I love my Maude, and my white pickets, and my lilacs, and my mulched garden!
I’m now six-tenths of a master gardener. I’ll be glad when this class is over because it’s more than an hour away and is really killing me. We all have to start giving mini-presentations over the next few classes and I must be insane because I volunteered to be one of the first ones and give a thing on edible flowers and flower jellies next week. Although this is a good direction for me to take and stick to since I don’t really know that much about actual gardening. Garden crafting and canning. There is my forte! In my master gardener volunteer work, they need to slot me in garden entertainment and keep me away from disseminating any actual information.
In other news, I’m off to Lowe’s today with Matt and Dave to make a final decision about flooring in the studio. Update later! (I’m torn between real tile and commercial vinyl tile. I prefer the look of real tile, but am leaning again toward commercial vinyl because I’m scared of breaking tiles with the heavy use and equipment that the studio will receive….. Sigh! Real tile is so much prettier. But I’m not sure it’s a good idea. I have to decide TODAY.)
GA_in_GA says:
Real tile! If you buy a good quality, floor tile it will hold up to nearly everything. Don’t buy the thinner tile meant to hang on the shower walls. Keep a few spares, just in case.
I love the tile I put into my mudroom. It takes a beating every day.
:happyfeet:
On April 13, 2012 at 7:22 am
enjay says:
I would vote for vinyl tile. It’s not nearly as pretty as real tile, but on the other hand it’s easier to take care of and to replace should it become damaged. Do “the rules” say anything about it? Grout might be of concern to those who regulate the whole professional kitchen thing or they might require you use special cleaning products or something.
I was so glad to read that Coco came home. We’re taking our old friend to the vet today to let her go. I don’t know what we’re going to do without her.
On April 13, 2012 at 7:24 am
DancesInGarden says:
I love that picture! I find actual ceramic tile hard on my feet and back when standing at a counter for any length of time. If you go that way, definitely invest in some “fatigue mats” for your stations. I also hate how hard it is to keep grout clean. Most designers now suggest going with a dark grout so you can’t see the stains! Can I just say EWWWWW?
I am sure whatever you pick will look awesome. That’s just the way it works :purpleflower:
On April 13, 2012 at 7:42 am
RosieJo says:
We put ceramic tiles in our kitchen, breakfast room and in part of our den (from the back door to the breakfast room where all the dirt comes into the house) and it is just the EASIEST floor to keep clean. That said, it is also miserably hard on the legs!! I have GelPro runners in the kitchen and couldn’t stand for long without them. Too, anything that is dropped is gone and sometimes leaves a little chip or hairline crack in the finish.
On April 13, 2012 at 8:10 am
WvSky says:
I have commercial vinyl tile in my kitchen. Since you’ll be within sight of my house, feel free to stop by and look at it. It’s been on the floor for about 7 years now and here’s the problem: Drop a couple of heavy knives on the vinyl tile and it cuts the tile. (as might be expected). Then you have grooves in the floor that are both obvious and hard to clean. They will be there forever.
On April 13, 2012 at 8:26 am
VaGirl2 says:
Do yourself a HUGE favor and put in commercial vinyl tile…it is so much EASIER to keep clean!!! Trust me!
On April 13, 2012 at 8:33 am
tsmith says:
Everything breaks when it hits tile! There are a lot of vinyls out there that look like real tile. On the down side. Vinyl scratches and scuffs a lot easier. Be very careful when moving or sliding heavy objects.
On April 13, 2012 at 8:55 am
Glenda says:
I vote the best vinyl you can buy. I have real tile on my back porch and it becomes very, very slick if wet….I had a friend take a real hard fall wearing her dress, leather soled, shoes on it from a wet spot.
It is also very hard on your legs and back if you stand for long periods of time….
I think the vinyl without the grout ridges will actually be easier to clean.
On April 13, 2012 at 8:59 am
LK says:
Hmmm…I have heard from a lady who spent the extra to put it in, that cork flooring was the way to go in a kitchen where you will be standing for any amount of time. She says that sealed, it is easy to clean, easy on the dropped dishes, and saves your feet from fatiguing. I would like to suggest cork for the more used standing areas, and tile (if you still want) for the rest.
On April 13, 2012 at 10:04 am
proud mountaineer says:
i also vote for vinyl, the kind that comes in a roll. i have armstrong in one of my bathrooms and i love it. easy to keep clean and still looks like new after several years. i also have a german made vinyl in one of my other bathrooms that is very durable and its cushioned feels really good on the feet. i purchased it at family carpet outlet in parkersburg.
On April 13, 2012 at 10:10 am
proud mountaineer says:
i’ve also heard good things about cork flooring.
On April 13, 2012 at 10:13 am
holstein woman says:
Since I hurt my back years ago and have trouble standing for long periods in the kitchen, I would have to vote for cork and I hate rugs etc under the work stations as people can trip over the edges also.
Have fun making choices.
Was really nice to have such a good Birfday gift, Coco looks great!
On April 13, 2012 at 10:36 am
ibnsgirl says:
My house has tile, and it is easy to clean, hard on dropped dishes, and with light-colored grout you can see the “trails” through the house.
I have only ever had tile (or the hated carpet), so I have a question: what are y’all’s thoughts on a pergo-type flooring? I know real wood has to be sealed and refinished and such, but pergo doesn’t, right? Is it easier on the back than tile? Sorry, I know it wasn’t one of the options, but I wasn’t sure if it wasn’t brought up for a reason.
On April 13, 2012 at 10:46 am
motherbear57 says:
Having been in flooring sales, and owning our own flooring installation company with my DH and 3 sons, I think I know some stuff about flooring. IMHO, real tile, when installed correctly will last you a lifetime, and the only maintenance issues will be in the grout. You will need to wash the floor CLEAN and rinse it to keep the grout from disintegrating over many years of commercial use. This sort of floor is very hard and cold (although it warms up if enough sunlight gets on it). Vinyl tile is inexpensive, but it needs to be installed correctly or it will shrink on itself, and the little joints will open up and get crud like flour and such into them. There is a lot of maintenance with this sort of floor because it needs seal and wax. This is not the place for a peel and stick vinyl tile. There are some really nice new “plank” look vinyls that actually overlap and will probably work better for you – but they too need some maintenance. Have you considered good “sheet” vinyl??? They can be maintained with normal cleaners that contain wax, and they don’t have all the seams. If it were me, I would be leaning toward either sheet material or real tile with a smallish grout joint. Good luck, happy shopping. Be sure to ask about proper subfloor for any of the flooring materials, tile needs are different that other product needs.
On April 13, 2012 at 11:16 am
motherbear57 says:
Cork is good too, but you should look in to one of the ones that’s on a roll – they are sold under names like “marmoleum”, “linoleum”, and then the seams are welded. It is the sort of material that hospitals have in them. Cork in linseed oil, with a jute backing. Definitely not a DIY item though cuz the seams are “welded”.
On April 13, 2012 at 11:19 am
JerseyMom says:
I vote for high quality roll-style vinyl. Here at the shore there is, naturally, lots of sand and despite much sandy foot traffic over almost 15 years, our Armstrong Designer floors still look wonderful. We have the kind that looks like 2’x2′ slate and people have actually stood on it and asked it it was “real”. It cost more than some other kinds but it well worth it. We have laminated wood in the family and dining rooms. They don’t hold up nearly as well. In the kitchen we can’t wait to get rid of the ceramic tile. It is cold, hard, and unforgiving. Maybe we just drop more things than the average family but we have lots of cracked tiles from heavy stuff landing with a big thud… And of course, there’s the grout issue…..
On April 13, 2012 at 11:44 am
banjodown says:
Have fun at Lowe’s! I love going there… I can’t help but think of a million project ideas while I’m walking down those spacious aisles.
On April 13, 2012 at 1:19 pm
zteagirl71 says:
You lucky girl…you have LILACS! I miss the two trees we had in Spokane, Wa.
On March 13, 2014 at 4:18 pm