Kitchen flooring

[4square]

Been doing the kitchen over past few months, now on flooring. have to remove 12-year-old vinolay and Marley-type tiles under that. I suspect, by the time I have the tiles up, the concrete floor wont be that smooth. If I decide to put down new vinolay or similar, is there any sort of base layer I could put down first over the concrete, to take out the irregularities and perhaps have some insulation propertiies? I had intended to go for ceramic tiles, but thought these may be cold, as it is a 1960's non-insulated floor slab; but with tiles, no problems with small irregularities. (just getting the bitumen-based adhesive off!) Any advice much appreciated.

[Mary Fisher]

The main problem with ceramic tiles is that they're utterly unforgiving. Drop a ceramic or glass item on it (we all do from time to time) and it will smash, even those items which somehow bounce off vinyl flooring.

Mary

[Owain]

Cork tiles.

Warm, resilient, quiet.

Owain

[4square]

Owain, funny you should mention cork, as I have now done three bathrooms (not in same house) with Westco 4 mm thick cork tiles, a bit 1970's some would say, but very eco and sustainable really, and with good insulating properties. But, for a kitchen, would they need to be more than 4 mm thick, and would they need a base layer down to glue them to? - I do not know what this should be; in bathrooms, I used hardboard, well pinned down to wooden floor with copper nails. In addition, I dont think Westco supply 4 mm thick cork tiles now, I have seen only 3.2 mm in Homebase recently. I shall look into this further.

[TheScullster]

"4square" wrote

Owain, funny you should mention cork, as I have now done three bathrooms (not in same house) with Westco 4 mm thick cork tiles, a bit 1970's some would say, but very eco and sustainable really, and with good insulating properties. But, for a kitchen, would they need to be more than 4 mm thick, and would they need a base layer down to glue them to? - I do not know what this should be; in bathrooms, I used hardboard, well pinned down to wooden floor with copper nails. In addition, I dont think Westco supply 4 mm thick cork tiles now, I have seen only 3.2 mm in Homebase recently. I shall look into this further.

Are these well sealed and washable? Otherwise the hygiene angle may make them unsuitable!

Phil

[Owain]

Wouldn't think so.

Concrete.

Should be okay if it's firmly stuck down.

Owain

[Mary Fisher]

Why?

I'd agree that they're better if sealed and washable but can't see where hygiene comes in, unless you eat off the floor.

Mary