# Tile flooring color or go with wood flooring?



## greentrees (Apr 28, 2012)

I have a house with wood flooring, and the front room is still carpeted. I was debating whether to do wood flooring on the whole first floor, or put in tile in the front room. I have a few photos of example tile that might work (beige and a lighter tile), but wanted an opinion of what tile color would look best, or maybe just do all wood flooring. Note: the stair carpeting will be redone also, with new carpet.


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## greentrees (Apr 28, 2012)

another tile color example


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

I definately would do wood flooring. It's rich, warm and classic.
They are easy to maintain. They can be vacuumed or dust
mopped. I love my wood floors. (and ours are 60 years old)

You can use area rugs on top of the wood flooring. I favor the
classic oriental rugs, they are timeless and last for generations. 
Wool area rugs wear wonderfully and don't stain or show dirt. 

Your house is beautiful. Also, wood steps and a runner would be
gorgeous, you would just have to blend the color. I have red in our
LR...our son has red as well. 
I will post a pic in the painting section -- the thread about painting 
steps vs staining steps later.

One more thing, is your furniture modern, traditional, or
contemporary? The orientals go better with the traditional.
There are many style area rugs for contemporary and modern furniture
as well.


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## ryansdiydad (Aug 16, 2015)

what do you have in the kitchen? 

+ 1 for what ^^^^^ he said... wood floor and wood steps


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

ryansdiydad said:


> what do you have in the kitchen?
> 
> + 1 for what ^^^^^ he said... wood floor and wood steps


'She said'...:smile: 'He said' is the one that does what 'She wants!" :smile:


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## greentrees (Apr 28, 2012)

Two Knots said:


> I definately would do wood flooring. It's rich, warm and classic.
> They are easy to maintain. They can be vacuumed or dust
> mopped. I love my wood floors. (and ours are 60 years old)
> 
> ...


I would like to do wood but concerned about matching the existing floor. The stairs would be nice to do but not sure if that is a high cost. The front room is almost 300 sq feet so assume that will be costly. But would look nice if I can match it. A flooring person said it would be difficult to match.

I still need to decide on the furniture. Not sure what style of home it currently is. Looks European? Traditional? So any comments would be helpful.


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

Here is my advise...keep the w to w carpet until wood flooring
is in the budget. Don't tile if you really want the wood.
A good flooring guy will get you a good match. 
Now for the stairs...
Here is what we did...ripped off the wall to wall carpet on the steps.
This was the hardest part -- removing the gizillian staples in the steps.
Once that is done then you can sand the steps with a hand sander.
Then paint the risers with a semi gloss white paint.
Then stain the steps to match the flooring. Just do the first step and 
wait for it to dry to see how well it matches the floor. 
This will save a lot of grief in case you have to resand that one step
if it doesn't match.
After the stain is dry, then do the poly. (three coats is recommended)

As far as carpeting on the steps, first pick a color that you want that
will blend with the area rugs -- that you will be purchasing down
the road if you decide to do oak flooring.

I couldn't take a good pick today cause it's raining and dark inside today.
I found an old pic and just took a close-up of the steps today.

our kitchen and small foyer is tile...everything else in the house is wood.
I'm off and on about just removing the tile on the foyer and replacing it 
with oak. 

the staircase. As I said, refinishing the steps (DIY) is not
costly at all, just labor intensive, I mean to get the staples out.


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

Here's an older shot on a sunny day. Our staircase is not as beautiful
as yours. Yours would look beautiful with the wood showing.


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## greentrees (Apr 28, 2012)

I'll have to take a look at whats under the stairs. Hopefully it is not nailed all over the place, but maybe near the rails. I would like a wood staircase, so it sounds temping to try to clean it up and see what I can do. If all else fails, I can just carpet it. 

Everywhere else downstairs is wood. I would have preferred tile in the kitchen but oh well. At least I didn't have to install any flooring there and the wood look nice there. I will stop by a few stores and see if I can match the wood. I've seen some similar to it, so hopefully it can be matched.


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## ryansdiydad (Aug 16, 2015)

Two Knots said:


> Here is my advise...keep the w to w carpet until wood flooring
> is in the budget. Don't tile if you really want the wood.
> A good flooring guy will get you a good match.
> Now for the stairs...
> ...



+1 for what ^^ she said :biggrin2::biggrin2:


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

greentrees said:


> I'll have to take a look at whats under the stairs. Hopefully it is not nailed all over the place, but maybe near the rails. I would like a wood staircase, so it sounds temping to try to clean it up and see what I can do. If all else fails, I can just carpet it.
> 
> Everywhere else downstairs is wood. I would have preferred tile in the kitchen but oh well. At least I didn't have to install any flooring there and the wood look nice there. I will stop by a few stores and see if I can match the wood. I've seen some similar to it, so hopefully it can be matched.


You will not fail, you can do it. Rip out the carpet and padding. I bet there is 
beautiful oak underneath -- remove the staples with plyers. Most of the 
staples are in the back against the risers and on the sides. The staples that
are in the middle of the steps are from attaching the padding. 
I emailed my son, he said he went over the risers with clear 1/4" plywood
then painted them.


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## ktkelly (Apr 7, 2007)

First, find a different "floor man".

That hardwood flooring should be a very easy match. Actually looks to be basic oak with a clear poly finish, which is very common.

I doubt you'll find oak treads on the stairs, but with that design, it wouldn't be a difficult job changing to oak treads.


As mentioned previously, if it's not in the budget for now, keep the carpet until it is.


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

greetrees, you can pull the carpet back on one step to see
if you have oak. 
Inquiring minds want to know.:smile:


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## greentrees (Apr 28, 2012)

I'll pull it back tonight and see what is there. Thanks.


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## greentrees (Apr 28, 2012)

ktkelly said:


> First, find a different "floor man".
> 
> That hardwood flooring should be a very easy match. Actually looks to be basic oak with a clear poly finish, which is very common.
> 
> ...


I was actually surprised he said it cannot be matched. I think he had enough business and didn't think it would be a big enough job for his crew. I did go to a wood flooring store, and when I said "matched", the person said, well, we cannot match, but we can get pretty close. For some reason that word "match" seems to be a no-no in the wood flooring business. I didn't think it would be that noticeable if it was close (since they can use 3 inch boards), but maybe over time it wears differently. But it looks like a very common color that I have seen before in several homes. 



Two Knots said:


> greetrees, you can pull the carpet back on one step to see
> if you have oak.
> Inquiring minds want to know.:smile:


Here is the reveal. I have no idea why the stairs are white. Is that a protective coat if you are going to carpet over it, or was someone really trying to paint it white. I sanded a little bit on the last photo. Not sure if you can tell what type of wood it is.


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

Could they have made this any more difficult??? Painting the steps and using
tacking strips? I have had W to W carpeting installed in our house three times,
and never was tacking strips ever used on the steps.

I can't tell from the little bit that you sanded if it's oak. You'll have to sand
a bigger section in the middle. If it's oak you're going to have to fill
in all the nail holes from the wood strips with filler. I suggest you 
remove the carpet and tacking strip from the first step and sand it 
to see what's there. (you can always put the carpet back) 

I spoke with my son, as I have already said, he replaced the risers with 
clear 1/4 " plywood. For the steps he went over the existing steps with 3/4"
new oak. (and stained it to match his existing floors)
He said, he just had to cut back the front of each step a bit before installing
the new oak. 

We have filled in lots of reclaimed oak wood with wood filler and 
made furniture
out of it, and you can't tell where the holes were. So, it is doable and
would look nice. 

So you have a choice, after striping off the tacking strops, you'll
have to sand, fill in the holes, sand again, or go over the existing 
steps with new wood. 

If you're doing DIY -- I'm sure it would be less costly than having new 
WW carpet installed...besides the steps would look wonderful
with the oak rather than the carpet.


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## greentrees (Apr 28, 2012)

Looks almost like particle board on the stairs. I took a photo underneath on of the top planks.. Maybe the paint is to seal it from moisture. The risers look like pine. Seems like I would have to lay oak on top. A bit of work and costs I would assume. The front room is just under 300 sq feet. I think engineered wood is about $9 or $10 installed. Does that sound about right.


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

I Don't know the cost of engineered oak, hopefully someone
on the forum knows.
I think it would be too expensive to go over the risers with plywood
and the steps with new oak. The part that is expensive is labor.
If your doing the stairs yourself then you'll save a heap of money.
measure up and see how much oak you need X the cost to get an idea
of cost 

My advise is to first tackle the stairs, as it would be a dramatic difference.
Then when the budjet allows, address the living room.


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## ivanjay205 (Jun 8, 2014)

Wood for sure those wood floors are gorgeous. Nothing makes a home feel warm and cozy like wood and to me that is the feel you should go for! I am about to embark in ripping out 1967 linoleum and some carpet to go wall to wall wood in my house

Sent from my SM-N930V using Tapatalk


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## greentrees (Apr 28, 2012)

Two Knots said:


> I Don't know the cost of engineered oak, hopefully someone
> on the forum knows.
> I think it would be too expensive to go over the risers with plywood
> and the steps with new oak. The part that is expensive is labor.
> ...


The stairs sound like a lot of work. I'll have to read about the install. I would do it myself if I decided to do it. Can I just lay the new oak on top of the existing stairs with some nails. And then just paint the rest white. Or would I have to install some oak on the riser to match. 



ivanjay205 said:


> Wood for sure those wood floors are gorgeous. Nothing makes a home feel warm and cozy like wood and to me that is the feel you should go for! I am about to embark in ripping out 1967 linoleum and some carpet to go wall to wall wood in my house
> 
> Sent from my SM-N930V using Tapatalk


I am checking if I can find some oak engineered flooring that I can snap together. That would be the easiest install in the front room. I could glue the engineered flooring together (not to the floor), but not sure if it is more technical to do right. I've done laminate click flooring before and it isn't that hard, but wouldn't look good next to an engineered floor.

I included a few photos. The stair photo is what I wouldn't mind trying to do, but I noticed the stair posts have to be removed to install the oak on the stair? That seems like a lot of work.

The second photo is a wood floor plank that I saw online for sale. Doesn't seem too far off. Might need to look for some samples to see what matches.


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

You can use 1/4" plywood for the risers... cut them to size 
and nail in place with finishing nails. 

You don't have to remove your spindles on your stairs as they are
not on your steps.

Whatever wood that you have on your existing wood floors is 
what I would use to go over your steps. Is it 3/4" hardwood that
is finished on site or engineered hardwood? 
As I said before -- the front of each of your existing steps will have to
be cut back a little.

There is a flooring section on this forum, check it out about installing
the engineered flooring. Also do a google search, there is a lot of
instructions and videos on how to install oak floors. (We have no experience
with engineered hardwood, we have only installed 3/4" finished on sight
hardwood on our second floor bedrooms and hallway, I imagine installing
the engineered flooring is the same) 

I would not do the snap together laminate flooring. Match what you already 
have.


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## ktkelly (Apr 7, 2007)

Remove the old stair treads and install the oak treads.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/11-1-2-x-48-in-Red-Oak-Stair-Tread-8430R-048-HD00L/202088436

The risers should be able to stay in place.

When installing the treads, use Liquid Nails and a finish nail gun, putty the nail holes and stain.


Been there, done that.


Do not put carpet back on the stairs. Let that beautiful wood show....


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

Those stair threads look good and would be easy to install.
As far as the risers; I doubt they will be able to stay as is. 
They are mostly full of big hunking holes from the instillation,
not to mention the wood is mostly likely inferior wood.

I think first cutting and installing new risers from 1/4" clear 
plywood would be the best way to proceed.

As far as a runner on the steps, that is a matter of taste.


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## greentrees (Apr 28, 2012)

ktkelly said:


> First, find a different "floor man".
> 
> That hardwood flooring should be a very easy match. Actually looks to be basic oak with a clear poly finish, which is very common.
> 
> As mentioned previously, if it's not in the budget for now, keep the carpet until it is.





Two Knots said:


> I definately would do wood flooring. It's rich, warm and classic.
> They are easy to maintain. They can be vacuumed or dust
> mopped. I love my wood floors. (and ours are 60 years old)


Look what I found. They were sitting underneath the stairs. There are about 10 pieces. Is this engineered flooring? It has a groove but definitely not the click and lock type. It looks like I would have to use glue between the pieces and float the floor. I wish there was a stamp on it on where it was manufactured. I will have to check online to see if there is anything close to matching.


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## ktkelly (Apr 7, 2007)

That's laminate.

You should be able to take it to a big box store, or a flooring outlet, and match it.

Way cheaper than true hardwood to install.


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## greentrees (Apr 28, 2012)

Its engineered floor. Its just a thin amount of actual flooring. The depth is 3/8", which is fairly thin. I will post this on the flooring forum.


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## leo22 (Oct 21, 2016)

Two Knots said:


> I definately would do wood flooring. It's rich, warm and classic.
> They are easy to maintain. They can be vacuumed or dust
> mopped. I love my wood floors. (and ours are 60 years old)
> 
> ...


Agree with you


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