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beebeecee · Sep 10, 2008, 03:21 AM

I need to replace the carpet in my room, it's orange and nearly 30 years old. I have allergies, and what's worse, my pet rats also are having a hard time and sneeze far too much and two different vets have checked them out and assured me they don't have infections but rather have allergies to something in their environment so for their sakes I need to install hard surface flooring. I don't have a lot of money, I think 800 USD installed is going to be my limit for a 12x12 ft bedroom, a 5x6ft joining bathroom and the 2ftx9ft closet, in addition to the flooring budget I've set aside money for new tile and fixtures in the half bathroom that I'll probably install myself but I would like someone to come an install the flooring.

Ok - here's what I want: Something dark brown or black, a hard surface floor that's very resistant to animal toenails and can take some real wear and tear, something slightly reflective - more than a matte finish, a material that won't cause me to have to add backerboard or height to the floor in any way which would mean cutting down or replacing the doors currently the carpet and pad is nearly an inch thick so there's some room to play there, something WATERPROOF, meaning laminate is a no-no, because I've got a window air unit that likes to randomly leak into the room and I don't know how many times I've spent hours with the shop vac and that would without a doubt destroy most laminate floors plus my rats like to tip glasses of liquid over so they can get a drink plus we've got dogs who seem to like coming into my room and 'marking' - so something easy to clean that doesn't hold smells!

I'm also concerned about the environmental impact locally and globally - I mean that I don't want something that will need a bunch of truly toxic glues to go down because that would probably kill my rats and throw me into an attack, I'm seriously sensitive to smells so something that either doesn't smell like chemicals from the get go or something that the smell dissipates from very quickly, and something that isn't truly harmful and toxic to produce.

Knowing all of that, can you recommend a flooring material? :p

ballengerb1 · Sep 10, 2008, 10:40 AM

What flooring is under the carpet right now?

amricca · Sep 10, 2008, 01:19 PM

There is a product that is floating ceramic tile flooring, the pieces just snap together and then you use a special caulk in the grout joints. I have never used it and don't know much more about it, saw it on a home show. Just a thought. Like Ballenger said, what is under the carpet now? If it is concrete, staining that would be your best bet.

EDGE Flooring "Click" Ceramic Tile

beebeecee · Sep 10, 2008, 01:33 PM

The floor underneath the carpet is subfloor, as in our basement is below me it's just plywood over beams, I wish it were concrete because that would make things super easy.

ballengerb1 · Sep 10, 2008, 01:46 PM

I have seen the product Amricca desribes and it would meet your needs. Removing the carpet will drop the floor by about a 1/2" and the snap tiles will be a little less.

beebeecee · Sep 10, 2008, 03:49 PM

Thanks for the snap flooring tip, I don't know about that though, it seems a little pricey at 89.00$ per 10sq/ft plus I think it's DIY and grout lines suck... I really want something that I can just move into the living room for a day or two have people come and then move back into my room no issue. Thanks for the tips so far though!

ballengerb1 · Sep 10, 2008, 03:57 PM

I agree, its pricey. Confused by your desire to move the flooring. Do you actually mean a portable flooring material?

beebeecee · Sep 11, 2008, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by ballengerb1

I agree, its pricey. Confused by your desire to move the flooring. Do you actually mean a portable flooring material?

Wow portable flooring... the ultimate DIY(tho I did see this flooring that was rubber with bumps and it required no glue/ was washable I think it was similar to the stuff they use on the bottoms of horse stalls which I should probably look into) - no sorry my post was a bit confusing I mean professionally installed - as in have people come, I vacate the room and move all my junk into the living room and then a day or two later when the floor is dry/glue is set whatever move back in again.

I'm a bit iffy on the tile snap tiles because it seems like not having a ridgid backerboard that the tiles are firmly attached to any movement in the floor would cause the grout to crack, which would mean constant repairs and I'm not sold on the foam either I don't think that's evnviromentally friendly I'd have to do a bit more research. At this point I think I might sacrifice design and just go with linoleum.

ballengerb1 · Sep 11, 2008, 04:30 PM

There is a version of vinyl tiles that is laid in a pattern like ceramic with a small grout edge. The special grout they sell is a bit flexible so cracking will not be an issue. Armstrong makes TrafficMaster - TrafficMaster Ceramica, McKinley Resilient Vinyl Tile Flooring - 1311 - Home Depot Canada I installed this in a below grade basemnent concrete floor and it is performing quite good. You must buy and use their special grout but it was very easy to install. Since these are peel and press tiles an adhesive primer needs to be used.