Vinyl or Tile? That is the question.
I am good at a lot of things. I think I’m a pretty good wife and parent. I can write (most of the time, anyway), and I’m pretty adept at pinching pennies. One thing I am NOT good at, though, is decorating a home.
Up until now, it’s not been a real problem. We’ve always rented, so I never had a choice as to what paint colors and flooring material to use. But now that our house purchase is going full steam ahead (as long as the inspection goes well this morning), I have some pretty quick decisions to make about paint and flooring. And I’m slightly overwhelmed.
I pretty much know I want to use laminate throughout most of the house. My big decision is whether I want oak or a light cherry finish. My husband likes oak, and I like cherry. I also need to find a good brand of laminate, so we’re not replacing floors again soon.
Where I’m stuck is the kitchen and bathrooms. The practical and frugal side of me says I should go with vinyl. I have two kids, who aren’t particularly neat in the kitchen. Spills are common, and though we always clean them up quickly, I don’t want to be worried about the floor every time something is dropped. So we decided against laminate for the kitchen.
My dad, who has been a great advisor on this project so far, is recommending tile. Tile is more expensive, but it lasts longer. We have tile in our current home, (thought it looks a tad outdated with the brown grout). It’s easy to take care of, thought, and I like that.
So hit me with your frugal decorating tips! Is tile in the kitchen a case of “sometimes frugal means spending more for better quality?” Or is vinyl the frugal way to go? And if you have any tips on laminate flooring (good brands, etc), let me know. I kid you not when I say I’m totally lost on this. And unfortunately time is not on my side. The flooring has to be replaced before we move in, and we should close sometime in the middle of August. Help! :)
And if you want to see what I’m working with, the pictures of the house in it’s current state are RIGHT HERE. I’ll take better before pictures after we take possession, and the current owners move out.
Thanks for any advice you have!
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Tile is only cheap if your floor is completely flat and you are very talented and can put it in yourself.
We went through this before. Our kitchen floor is not flat, so putting down vinyl tiles is the way to go. Armstrong is an excellent brand!!! It really is. The Armstrong floor cleaner is the best out there too.
Definitely go with tile. It will last infinitely longer and look far, far better (and it won’t look like a generic apartment). :) A friend bought a manufactured home recently, and gutted most of it and re-did it. She put in beautiful granite tile in the kitchen and one of the bathrooms, and it looks AMAZING.
Tile is also something that will help raise the value of your home in the long run, so if you do ever sell, it’s a great “investment”.
Lynnae–you’ve gotten tons of quality responses to your question. To me, frugality of your TIME is just as important as your money. I like to have my floors look as terrific as possible with the least amount of time and effort on my part. That way I can use more of my time to do other things with my spouse and kids.
Our family has owned and remodeled several houses over our 19 years of marriage, and our kitchen and bath flooring surfaces have included real hardwood, vinyl, tile and laminate. For perpetual good looks, ease of care, lack of difficulty to install, personal comfort, overall dollar value and lack of time to keep clean and dent/scratch-free…I prefer a quality laminate flooring in a pleasant neutral color. Hardwood dents and scratches, tile is hard on the joints and feet and is unsightly if unsealed, vinyl can certainly scratch and tear. Our current home was laid with a very good quality laminate flooring about 10 years ago, and I can only find one tiny dent in the kitchen…no scratches from the dogs or the toddler dragging items across it. Yes, our tile floor when we lived in a hot climate was cool, but I had numerous occasions to clean up shards of glass from dropped items, which is scary when you have little ones with bare feet in the house. My Pergo is quick to keep dusted with an old worn-out sock modified to stretch over my swiffer handle, it stays clean and streak-free with a vinegar and water mopping about once a month (i clean little spills quickly and immediately), and it is still very attractive after a whole decade.
Best wishes to you on your new home and all the joys that accompany it!
What about cork? It’s pretty sturdy, warm, and easy on the feet.
Growing in a household with dogs and siblings; I find that any sort of tile or wood flooring goes a long way. I would def go with tile over vinyl, because you get what you pay for. And in the long run would benefit you.
My 2 cents: vinyl is a petrochemical. Tile is made of god-given clay.
I would recommend the tile due to the durability and environmental reasons. If you are careful in selecting your tile you can find one that will look good for decades to come.
I think my favorite kitchen floor has been wood. It is surprisingly easy to clean, durable and looks good. You didn’t mention it as an option but it is one worth considering.
Congrats on investing in your first home and saving those rental $$! We put tile in our kitchen, breakfast, laundry, hallways and all bathrooms when we built our dream home which I miss since moving twice now due to job losses. I hate the light oak laminate we now have that shows wet puppy paw prints! We also now think about resale value given today’s market when making any renovations, be it paint or flooring. Tile tops vinyl every time! Good luck :)
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