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bHat

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This is my first post--I'm new to home improvements and definitely a 'handy-gimp' so to speak.

We have mostly carpet throughout our home, with the exception of the kitchen and bathrooms (tile). The carpet is old and we have a five-year old and two large dogs, so we're not helping it in its old age. The kitchen tile is a light cream color and has a matte/textured surface so it's virtually impossible to keep clean.

We considered laminate, but I've been hearing about the moisture issues and I really need something durable (child + two large dogs = a floor's worst nightmare). Here are our options (as we understand them):

LIVING ROOM/HALLWAY: Stained Concrete, Engineered Flooring, Cork Flooring
KITCHEN: Stained Concrete, Engineered Flooring, Cork Flooring, Tile (a darker,
glossier type than we have now)
STAIRS: I have no idea but I hate the carpet. Obviously, stairs are high
traffic, but aside from hardwood, I don't really know which of those
flooring types you can use on stairs.

I think for now, we're going to keep the carpet in the bedrooms. And the tile in the bathrooms is a glossier type than what's in the kitchen so it's much easier to keep clean.

We also have to think about cost and installation. We could be in this house for potentially three to six years, so we definitely don't want to put more money into it than we can get back out of it in the end.

So, that's it--give it to me straight! And thanks in advance!
Becky
 
Welcome Becky Hat:
To me a concrete floor is cold and unforgiving, I would want some padding on it if at all possible. I would want to go with the cork in the hallway and padded engineered flooring in the living room and kitchen (different patterns, of course). It would be wonderful if your stair are hardwood under the carpet but, if they are not, they could be painted with a porch and floor enamel. Latex paints are not for foot traffic and wear away quickly.
Glenn
 
Why would you recommend the cork floor in the hallway as opposed to the engineered wood?

I've tried to pull back the sides of the carpet on the stairs (it wasn't the best carpet job) and I can see what looks like plywood. So does that mean the porch and floor enamel won't work there?

Thanks!
 
Hello Becky Hat:
I was just thinking of the high wear a hallway would get. It would be feasable to use the padded laminate floor in the hall too; I might even consider using the same as the living room. I would recommend using a light colored laminate in the kitchen just to keep it light and bright.
The plywood could be painted or you might check with the big box stores for a laminate or engineered wood cover for the stairs.
Glenn
 

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