Purley

I would like to get rid of the old linoleum in my kitchen/dining room etc. and instead have tiles installed.

I know that lots of you have done renos. Can anyone tell me the difference between ceramic and porcelein floor tiles? I can't seem to find any web sites that explain the pluses and minuses of each.

triumphguy

I wouldn't put either down in kitchen or dining room. Drop a plate or glass and it will smash into a million pieces, and the tile may crack or chip. Also hard and cold to the feet.

Slate would be better.

Hardwood and laminate better yet, IMHO

Cork and bamboo floor coverings are new and get good reviews.

destinationnovascotia

Ceramic is a broad term which incorporates porcelain and other clay based tiles. Porcelain tiles specifically are ceramic tiles which are less porous than other types.

Many retailers however will use the terms interchangeably.

As for the comment about cold feet, try putting heating under then and they will feel great.

G586

[QUOTE=destinationnovascotia;7025294

As for the comment about cold feet, try putting heating under then and they will feel great.[/QUOTE]

Heated tiles are fab. Tiles are much better for cleaning.

Laminate shouldn't be used in any areas where there may be water.

Purley

Yes, I had thought about underfloor heating. It would make a mess because we already have lino, on top of subfloor, on top of some really revolting red lino that was presumably chosen by the first people in this house. I think we would have to have the whole lot removed in order to put down the underfloor heating!

And then the next problem is choosing a colour - which brings to mind that I hate the kitchen cabinets!! Before long we will be into a Steve-P type reno!! I'd love to do it but I can imagine the mess and dust you have to live with - and how it will take twice as long and cost twice as much!! Maybe I should just get the cabinets professionally painted!!

I found a Mannington site that said porcelein is harder than granite, so I thought they would be better than ceramic. It doesn't bother me about breaking things. The only time recently anything has been broken in the kitchen was when my husband put a plate on top of the electric burner ring --- to warm it up!!!!

Steve_P

You are going to have to remove everything down to the original wood floor if you are going to put down anything other than lino again.

To put down tile it will have to be stiffened so it does not flex when you walk on it, likely screw down the original floor and a sub-floor of plywood or oriented strand board then the tiles.

Bill_S

Steve is correct, you need a very stable base for a tile floor. You're going to have to remove all of the layers of old, flexible stuff or you will be wasting your money.

Tuppence

We have porcelain tile. Apparently porcelain has the colour throughout the tile, so if you chip it (never have) you see the same colour underneath. Ceramic has a thin layer of colour on the top of the tile.

We have in floor heat too, but it is hot water pipes laid in the joists underneath the floor - probably hard to do that after the fact unless you have hot water heat of some form. It is lovely to walk on a warm bathroom floor in the morning.

Souvenir

Quite. The 4x4 sheets of plywood sub-floor I have used are marked for about 120 nails/screws each. Back-breaking work, that.

Steve_P

Check tool rental places for a screw gun that allows you to put in the screws with you standing up. Sort of looks like a small pneumatic drill.

The carpenter that's doing the work on our place has one I was very impressed with how quickly it went.

It certainly looked like it would be worth the cost of renting.

Purley

Well, I can tell you, if its going to get done, its not going to be attempted by me or my husband. So, I would get recommendations from people who have had it done.

Yes, Tuppence, thanks for that. I do remember that porcelein has the colour all the way through it - so that seems to be the way to go.

Now I have to decide -- do I do the floors first or get new windows first!

tallperson

Sorry to highjack the thread but while we're talking tiles what sort of tiles do I need to retile a hearth? Anyone know?

Souvenir

I haven't seen such a beast but I can picture it. Sounds like a very neat idea. A bit late for me, though.

PS: Bro seems OK. Not due for bloods for 6 months and then 6 months after that. Hopefully, both results will be the same.

Steve_P

Souvenir

Ta. The tit doesn't seem to accept being in his 60s. He's off Alpine skiing in a couple of days. Next year, he's climbing Kilimanjaro.