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tuba_paul

Seeking creative assistance on a flooring project...

tuba_paul
15 years ago

Help!

I need some flooring advice. I have a California ranch from the 50's that needs some flooring. The original home had hardwood in the bedrooms, living room, and dining room with some sort of linoleum tile in the kitchen and cork tile in the foyer and hallway.

All floors are level--the cork tile is same height as the hardwood. Currently, the living room, dining room, hallway and foyer are carpeted, and there are awful parque tiles in the kitchen. I've removed the carpet from the bedrooms and refinished the floors revealing nice wood (see link).

I don't think I can match the wood (haven't seen anything like it in stores around here at least) and also, I REALLY DON'T WANT a house with different floor hieghts--this is the proverbial little house in a big neighborhood, and I'd like to finish it in keeping with the neighborhood so I can sell as a 'move in condition' home, not one that needs remodeling.

I know what I like when I see it, just need a little starting direction, I suppose, as well as some ideas on how to deal with the floor heights--whatever goes in should be something that blends well (both in appearance and height) to the existing hardwood and complements the stone fireplace.

Oh, and it's not a large house--1200 sq. ft. upstairs, with 8' ceilings, which probably limits my color choices--I'm thinking the same floor for hallway/foyer/kitchen would probably be best.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions/advice/referrals!

Paul

Here is a link that might be useful:

Comments (3)

  • glennsfc
    15 years ago

    I assume you want to do this work yourself; that is why you say "I don't think that I can match the wood." Am I right?

    Are you going to live in the house or are you planning a 'flip'?

  • tuba_paul
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    If I can save money I'll do it myself, but I am not averse to having it done if 1) I can afford it, and 2) it is beyond my means, technically. I think I did okay on the floors (the linked picture was refinished after more than forty years of carpet) but the next step is giving me pause...

    In terms of matching, I did not find the same wood anywhere--close, but the differences would still be distracting to me, and I was also concerned about floor heights--I saw some homes before I purchased where a hardwood floor was added after the fact, and it was truly an eyesore--particularly in the transition from one room to another.

    I closed on the house last month with the intent of living in it, not flipping it--but should I need to sell I would like the floors to be a selling point, not a distraction.

  • tuba_paul
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    So, I did some shopping around, and I believe I can put in an engineered floor which would only be slightly higher than the bedrooms using a beveled reducer for the transition, and the transition would only be as thick as the engineered flooring itself.

    For continuity, I'd keep the kitchen, foyer, and hallway all the same, so the 'step' would be from the hallway to the living room (open, no doorway, but adjacent to the fireplace), from the kitchen to the dining room (doorway), and from the hallway to the bedrooms and bathroom (all at doorways).

    Anyone with experience in engineered floors that they would recommend or warn me away from? Will it stand up in a foyer, or should I be thinking a few square feet of ceramic at the entrance?

    Also, any suggestions for color? Should I keep neutral and try and match the tone of the wood in rest of the house (shown in the original link)? Lighter? Darker? I like the impact from the cherry and Brazillian chestnut some offer, but don't want a result that looks like a hobo's patched jacket...

    Anyone with pics of floors with multiple woods would be most welcome...

    Thanks in advance,

    Paul