I don't know why it would be considered a beast to clean. I don't think ours is. We have the Marmoleum Click. I didn't want it totally solid, so scattered in a few creamy colored tiles into our gray.

What about going with a dark brown/light brown checkerboard? This one is cork, not marmoleum, but you could do similar colors, I'm sure. Or black/tan checker?

Here is a link that might be useful: Look for the

The marmoleum website has some cool kitchen floor ideas too...like the second one, which is a variation on the checkerboard idea.

Here is a link that might be useful: marmoleum website--kitchens

Our marmoleum has permanent water stains near the shower and under where our cat's water bowl sets.

We had Marmoleum installed in the laundry room, Two small bathrooms, and the downstairs (walkout) bedrooms and studio. We had to wait almost two months after moving in to have the Marmoleum installed because of moisture levels coming from the concrete (poured six months earlier), but like the floors very much. We also had Marmoleum countertops installed in the downstairs bath vanity, and on all of the kitchen counters. I'm not sure I'd put it in as a kitchen counter surface again.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

wobbly, i'm so sorry to hear about your water stains! most of what i've read has been positive.

rhome, from what i've read, it's the white in the black/white that makes it so difficult to keep clean. your floor is beautiful!

heyker, black/tan - love the idea! thanks!

duluth, that's marmoleum? so pretty!

thanks for the pictures:)

No pics but I have friends who have the sheet variety in their kitchen\family room. They have had it for years and have 2 active kids under 5. No staining, very durable and easy to keep clean. They love it.

We were cautioned not to put the dog's water bowl on our kitchen floor without a waterproof mat of some sort...But it was because of the seams of the Click, and how it would be wet constantly in that one spot and possibly end up seeping into the seam over time...Not a 'given,' but enough of a slight possibility to avoid it. I've never heard of anyone having water stains before today.

They're putting Marmoleum in our state's ferries...Those will definitely gets lots of foot traffic with exposure to wet shoes, spills, etc. I figured if it was deemed durable enough for the ferries that it could deal with our 8 kids and 2 large dogs. :-) So far, so good.

We just put down marmoleum tile a couple of weekends ago in what will be our laundry/extra fridge room and are very pleased with it. Can't tell you yet how it is to keep clean but it was very easy to put down. (Don't mind the date--DH refuses to reset his camera and I'm just learning how to use.)

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w5/jcandsam/100_0225.jpg

Here is a link that might be useful:

We installed marmoleum click in our kitchen last October. I love it and have found it very easy to clean--usually with just a broom or a vacuum. So far, any spots, even dried-on spots (if we drip something and don't notice and it dries, or if our dogs track mud in the kitchen, etc.) have wiped up with a damp rag--I've never used any kind of soap or cleaner on it.

I'm planning on sheet marmoleum over the entire kitchen area (i.e., beneath cabs) instead of the wood I have -- I like the wood, but it is a b*&^%% to keep clean. I've heard that seams in marmoleum (i.e., click seams and others) can be the source for moisture to move upward and/or downward. Hence a single 12' wide sheet for me, to cover 16 linear feet of kitchen. That gives me about 4 x 16 for future play with for the bathrooms...(not on deck for any reno at the moment, but you never know...;-P

I don't want vinyl, but I also cannot do tile since our house has a certain "give-and-take" with the seasons. I can deal with some minor paint cracking, but I do not want to deal with stone/porcelain tiles bucking due to the moisture/temperature/temperment of this house.

Of course I am not ready yet to jump in, but the things I've learned here at this forum have solidified many choices I would not have thought of otherwise; i.e., I was paralyzed for months trying to deal with a slight floorplan change to the wood floor. It took a few months for me to accept that the wood floor had to go...now, I'm happy at that decision! Now it's just finding cabinetry at the pricepoint/functionality I want to deal with.

I can't believe someone told you this was a hard to clean floor. I have three dogs, a cat and a house full of teenagers on a regular basis. I use a broom on it daily for the pet hair...all of the hair goes to the corner of the room so it is very simple. As for dirt on it...I bought a steamer for my ceramic tile in the bathrooms and use this and the Marmoleum looks brand new!!! Love this floor. I put this in my son's room who had terrible allergies and replaced the carpet. My son hasn't taken any allergy medication since I ripped the carpet out...unbelieveable but true!!! With 4 pets, the carpet was just an allergy waiting to happen!!!