an issue is how flat is it. That is, any dips or bumps?
>>put in radiant heat and concrete, but that is going to be done as part of an addition that will be 4-5 years from now
Already have cork down, throw Lino over it. Buy remnants and mix and match as needed. Use your/their imagination.
Get crazy, have fun, it's only for 4 years.
How often ya gonna get an uppertunakitty like that?
SamT
We install decorative overlay systems as our business. From personal experience, I know that you can install a decorative overlay over the cork. This system can be later topped with a self-leveling topping and/or the radiant system with minimal preparation. Expect the materials portion to run from $1.20 to $2.50 per sq. ft. depending on the effect you're looking for. None of the systems listed below requires extensive installation experience, just patience and attention to detail.
Clean (wash) the surface as thoroughly as possible.
Prime with a water based epoxy primer/sealer.
Install two or three coats of polymer concrete in a thin build overlay, as needed to smooth the floor.
At this point you're ready for the artistic part - acid stain, acrylic color stain, acrylic chip flake (garage floor), stencils, etc. Finish off with the desired sealer. For all of the ideas listed except acrylic stain, go to http://www.concretesolutions.com, for acrylic stains try http://www.smithpaints.com/new_site/products/color_floor/default.asp.
I'd be glad to offer tips on how to best do any of these systems if you feel that you can tackle the project.