Hard flooring

[Les C]

Do people have recommendations for what and where to buy large floor tiles, like slate? Also, for wood flooring, like bamboo? We've got about 1450 sf we'd like to do. We may be splitting coverage between the two types. Also, I'd love to hear what you feel about the different floorings that you've experienced or heard about.

Also, recommendations for installers are welcomed, just in case our guy is unable to do it.

Mahalo, Les C

[Carolann R]

Les, my Mom had beautiful slate floors in her house in Scottsdale. It was good for her since she is in a wheelchair. But - very hard on our feet because it's generally a little uneven in it's texture. We actually put ceramic tile in our home we are selling here in Tempe, AZ and it's just beautiful. Had it laid in a brick-type pattern - staggered.


Carrie

"The opportunities to reach into the lives of others in an inspiring way arise in countless ways every single day..." Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

http://www.hellophoenix.com/art

[Fishboy]

Les,
I've installed both types of floor in my home and highly recommend each for specific applications. Tile, be it ceramic, or stone, is great for applications where you wold appreciate the cool temperatures under your bare feet. I've tiled both bathrooms and the laundry room in my home, and will be installing tiles over the concrete walkways front and back. I've put dark-colored bamboo in the kitchen where it works really well with the wood cabinets. The bamboo is underlain with a 1/8th inch foam layer that makes the floor "give" a bit when you walk on it. It feels really neat in bare feet.

I've seen several homes with tile throughout the living/dining/kitchen areas with carpets in the bedrooms and hallways, but I wouldn't do that myself.

One last point about bamboo: It makes a great ceiling accent. The tongue-and-groove fit allows you to glue the bamboo to the ceiling. The application I've seen is bamboo floors with the same bamboo on the ceiling; it looks really great as the two compliment each other.

Brian (Fishboy)

[HADave]

Les, there is someone on the forum that sells bamboo flooring at reduced prices i can't remember the name but maybe using the search function will find them for you. they claimed they couldn't be beat..

Aloha HAdave

[Robin C]

Hi, Les.

We had slate tile in our kitchen in our California home and loved it. It was easy to keep clean and looked great after years of use. The rest of the house was wood flooring and I think the two look great together.

We have wood flooring in our Volcano house. It's oak, not bamboo. The only concern I would have with any wood floor is the amount of sharp pebbles that get tracked in. It seems like there's a risk of denting/scratching the flooring. We have lots of area rugs to make this less of a problem.

Enjoy your flooring adventure.

Robin

[1 STOP MAIL SHOP]

I would recommend tile over wood ,ecspecially bamboo, any day, if you have dogs in the house, and or high traffic the bamboo is very soft, the scratches will drive you crazy like it did me the same day I finished laying the flooring, so I had to rip that up and installed tile in the living,dining, and kitchen, and it wa the way to go...Tile makes us Smile is my mantra

Kevin Costello & Meghan Wobles

[Hotzcatz]

Aloha Les,

We got a whole pile of nice gray/green/brown cut slate tiles at a garage sale for $20. Another garage sale garnered some nice cut stone of some sort of greenish mica sort of stuff. Either one is enough to do the bath house which is six and a half by eleven feet. I think the cut slate tiles will be for the "new" (originally built in 1911) bath house and the mica stuff will be for the carport bathroom if we ever get around to building it.

The tiles are large 12" square tiles, though, so it is fortunate that the bath house has a concrete floor. Large tiles can crack if they are put over a wooden sub floor. If you are putting tile on concrete, then any size will work, however, if you are putting tiles over a wooden subfloor, then the smaller tiles may be a better choice.

For wood flooring, try calling Hal Bruener in Hilo. He has a lumber mill and may have some nice local hardwood flooring. Ohia makes a wonderful floor if you like a dark reddish brown slightly figured wood. Eucalyptus Robusta makes a nice dark brown floor and silk oak (AKA lacewood) makes a nice lighter colored floor.

If you happen to have some trees, there are several folks who will cut them into planks for you, then Hal can dry and mill them into flooring.

A hui hou,
Cathy

[Les C]

Great info, folks! I appreciate the considerations that you're all offering. It's good to hear that others like the slate/wood combination. We've seen it in some of the houses that we were considering and really liked the way it looked and felt.

Our carpeting has become a flea haven which our cats don't appreciate. And we've had enough of linoleum.

Cathy's point about large tiles over a more flexible (than slab) wood subflooring is something we had not heard before. And Robin and Kevin's comments about scratching are good considerations with so much cinder outside waiting to get inside.

We've seen some bamboo flooring choices that looked good at J & J Hardware. Has anyone come across other sources?

We'll look into Hal Bruener's operation. We knew of a guy in the SF Bay Area who milled flooring from the eucalyptus that he cleared for others because he didn't like the idea of just throwing it away. Using eucalyptus or silk oak is good consideration.

I did a search for bamboo flooring (thanks HADave) and found that dealer, www.hilobamboo.com . Also, saw some interesting input in those discussions about cupping, moisture barriers, etc.

Thanks all!

Les C

Edited by - Les C on 07/27/2006 23:17:31

[pslamont]

Les,
We have used slate throughout most of our 3600 sq ft home, with pergo in the bedrooms and the library only. 12 inch slate lays fine. Over the wood subfloor you must screw the hardipanel backerboard, with thinset between them. Then thinset again to lay the slate itself. It is quite sturdy. Feel free to contct me to come over and see how ours worked out.

Aloha, Pam Lamont

Just another day in P A R A D I S E !!

[Punamom]

Hi Les,
I would definately recommend Hal straight up guy.Been here a long time and is eco friendly in his harvesting.
I got the robusta from him and its incrediably hard/durable.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.I did a random width pattern.I wish now I had done the whole house in it but I had already bought/installed the robusta in some rooms.And i was not sure how the mango would look as its kinda ugly until u varnish it.Hubby and I did it all ourselves and as far as building goes I'd say it was pretty easy.But I think Hal knows some guys if you want it.He is also custom making our stairs (affordable).
I looked at Bamboo but it did not pass the drop a fork on it test(it dented from a FORK!)But I "heard" of a guy Jeffrey of Jeffreys Floors in HPP who does a great job and sells the bamboo for around 2.50 sq ft.(but don't quote me on that cause prices change like the weather around here).Maybe try coconut wood probably has the same look as bamboo but more durable.I also got the travertine tile 16" at Home Depot for 3.00 sq ft.(its a special they have all the time but sells quick).Which is very beautiful and affordable too.
p.s I heard slate is hard to care for and breaks up alot?
But all the natural stuff is just lovely!
VERY well worth it.