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desertsteph

Here's my most likely flooring -

desertsteph
11 years ago

it's Armstrong floating vinyl tile (more like planks) 12 x 36. They do stick to each other. I'm thinking that'll be easier for me to put down (and faster) and easier to replace a piece if needed later. I just laid it out to see how it'll look. It isn't stuck down yet. I only bought 1 box to see how I liked it and I think it'll be fine.

Oh, I've rearranged a few 'tiles' since this pic to spread out those darker areas in some of the tiles. Looks much better.

Comments (16)

  • lavender_lass
    11 years ago

    Steph- Those are nice! Where did you get them? I've only been shopping for plants all summer, so I haven't been looking at fun home improvement stuff! LOL

  • desertsteph
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    thx LL! got 'em at Lowe's. They're on sale now - 47.00 a box. they were about 57.00 I think.

    They're pretty firm so I don't think a few flaws in the subfloor will matter as much. Not sure what rooms I'll put it in yet either. Maybe the LR/DR area and connected hallway.

    I'll probably still put sheet vinyl in the bathrooms and laundry room. I'm tossing that around in the open spaces between my ears. A little 'nudge' keeps telling me 'but if there IS a leak you'll be able to pull one up and see if the underfloor is ruined, still wet etc'. OTOH, I was going to use loose lay sheet vinyl anyway.

    Do we drive ourselves insane over these decisions?

  • Shades_of_idaho
    11 years ago

    Those look so nice Steph. We were next door to Lowes yesterday but I was already done in from the trip so we skipped it. I am not ready to purchase flooring yet.

  • desertsteph
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    how about with the 'tiles' even? I think I like this better - it's less busy. I'm taking a few days to walk over them, around them, look at them from different angles.

  • Shades_of_idaho
    11 years ago

    I vote for the second version layout.

  • TxMarti
    11 years ago

    Is that the Allure? I looked at those and considered them for my kitchen. The guy at the big box store said they would lay right over ceramic tile without having to do any filler. But a little research showed that wasn't true and dh didn't want to do filler.

    I like the first layout, but then I like busy patterns I guess. I was hoping to do a hopscotch pattern in my kitchen/dining but the joint between the two slabs is going to dictate the pattern.

  • desertsteph
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    thx shades - I do also! It's easier on my eyes.

    marti - I don't like busy patterns very much - especially not on the floor where I could 'see' it wrong and misstep. But I don't like a busy BS either. My eyeballs revolt and scream!

    It isn't Allure - but is similar. It's by Armstrong. I'll go take a look at the underside of it and see how solid it is -

    It's pretty solid. Do you mean 'fill' the grout areas on your tile? Don't know how it'd be on that. I have a 'pitched' area on my LR/DR floor where they put the 2 parts back together - badly. And it doesn't seem to bother the plank. I put one over it and walked on it and it seems fine. I do plan to sand it a bit - might need filled a bit in areas also. the 'fill' wouldn't be because of the planks tho but because I don't want a cracked area under it (where who knows what might wiggle in).

    You could buy a box, put a few down for a wk or 2 and see how it does. It's returnable.

  • desertsteph
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    my sister said that straight they'll make the room look longer. I don't know that for sure - but it makes sense. The room is already about 24' long.

    I think it'll be easier to put down this way - if I can keep the grout lines IN a straight line.

  • young-gardener
    11 years ago

    Very pretty tiles!! I'm casting a vote for layout 1.

  • desertsteph
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    thx yg! I might do that in one of the smaller rooms that I don't walk thru to get to other rooms. My equilibrium feels better looking at the 2nd one in the LR/DR (which is a pass thru room from my bdrm to the kit and other rooms). I was surprised at that because tile laid out in a straight row would not usually be my choice.

    Between getting older and my back/legs, my steps aren't as sure as they were in the past and my eyeballs are really getting old!

  • mama goose_gw zn6OH
    11 years ago

    I like the staggered layout better, just because it's a little less common, I think. I'm anxious to see how this works, since I'm still waffling on flooring for the kitchen. Next time I'm at Lowes, I'll check to see what's available in the planks. As it is, every time I go, I head back to the sheet-vinyl carousel to try to make up my mind about the checkerboard--might as well make the rounds.

    You mentioned grout lines--do these need to be grouted?

  • mama goose_gw zn6OH
    11 years ago

    I hit submit by accident. I meant to ask also if the same kind of underlayment sheet is required, as with other floating floors. I'm using a narrower, click-together laminate plank in the guest room, with a thin foam underlayment sheet. I bought the cheap stuff at Lowes (on sale for .69/sf), but that room won't see a lot of foot traffic. If I thought the laminate wood hold up in the kitchen, that would be easier to DIY as well as less expensive, than the sheet.

  • desertsteph
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    mama g - no, it doesn't need grouted. the grout lines are built in. I didn't want to have to grout anything - or even have grout! It doesn't need underlayment either.

    I wanted sheet for a few places also. for a room size tho it wouldn't even fit in my car at 12' wide. If it did I'd still need someone to get it from car to house and into the room.

    I usually always take a 'tour' of the sheet vinyl too! I found that they have a bin (usually off the beaten track; last time I asked and I'd have never found it on my own) with pieces of sheet vinyl. some 10 x 12 and some smaller.
    i still couldn't get the 10 x 12 into my car but the guy who cut wood for me said he could probably cut it down to fit in the car. That'd be awesome! So I've used graph paper to work out a major cut that'd work with sizes needed to 'floor' my closets. I could floor 4 closets and the pantry with 1 10x 12 piece @ 50.00!

    I bought a box of the cheapest laminate I could find at a local flooring store (nearby town) and a roll of the cheap underlayment to try out (see if I could do it). I found I really like the laminate I got cheap. It's to go into the back bdrm/craft/store room. Won't be used much or by anyone but me. I figured that's the place to make my mistakes!

    So far tho I've been afraid to operate the chop saw... and haven't yet tried to cut it with my little hand gizmo/saw. Will be trying that this week.

    I figured this other stuff will be a lot easier to cut being it's vinyl and goes down 3 'tiles' in one piece! I do wish each 'tile' was maybe 16 x 16.

    If I get some of this stuff down and really like it enough I might even put it in the bathrooms and laundry room OVER the sheet vinyl already in there.

  • idie2live
    11 years ago

    Nice tile, Steph. I think the 2nd option is more soothing to the eye. Do you cut it with a utility knife?

  • cat_ky
    11 years ago

    Steph, it is beautiful. I would like to know what color it is. I vote for no 2 layout too. I would not like the busy no. 1. Cat

  • desertsteph
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    idie and cat ky - thx to both of you! I did the first LO because I saw it done with something similar (I thought it was on one of these forums but haven't been able to find it again) and liked it in the pics that were posted. I usually don't like the straight tile. I lived with it for several days and decided to move it and then I tried the straight LO and found I did like it better. More soothing to my eyeballs.

    I do have a problem with many tile/vinyl patterns (even those that don't seem like much of a pattern on 1 tile make a big pattern when many put together).

    It should cut with just a box cutter w/sharp blade. I do have a rotary 'saw' tho - like a dremel but a different brand. I'm going to practice with that this week on another vinyl tile sample I have.

    It's weird in color. the center tile seems more beige with the 2 end tiles more grey. My first thought was 'ick, these'll go down in the closets.' But after I laid it out it wasn't that noticeable. It does have some cream color in it also.

    It comes in other colors/patterns - I think one is a slate look. It's on the lowe's site under flooring/vinyl/floating vinyl tiles. by Armstrong.

    Another thing I like about it is while it looks like it has texture, it doesn't. Some tiles I've seen do and with those I think I'd end up on the floor or with a long handled brush to clean out what sticks in the 'texture'. I just want it smooth so all I have to use is the swiffer and a damp mop.

    Puppy has been doing her best on it - running, skidding over that patch of tiles for the past week and even tho it's not stuck down to anything, it hasn't moved. Haven't noticed any nail damage to the tiles either.