I listen to your very informative show on 92 CJCH in Halifax, Nova Scotia and was wondering if you could help me decide what flooring would be best suited for my up coming renovations! We presently have a small kitchen and dining room but plan to have professionals convert it into one large kitchen. Right now the kitchen has a vinyl floor and the dining room is carpeted; I have french doors in the D-room leading to the backyard and a swimming pool. I like the idea of a prefinished hardwood floor or I would also consider a nice new vinyl floor for the.
Answer:
Hardwood will not take kindly to chlorine from the pool or to gritty bare feet for that matter. Even good quality vinyl, if it's a light colour, will not take kindly to the sun hitting it through the patio door; it will yellow. Ceramic tile on the other hand, can have a non-slip finish and is very durable if it's installed over an inch and a half of wood base. I would also take the next step though and install electrical radiant heat under it for the sake of winter comfort.
