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My experience with hard flooring. I like areas rugs and do not like wall to wall carpet so prefer hard surface flooring.
Number one preference is tile. Drawback is it is hard on the feet especially in kitchen where you stand mostly. Also kiss any dish you drop goodbye. Pluses, cleans like a dream. Use colored grout, it doesn't show dirt. I also pick tiles that don't show dirt, i.e. neutrals or browns with tan or brown grout. if in doubt, take tile outside and throw dirt on it. Pick the one that looks best with local dirt.
I have used marble. It is beautiful but scratches easily.
I have a lot of wood floors. The comment regarding dogs is TRUE. Do not have wood floors if you have large house dogs. I would not worry if the house were post and beam and if you crossed a porch to enter, the cinder would be pretty well gone. Plus, you do take off your shoes in the house, don't you?
If built on a slab, I would not have wood floor, I would look into finishing the concrete nicely or use tile.
Tile can be inexpensive if you lay it yourself. (so can wood flooring) I did two smallish bathrooms in nice tile , including countertops and decorative trim for about 300
total cost. Took 2 or 3 days.
Final comment. Used black grout once. Very beautiful but MESSY! cleanup was a bear. Never ever use white grout anywhere. It will not be white long. (If you use black grout, you will never see milddew) I prefer dirt colored grout.
Posts: 243
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Joined: Oct 2005
Hey PunaMom,
Please send me the contact numbers for Hal straight up guy, that you mention that does the wood flooring. I sent you a private email after your posting, maybe your email is not working?
Thanks!
Lucy
Having another Great day in Paradise, Wherever that Maybe!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheLanai
Lucy
Having another Great day in Paradise, Wherever that Maybe!
Posts: 248
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Joined: Jun 2006
Hey Lucy,
Sorry I don't check that e-mail often.
Oh yeah Hal only drinks Steinlager <wink>
if ya wanna great deal.
Brauner Molding Woodorks
(808) 959-0013
336 E Palai St
Hilo, HI 96720
Posts: 243
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Joined: Oct 2005
HA Ha, only drinks Steinlager, so has that European taste, does he!
I was wondering what you meant by calling him the straight up guy, hmm....glad for the clarification on that as my curiousity was getting the best of me!
Thanks for the contact, I appreciate it and others probably do too!
Lucy
Having another Great day in Paradise, Wherever that Maybe!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheLanai
Lucy
Having another Great day in Paradise, Wherever that Maybe!
Posts: 94
Threads: 15
Joined: Feb 2006
Hey also check out hilo bamboo on Island, they have a website. The stand woven is remarkable. Although I'm not to the floors yet in our home Mike sent me samples. I soaked it in a bucket of water for over 24 hours. placed it in a window sill to see if would warp, nope, then after it dried I beat the @$%&*## out of it with cans and a hammer. Looks good, so I can't wait for installation.
Cindy
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There is a business that imports from Asia. It is just past Verna's heading south. Same side of the road. They had some spectacular bamboo wood flooring in their wearhouse at a reasonable price. Can't remember the name of the place, but they also do kit homes and were booked up with homes going to Louisana of all places when we visited. If you are on island you would be able to find it easily, so sorry I don't remember the name.
mella l
mella l
Art and Science
bytheSEA
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Mella,
I think that is Warehouse Hale, and across the street up aways is "Elite" run by Iris Shepard who also has that place out Hamakua by the 8MM "Hawaii Enterprise Co"... Iris also has some good pricing on granite.
Catherine Dumond
Blue Water Project Management
http://kmastudios.125mb.com/bluewaterpm/...rhome.html
808 217-7578
"We help make building your dream home a reality"
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Please check out our tile job. 13" renedered edge porcelain tile. 1/16 grout spacing.
scroll down to the tile job when on pic page.
We bought at Planet Granet in Hilo.
Very Happy with the tile and Planet Granet.
Wyatt
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/wyatt96778/album?.dir=4f25&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/wyatt96778/my_photos
"Yearn to understand first and to be understood second."
-- Beca Lewis Allen
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****I also got the MANGO which is unbelievably BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!the grain looks 3d in spots like its moving!the color varies from lite golden to brown to dk brown to even black with burly/birdseye patterns.****
Aloha Punamom,
Do you have any pictures of your mango floor? It must be gorgeous! Sometimes I mistake mango for koa.
Glad you went with Hal, he is a great choice! Also, all the money you spend for your floors when they are bought from him stays on the island and helps our local economy and our local people. Some of the mango in your floor may have come from my neighbor's tree! Is that kewl or what?! When was your floor installed? His tree was harvested two years ago.
A hui hou,
Cathy
"I like yard sales," he said. "All true survivalists like yard sales."
Kurt Wilson
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Hey Cathi,
I bought my mango probably 8 months ago and just put it in at the beg. of may.in july I varnished it, now I think its cured enough to put furniture on it,plus my oldest is comming home from summer vac. at the end of the week so I have to move out of her room. LO
so it may be your neighbors tree lol I don't know what Hals turnaround time is.But I love him cause he hires women to do mens jobs!
The picture thing may take awhile as my camera is on the blink but I'll work on it!