Sounds like a quality vinyl floor is your best option. I would put floor mats or runners at each entrance to catch the sand when entering the house.

I would suggest checking out tile. For a beach house it should be nearly indestructible, and it's easily cleanable and cool underfoot if heat during summer is a factor.

Ann

Ceramic or stone tile would be the most 'indestructible', the new sheet vinyls are also very durable, or if budget is a consideration you might just paint the plywood with a very good floor paint and if it wears in places just call it shabby chic!

You could also use sea grass rugs over any type of hard flooring. Sea grass is much more stain resistant than the other natural grass fiber rugs such as sisal and jute. Sea grass rugs can be shaken and the hard flooring swept for easy care.

Tile would be the best option, followed by vinyl or laminate floors.

I love the new wood-look porcelain tile. It allows you to have the warm look of wood with the cool, indestructible (almost) feel of tile. I've added a link below so you can see what I mean. I don't know anything about the specific site.

More and more of my friends are using these tiles on their main floors as they wear well and are easy to clean.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tile Pictures

Here's an earlier thread that you might find interesting.

Here is a link that might be useful: Earlier Thread

Another thought would be to stain and seal the concrete if you have a slab foundation. That could be a super easy care floor. Throw a few washable rag rugs over it where you want some softness (or paint a rug directly onto the concrete before you seal it.)

Well, I happen to like the look of hardwood floors even when they're worn or banged up a bit. We have hardwood throughout our beach house and have no problem with it. We have a lot of rugs, mostly seagrass and those indoor/outdoor type of rugs. And a broom! :)

Tile, especially the right type of stone tile, would probably stand up well at a beach cottage and maybe hide some of the sand that is tracked in. A rougher stone tile (like cleft slate or tumbled marble) would probably not show any wear from sand. You could throw easy care (washable?) rugs down in areas where you want something softer under foot. I would recommend picking up samples of the flooring choices (stone tile, cement, porcelain tile) you like and taking some sand and grinding it into the sample to see what happens. I imagine you also have to worry about salt?

CONCRETE: Stained concrete would be a great option. It may already be under the plywood. And the staining can be done is a variety of ways.

WOOD LOOK TILE: I had seen this online for a while and was very skeptical. I was in a friends new home for several hours before I even noticed I was standing on tile. I think a light bleached oak look would be very nice if you are going for a cottage look. However, I would get a piece and use sandpaper on it to make sure it doesn't rub off the wood look surface.

HARDWOOD: My parents have had hardwood floors in their beach house for 20 years and they have held up just fine. Stay away from anything that cannot be sanded and refinished in the future.

VINYL: would also be a really good option

I think it is important to know what look you are going for. If it were me, I would go with a stained concrete floor.

HGTV is now airing episodes of Sarah Richardson decorating/remodeling her summer house. It was a cottage on a small island and was her husband's hangout during his bachelor days.
You may be able to catch the reruns, along with some great ideas for a beach cottage!

Here is a link that might be useful: Sarah's summer cottage

WOW! Lots of great ideas. Thank you all so much.

I love these ideas.
I may start with painting the plywood in two small rooms. That sounds like so much fun. Then maybe move to tile.

I know the kitchen is on a slab so painting the cement in there would be an option.

I love some of those natural tiles as well as the wood look tiles.

Choices, choices, choices... such beautiful choices!

Thank you all. I'm enjoying my cottage for the first time in years (have had to travel for work). Last time I was there for any length of time my garage got demolished in a storm and all the "junk" from the garage got moved into the house and has been stored there ever since. I'm now decluttering and cleaning and looking forward to reclaiming the cottage and making it mine!

I am so looking forward to new floors!

Susan

I would do vinyl. They have some you can't tell from real wood, or real tile, and they are easy keepers.

I would also put in an outside shower by the back door and instruct all family members and guests that they must hose off before entering the house after they've been down in the sand.

You can also establish a no-shoes rule, where all shoes are left at the door.

You're the boss, so make it easy on yourself.

BTW, have you seen the Cottage Decor thread in our Gallery? Tons of inspirational pix there.

Painting the plywood is a super-short-term solution, right? Paint will always wear off floors, but with sand getting tracked in, it'll be literally sanded off.

Wood sounds beautiful, but I think some kind of stone tile or brick would be easier to care for. (Seems like vinyl would get scratched up quickly?)

painting the plywood would probably be short term but those two areas are areas that wouldn't see a lot of traffic or sand so it's possible it might be more long term... depends on how the experiment turns out.

it also depends on how quickly I get around to doing the main floors....when i do those I'll do these two other areas at the same time and in the same way.

Oceanna, I didn't know about the cottage decor thread... thanks! I'm off to check it out now.

Susan

painting the plywood would probably be short term but those two areas are areas that wouldn't see a lot of traffic or sand so it's possible it might be more long term... depends on how the experiment turns out.

it also depends on how quickly I get around to doing the main floors....when i do those I'll do these two other areas at the same time and in the same way.

Oceanna, I didn't know about the cottage decor thread... thanks! I'm off to check it out now.

Susan

Oceanna,

I've looked for the Cottage Decor thread that you mentioned and haven't been able to find it.

Could someone please point me in the right direction.

Susan

Susie, it's in the Gallery. Here is the link.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cottage Decor

Someone may have already suggested this and I missed it (my eyes are not what they used to be...) but I immediately think of cork - soft and easy on the feet, sand would not show up, and would totally give that easy, beachy, neutral vibe.

Hi LaurainLincoln, I'll have to check out cork flooring. That is something I know nothing about. Thanks for the idea.

Cork and water don't mix.

in the 38 yrs I've been going to Martha's a Vineyard, virtually all the houses we've rented had wood floors, many of them painted. Good porch floor paint (high gloss) stands up to sand beautifully, and one just sweeps it right out the door. The unpainted ones were just stained and didn't appear to have and varnish or polyurethane. Of course my favorites were the old painted floors that were spatter painted.