question re changing floor tiles

dinos

hi all,

we have lovely white shiny floor tiles which look great in our kitchen...in summer, when the floor is really clean:D

However, 2 minutes later, it looks terrible, specially when my husband or little one come in from outside, and with so much rain lately, I just find it impossible to keep :eek:

So, I have more or less convinced husband to change to something a little more durable e.g. cork? but he will only do this if it doesnt mean removing the current tiles.

2 questions:
1) Any way we can leave the current tiles down - if not, are they easy to get up - or a nightmare as husband thinks?
2) Any recommendations, or is cork a good idea for replacement?

thanks in advance

ART6

If they are ceramic floor tiles they will indeed be a pig to get up, and levelling off the cement underneath will be one heck of a job. If they are dead level I'd put a layer of hardboard over them to cover the joints and then lay lino or cork or whatever. However, then you'd need to bear in mind that the floor would be about 6 to 8 mm higher at least than it was before, so you'd need to give some thought to the door clearances.

The other and cheaper alternative might be an ultimatum to husband and kids that any more dirt on your floor and they clean it up with a hand rag and their knees.

ALTERNATIVELY -- demand that the tiles be taken up and the floor beneath levelled and then surfaced with a flooring of your choice and at his expense. He will then be more careful about tramping in dirt. My wife has used that strategy several times in our long marriage, and it has always worked.:D

mossie110

As cork is so soft. the floor will have to very smooth. which would mean for the old tiles coming up and a self leveling compound being layed.
you could re-tile over the existing tiles with no problem just tell the tile shop you tiling over existing tiles and he will supply a additive for you to add to you adhesive so that it is possible to tile on tile with out any problems

ART6

But none of this is going to stop family coming in and out with muddy feet, and I can't see how cork is going to be easier to keep clean. If I had the floor tiles you described I'd defend them with my life, and I'm a man:D

mossie110

lol

dinos

From the replies I'm coming to the realisation that after four years of trying to get hubby to change the tiles, I'd prob be actually better sticking with what I have and buying a shotgun.:rolleyes:

new plan is to try and find a fool proof way of getting them to clean their feet in the utility room before stepping on my floor.

Can't find a GOOD quality mat with good soakage and machine washable that can do this yet, but will keep looking

thanks for the replies:)

builditwell

I have to disagree with first posters recommendations.

Putting hardboard on any floor is the wrong thing to do due to the very makeup of the material its manufactured with. Once any moisture gets near this it will begin to swell and any subsequent layers on top will move

Cork tiles and lino will hold water underneath and will result in odour problems. Cork as a material os only good for stuffing in a wine bottle and lino is a copout.

It seems that you are happy with the surface but not the colour of the tiles in situ. This is not a big job to replace these and if they are on a concrete floor you could have them up in a few hours or less with a small drill/kango breaker and have floor leveller spread and going hard in just a morning. If they are on a timber floor they will only come up easier and to replace you can sheet the floor using marine plywood min 6mm thickness screwed down @ 250mm centres. Hope all goes well.