Growing up I always remembered having wall to wall carpet in the bathroom at our house. NOW I remember why!
The house we bought in the 80s was built in the 50s and it had some classic design going on. We were a typical blue-collar family, so fancy remodels weren’t an option. My mom had a wall to wall rubber backed rug in here to hide the ugly broken tile. She meticulously cut the rug to fit and it was laundered often. It was the only option she knew on a very limited budget. Mom had skills to do an upgrade but not always the money and some of today’s choices were not available. Carpet in the bathroom…THAT’S not the only option anymore!
SO YOU WANT A NEW FLOOR?
Flooring is an investment in your home. So the choices you make matter. There are many things to consider before you commit to that tile or plank! Let’s review a few key points….
Budget – Flooring can range from 50 cents a square foot for a cheap laminate up to $15 a square for high-end tiles. You need to do the math before you shop and know what price point you need to be in. I don’t want you to fall in love with what you can’t afford. If your budget is a Toyota Corolla, you don’t go to the Maserati dealership. Flooring stores can be tempting because they carry it all and you may want what you can’t afford. Been there, done that myself over the years. So it’s good to know what you are able to spend so you can get the best product for your wallet! Before you go shopping measure the length and width of your room in feet and multiply to get the rough square footage for your space.
Ordering Flooring – Ask questions before you give a deposit.
- How much extra to order? Usually 10-15% for cuts and waste.
- Can you return ant unused cartons of material? Is there are a restocking fee?
- Can I order more later or will colors vary too much if not ordered at the same time?
Delivery vs Pick up – Fees for delivery. If a lot of heavy boxes, it may be worth paying to have it delivered instead of your multiples trips to pick up boxes
Accessories – Don’t forget that you may need to order accessory pieces for your floor. Coordinating trims, transitions, and edge pieces. Some of those items can be bought at big box stores for less but some must match the floor and should be ordered with the main flooring materials. Those types of pieces are measured in linear feet so measure the perimeter of the room and add up each length of the wall.
Underlayment – Do you need a special product that has to be laid under your flooring. For tile, that would be a cement backer board (cement based sheet similar to plywood). For woods and laminates, it is a roll of paper for moisture control or foam backing for noise and cushioning underfoot. This is measured in square feet.
Subfloor – This means what the new floor is being laid upon. Are your subfloors tile, wood, vinyl, etc. THIS IS HUGE. You must be mindful of what floor in under your new floor. The combinations matter for stability, wear and manufacturer warranties on the products.
So back to my mom’s bathroom floor.
It is a very old tile. It is set in a bed of cement. This is not something I have any intention of ripping out. Too dirty, too hard. So what are options to cover it?
- Tile – you can tile over tile under certain circumstances. Old tile must be flat, even and intact. No loose tiles, no loose or missing grout. This can be tough as the floor height is raised considerably and now you have to look at room transitions and door swings.
- Sheet vinyl – aka linoleum. This would work if the floor was skimmed with a coat of filler (think spackle for floors) to fill grout lines and create a smooth base.
- Peel and stick vinyl squares – Again you need to skim coat grout lines and be sure tiles are secure and intact.
- Luxury vinyl plank or tiles – This is my fav option. It goes right over tile, no skim coating needed if you have small grout lines. Just be sure tiles are secure and install. It floats over the old floor, no glue, no stick, no tile mortar. Easy DIY option. I will be doing this at mom’s. I found the perfect color Luxury Vinyl Tile at the Depot for $2 square foot. I need 40 sq ft. So for under $80, this room is getting a very long overdue facelift.
