Replies

1. 
   FredB | Feb 04, 2002 04:05am | #1

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   Wood floor with that family? Wood is soft and even with poly will dent and gouge. The poly will scratch. So the real question is what kind of feel do you want in the kitchen?

   If you want a polished show feel all the time then use something harder than wood. Tile would do fine. If you want a warm, lived in, maybe farm kitchen feel then use wood with all its' distressing.

   There isn't anything wrong with the looks of either floor. It is just what you want in your house.

1. 
   david_thodal | Feb 04, 2002 06:18am | #2

   *Tim, we used #1 red oak in our kitchen. Sanded and used 3 coats of DURASEAL poly. After 6years of dirt, water, mud etc from 2 adults, a child, 2 cats and a dog, it still looks great. Does it look new? No. But it looks good. The DURASEAL does not amber so we still have a rich brown of oak. The floor has a no sheen to it which is fine in my eyes. Scratchs, dents, etc only add character to the floor, but they are minimal.I finish with the first 2 coats using a gloss poly. A much harder finish than satin. The satin is the final coat which will knock down most of the sheen. Periodic washing with SIMPLE GREEN or MURPHY"S SOAP is all we do. I suppose in a few more years I will screen all the floors and apply another coat of satin poly to rejuvinate the protection.walk gooddavid

1. 
   FredB | Feb 04, 2002 08:51pm | #3

   *david:Thanks for the reinforcement. Any floor looks good if it matches the style and desire of the owner. I know people who would be very uncomfortable with your "floor with character" and others who would just love it.

1. 
   david_thodal | Feb 05, 2002 12:32am | #4

   *FredB, It is interesting what some people like and dislike. In many instances, especially if one considers the majority of construction these days, people want their homes to be maintainence free , look brand new indefinitely and not cost anything. Sorry it does not work that way. In fact, those houses are the ones that are suffering from serious problems in a very short time. I used wood and tile in my own house because, 1. I like the looks of natural products; I like how they age and delevope character over time. 2. I know that though they will not look new, they will outlast vinyl , carpet, etc. In another 100 years, this house will still be a good house. 3. Maintainence is enevitable or replacement if you choose no maintainence. I would rather screen and refinish my floors than replace the vinyl every 5-10 years.One other consideration ; regardless of your flooring choice, it will wear. Vinyl will dent and rip, carpet will wear and stain, tile wears and stains and can chip or crack. Grout will discolour. With wood floors I have an easier and less expensive repair for 90% of the wear. walk gooddavidI

1. 
   Tim_Warren | Feb 13, 2002 04:35am | #5

   *I have a 80-year old house, clapboard and cedar shakes, that is in need of painting. The old paint on the clapboard is cracking and peeling down to the bare wood in some spots. The cedar shakes are fine just dried out. The house is three stories with a wrap around porch. Its a beauty! The wood is in good shape. Peeling because of too many coats of paint. Need feedback. Should it be stripped or scraped or burned off? Any idea of how much this should cost. I live on Staten Island. Any recommendations for a great professional painter. I know there are a lot of painters out there, but I need someone who will give me a good job and will spend quality time because I know surface preparation is everything when it comes to painting old houses. Thanks for any help you give.

2. 
   michael_rose | Feb 13, 2002 08:02am | #6

   *Tim One of the very first jobs I did as a contractor, which just happen to be a kitchen remodel, the owner insisted on having a wood floor installed. I told him "nobody puts a wood floor in their kitchen--water will ruin the floor". And of course the client is always right... Well I learned this was the same thing as buying a car. Once you buy it, you see everybody else driving the same car. After the project was completed, I started noticing wood floors in other people's kitchens and especially in magazines... people do install wood floors in their kitchens. The kitchen turned out great and the owner was very happy... so ABSOLUTELY go for that wood floor. Most importantly, seal it right!! Not only will it look and feel great, but it should last a long time.

3. 
   Ralph_Wicklund | Feb 13, 2002 08:31am | #7

   *By all means go for it. You are not limited to floors from scratch, either. Look into the prefinished lines, such as Mirage. This floor, 2 1/4" solid oak, was selected by the customer from a selection of samples, including different unfinished and prefinished selections that I keep on hand. Order enough for some waste and you could end up with enough left over to build a counter top and bench seat such as you see in the pics.If you damage or wear or just get tired of the color of a prefinished floor you can always sand it down and start over again.

4. 
   Schelling_McKinley | Feb 13, 2002 01:29pm | #8

   *A wood floor can work great in a kitchen. I have only one caveat: keep an eye on the spots where you get the greatest wear, such as in front of the sink. You need to refinish the floor before these areas get worn through. Water will stain these areas and you will never get that new look back. Though this may not bother you and won't affect the longevity of the floor, there will be a gray area that will only go away if you completely sand down to new wood. This compares with a light sanding of the old finish that you should do every five to ten years followed by a new coat of finish.

5. 
   Tim_Mooney | Feb 13, 2002 05:51pm | #9

   *Check the dishwasher.Needs to be able to slide out.

6. 
   Wes_Stanhope | Feb 14, 2002 04:34am | #10

   *Another wood choice would be end blocks.That's what's going in my kitchen when I get a 'round 2it.

7. 
   michael_rose | Feb 15, 2002 01:10pm | #11

   *Schelling and Tim both have good points. Make sure your dishwasher will fit with the new floor and also placing a mat in front of the sink will prevent that nasty wear spot you normal see on a wood floor in front of the sink.

8. 
   DanPat | Feb 15, 2002 07:27pm | #12

   *I did a kitchen last year where the client picked out a Bruce pre-finished solid oak flooring. Went down easy & looks great to. Actually cost less than putting down raw oak & then finishing it.