Hardwood floor questions

[Hey-O]

Nothing with grout.

 

[gkent]

Everything you drop on it, breaks.

And usually, so does the tile !!!

 

[YY1]

House 2 has one cracked tile and one chipped corner.

No one notices so we haven't done anything about it since 2015.

Get grout that's already a color dark enough so that dirty areas don't show.

 

[SlingLow]

I recently installed hardwood in most of our house including the kitchen (I lost that battle). We went with prefinished engineered hardwood because of cost and labor savings. I did nail it down to prevent the feeling of a floating floor. Just my wife and I live here, and we take care of our stuff. No kids and no dogs makes a huge difference as does taking off shoes when coming in from outside (we're on acreage with lots of field/grass and a high water table most of the year). I really didn't want it in the kitchen, but you have to choose your battles and this wasn't one. Time will tell how it wears - especially in the kitchen which we use daily. So far, so good. Don't drop pans and wipe up spills as they occur.

However, I would NEVER install hardwood in a rental. As @Hey-O said, renters don't give two shits about wear or damage and will trash it faster than you can put it in. I don't know how much carpet I replaced because of greasy boots, furniture tears, and food/beverage stains. It was routine on every turnover. I began using laminate, and now luxury vinyl plank, and even the $2 stuff is harder to destroy than anything else. The minor scratches don't ruin the entire area, and I haven't had to replace any of the floors since installing either product. They come in all types of finishes including simulated hardwood so you should be able to find something you like.

Just because you prefer a particular product or configuration in your home does NOT make it appropriate for a rental - unless you have a built-in, long-term renter that you can trust, like a family member or close friend.

 

[YY1]

PS- NEVER rent to relatives...or friends.

 

[mrhemi]

When we built our home 10+ years ago, we chose pre-finished hickory. Installed throughout the home with the exception of the master bath, laundry room and entry hall. Since we have dogs, hickory, being one of the hardest woods available was the choice for durability. It has stood up extremely well. The only issue I had was a leak in the dish washer. Since our home was a new build, the cabinets and built ins are sitting on top of the flooring. So when the dishwasher developed a slow leak it was undetected initially due to being absorbed into the sound deadener and eventually getting underneath a couple of flooring planks before it was noticed. no real damage other than a slight warp in one plank which is slowly correcting itself. To mitigate a repeat, when I repaired the dish washer I installed a thin sheet of polyethylene (from Menards) on top of the flooring underneath the dish washer. This will direct any future leak forward so it can been seen immediately, instead of soaking into the floor. Other than that, no issues / regrets using it in the kitchen. For anyone interested in the SW Ontario area, Breezewood Flooring out of Tillsonburg is the manufacturer / supplier.

 

[hemifiedbird]

I would say cost versus reward, Are you getting more rent because you have hardwood versus Vinyl plank? Every renter is going to have kids or dogs or have friends that have them. And as other people stated, Really don't care. I had renters have a party and campfire in the middle of a living room and burnt a hole so you could see in the basement. So some really don't care and your renters are not going to care if you have hardwood or not. I would use the cheapest flooring you can find as they will rent it as is and you will save money doing the reno.

 

[YY1]

Most dishwashers are installed on the slab because the height adjusters are designed for that and there is a chance they won't be able to be adjusted low enough to fit if flooring is put down first.

 

[SlingLow]

Most dishwashers are installed on the slab because the height adjusters are designed for that and there is a chance they won't be able to be adjusted low enough to fit if flooring is put down first.

True, but you have to make sure you don't install it 1st, then install the flooring in front of it and 'trap' it in place because the feet won't raise high enough to clear the top of the flooring.

 

[mrhemi]

Most dishwashers are installed on the slab because the height adjusters are designed for that and there is a chance they won't be able to be adjusted low enough to fit if flooring is put down first.

Since ours was a new custom build, there were no cabinets available when the flooring was installed. Made for a bit of an easy install of the flooring. The cabinets are custom as well, spec'd 2" higher than normal. That probably eliminated the potential issue you refer to.

 

[YY1]

Usually, they will clear....but after they rust it's BITCH to turn them enough.

 

[mrhemi]

i like mine on top of the flooring. With the 1/16" poly sheet, it slides right out when need be.

 

[Triplegreen500]

I agree on the cheapest option - which was my original question.

I can get hardwood - unfinished, but still hardwood - for ONE DOLLAR per square foot.

LVF is $3.69 or more.

My main question was, has anyone put it in a kitchen and had issues with that?

In the long run, it's still cheaper to refinish hardwood than it is to replace carpet, vinyl, pergo, etc. And honestly...I'm 52. By the time hardwood "wears out", I'll either be dead, or have sold the rental long before.

 

[rirealtor]

I'd be curious to the material, grade and moisture content at $1. add a subfloor, let it acclimate, and install. Depending on the property and your time/$ to invest, either sand and poly or just poly 3-4 coats. Hardwoods are ok in the kitchen, just have to be aware of higher traffic areas ( in front of sink, fridge,etc) may need to re coat sooner. And by my username suggests, let me know when you want to sell it.

 

[Richard Cranium]

I've put down many different types of flooring and enough hardwood to go from my place to yours, walnut, cherry, oak, all of them. That's all I used to use on my homes, period. The perfinish has aluminum oxide in the finish, which no matter how many coats of ploy you put on, will never match it, IMO. I wouldn't put hardwood in my home these days if you came and did it for free. The sun bleaches it, water will blow it up, dogs will kill it when they slam on the brakes skidding up to a window to look out, a fat gal in high heels will dent it and the biggy, your renters won't give a sh*t about the dents and bruises they put in it. My last three houses have been, totally waterproof, pet friendly, 10 year commercial and lifetime residential guarantee luxury vinyl plank. They come with a rubber back and don't bounce around or make noise. If there's a problem, replace it. A monkey can put it down and it's a quick install. Have you ever taken out a piece of bad hardwood flooring, I have and while I can do it so even God couldn't tell, it's a huge pain in the a**. Wood is all I did and wood is for furniture, not floors, those days are over. Buy the best vinyl and never look back. You've been warned!! LOL. The last hardwood job I did, was for a friend. I left my Bostitch nailer with him.................. I used staples, not nails.

Our oak floors were installed when the house was built 5+ years ago & they still look great. Of course there's only the two of us living here & we have guests trained to take their shoes off at the front door. Submit did have a cat, but that thing went to Boot Hill 3 years ago and the only animal living in our house today is me.

 

[Hey-O]

Our oak floors were installed when the house was built 5+ years ago & they still look great. Of course there's only the two of us living here & we have guests trained to take their shoes off at the front door. Submit did have a cat, but that thing went to Boot Hill 3 years ago and the only animal living in our house today is me.

My floors always looked new and shoes where made for outside use only. It's the accidents that cause the problems.

 

[Richard Cranium]

It's the accidents that cause the problems.

We are both potty trained and don't have accidents, but things may change as get real old.

 

[Hey-O]

We are both potty trained and don't have accidents, but things may change as get real old.

Those accidents are usually absorbed before they reach the floor unless you're wearing shorts. .

 

[eldubb440]

2 of my good friends do hardwood and ceramic tile respectively...... I have 3/4 inch oak throughout the house with the exception of kitchen, laundry room, and bathrooms; which are all ceramic

the room Rebel and I hang out in is very high traffic and needs to be sanded and refinished; but I haven't bought carpet in over 20 years

 

[SlingLow]

In the long run, it's still cheaper to refinish hardwood than it is to replace carpet, vinyl, pergo, etc.

The issue I have with refinishing is the mess, not the cost. Doing finish work in new construction is one thing. Sanding, staining and varnishing (I know it's not varnish anymore but you know what I mean, and it's easier to spell than pollyyourathaine) large areas in a house that is being lived in sucks.

Hardwoods are ok in the kitchen, just have to be aware of higher traffic areas ( in front of sink, fridge,etc) may need to re coat sooner.

Good point. We do have area rugs in front of the sink, cooktop, fridge, food prep area and entry doors.