If you’re ready to redo a space, what you step on is often the first step

If you’re ready to redo a space, what you step on is often the first step. For rock-solid advice that goes beneath the surface, I spoke with the experts of the underfoot: Riva Denburg of RS Design and Build LLC, Chananya of CG Flooring, and Peter Kyriakoulis of Interface Tile.

What Do You Want?

“Good flooring choices depend on the needs of the room,” Riva says. “Flooring with details like veining hides dirt. But veined tile needs to match the rest of room, and a busy veining affects the room aesthetic, so consider that you might need something calmer.”

Tiles come in matte and polished. In large, high spaces, glossy tiles magnify sound. But they also make a room look bigger and exciting. Riva uses matte tiles in kitchens and dens, since they are more slip-proof. “Never use a high-gloss tile on the floor of a bathroom, unless it’s in small pieces, like a mosaic,” she says.

“Hatzolah members have told me not to put glossy tiles in entryways,” says Chanaya, an expert of wood and laminate. “People often run inside and slip on them. For high-traffic areas, get dark or medium wood or laminate in an oil-based finish.”

Tiles usually won’t scratch, but they are cold and can break if something heavy is dropped on them. Vinyl is kid-friendly, soft, and easy to play on.

Trends

Large, matte porcelain tiles — size 24" x 48" and up — are in now.

A concrete look in porcelain is popular because it provides balance for every type of design.

Travertine and limestone have gone out of style, and limestone isn’t practical in houses with young children anyway, because it stains. Travertine is almost indestructible.

Luxury vinyl can look beautiful and can sometimes be installed over existing tiles. It is inexpensive, soft underfoot, and fast to install. However, it is not considered a high-end item.

People love light-colored woods, but Chananya says they aren’t practical. “A light color in a heavy-traffic area will collect dirt and scuff marks, especially with a water base. You’ll have to buff them yearly.”

Installation Matters

“It’s better to spend on quality installation than on very expensive tiles,” says Peter. “A good installer can step up lower-quality tile. But still, an installer can’t make a miracle.” Peter notes that a good install with cheap tiles can last 15 to 20 years, and a good install with quality tiles can last 40 years.

All natural stone should be sealed after installation.

A contractor needs to ensure that a floor is 100 percent flat before laying down new laminate. “Floating laminate is not glued into place,” Chananya says. “If the floor is not flat, the laminate will eventually crack.” Chananya recommends using glue-down laminate in high-traffic spaces. Floating laminate is fine in places like bedrooms.

Moisture-cure urethane is dangerous and illegal to use as a flooring sealant. “And never stay in the house when an oil base is drying,” Chananya says.

Quality Choices

Tiles have ratings from one to five, with five being the strongest. Lower-quality tiles lose their brilliance quickly. Riva recommends tiles from Spain and Italy, which have higher quality control than places like China and Turkey. She also recommends checking labels to ensure tiles are rectified, meaning they can be installed close together.

Peter explains that Home Depot’s low prices come from the company buying items with a lower quality-control rating. The same tile from a tile store may be more expensive, but it’s generally examined for higher quality, which includes fewer chips and more even tile sizes. “You ask the store, ‘Is this a first quality item?’ ” Peter says, “And they have to disclose the truth.”

Hardwood today is stronger than ever and can sometimes withstand flooding. Wood comes in grades, with prime, select, and No. 1 common being the highest. Prefinished wood tends to be stronger.

An engineered wood plank should have a top layer at least 20 millimeters thick. This would enable the floor to be re-sanded at least four times. Vinyl and laminate should be at least 6 millimeters thick. Excellent wood flooring is over 5/8" thick. Under ¾" is too thin.

Costs

Tiles can be found for under $2 per square foot. Riva recommends spending at least $5 per square foot.

Good quality click vinyl is $2.50 to $4.00 per square foot. Glue-down vinyl shouldn’t be under $2.75 per square foot.

Engineered wood costs around $6 to $9 per square foot. Lower-priced engineered wood scratches easily.

Solid, prefinished wood is around $5 to $8 per square foot.

Quality installation costs $5 to $12 per square foot depending on the job. In some cases, a tiler may have to work on a subfloor, or do lots of cutting.

General Tips

Get a few extra boxes of flooring for future repairs. Your item may get discontinued.

The #1 damager of floors are chairs. The best protection is elastic silicone sheathes, sold on Amazon.

Be a mensch. “Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky called me a mensch and gave me a blessing for success,” says Peter, who has worked for several prestigious institutions.

(Originally featured in Family First, Issue 958)