cyndipeters, how old is your home?

Sorry took so long to reply. Our home is19 years old, but the kitchen Reno was done 6 years ago.

I was wondering because of the floor seeming soft. I wouldn't think you would have moisture/rotting floors but best to check. Do you have a crawl space or are you on a slab?

No there is no rot, the subfloor is fine. The floor is cherry and the finish is what the problem is. I am going to have the finished removed and two coat of polyurethane put on. I am going to do the kitchen first. Then the rest of the house if need be. Thanks everyone for all your help.

Cyndi, please post photos of the new kitchen flooring. :) And thanks for asking about inlay tiles; learned something new. Thanks.

Will post whenwe get this job done, Ed. thanks for your interest.

In the event you are considering something like this in the future, this is what we did with this project. This was all new flooring done at same time. Hardwood used was Eucalyptus 3/4" thickness. We used Ditra mat underlay instead of plywood under the tile in order to allow the tile and top of hardwood to be at the same height. We used silicone between the tile and the hardwood, however there is also sanded silicone which looks like grout and comes in the same colours as the tile grout for the joint between the hardwood and tile. This allows the wood to expand and contract without cracking of grout line.

I would sand the floor and put a light grey driftwood stain on it that picks up the color of your counter tops. This will brighten up the whole kitchen, make it look and feel bigger and update it a little from the honey colored floor. You have texture in your floor - that may be what you are looking for with tile - but putting the wood and tile combo is going to be harder to execute and maybe a little more pricey than you think. You could put an interesting or slightly 'worn' oriental rug to warm things up, too. The wood isn't going to get much play the way you've outlined it, at his point anyway. Good luck!

I have tile in my kitchen and I absolutely hate it. The grout is extremely hard to keep clean and I'm tired of cleaning and sealing it. I've had it for 10 years and I would give anything if I had the money to replace it with something else. I'm really tire of it. I will never have tile again. Keep your hardwoods. They are beautiful. I would not inlay the tile. If you're going to go with tile why not just do the entire floor in tile? You're not leaving enough hardwood to really even notice it. Also, cleaning would be a hassle because you use different cleaners for tile than you do for hardwood. What a pain to have to switch and clean the hardwood with one thing and then the tile with another. I wouldn't mix it.

I agree with everyone above. I also have hardwood in my kitchen as with the rest of the house and no way will I replace it with tile because of its softness (which I also do have). I am also going to have the floor refinished. To me, tile is too cold, too hard, and too difficult to keep the grout pretty in the kitchen. Honestly, I'd personally go with sheet vinyl before I'd replace my wood with tile.

How is your back? I second the poster above who would do sheet vinyl before tile in a kitchen. It is just too hard on the back.

We are renovating and have hardwood throughout too. The hardwood in the kitchen is very beat up and we also thought to rip its out and lay down tile. We decided to keep the hardwood in the kitchen and hired a professional to do some repairs to it. He will then sand and stain it darker than the rest of the hardwood in the other roomsand then coat it with a durable coating.

If you want tile, get tile! You're asking for suggestions for your idea, not for advice about keeping/not keeping the hardwood floors. I just put porcelain tile over the hardwood floors in my kitchen/breakfast area - and I absolutely love the way it turned out! (Never liked hardwood in my own kitchen, just personal preference. The rest of my house is beautifuly finished hardwood and I didn't like the look carried into the kitchen.) Michigammemm is right - Durock is a must. As for the border of hardwood, I would vote no. It seems like it would be too busy and distracting to have a "border" around the room. (We also just did all porcelain tile in my fiance's 20 x 12 kitchen in a century-plus house, heated. It's gorgeous and the heated floors are a treat, although I do wonder about the rather-new technology.)

As for the grout, go with expoxy grout. Easy to clean, durable - but requires an experienced installer.

Personally, I would spend the money on a stove upgrade.

I say keep the wood. That being said I love the colour of your cupboards and counter. Can you please tell me what they are

Keep the wood, resand it take the green stripe out. You could even stain the floor a different color. Hate to see good wood covered up or taken out.

Thanks Peanut, the counters are a solid surface which I like, easy to keep clean and does a great job at hiding crumbs etc.
the cupboards are vinyl coated, and I love them. Very forgiving and a dream to keep clean. I had wood prior and this to me is a upgrade. Hope this helps.

Beesknees, I just replaced the fridge with s/s, from built in same a cupboards. The stove is definitely next. The old fridge was a side by side which I hated as I never hade enough room. New fridge is great and the s/s looks ok. We still may have the front built in made as our cupboards were made locally here in SalmonArm, BC. Thanks for you comment

Don't replace the floor. You will hate the tile--hard, noisy, shows every spill and dirt (experienced tile kitchen owner!). Looks like you are trying to change something that doesn't need to change. Move on to something else.

Thanks Jolyn, but that's unfortunately is the problem, the wood is substandard. I am keeping it, will just have to have the surface recoated and sealed professionally. :)

I refinished my hardwood floors in my living and dining rooms, myself. The trick is to rent sanders that work well (Home Depot). Makes it easy. I am 69 years old and a small female. I got professional floor finish that will withstand anything. I am soo happy with my floors. I had tile in my kitchen. Did not work well for me.

Additionally, hardwood floors with irregularities can be considered trendy. Also, my floors are of engineered wood. the manufacturer stated that they could be refinished. I was sceptical, but it worked great. Don not be afraid of soft wodd floor refinishing. There is no decorating "bible". Go with what is appealing to you. However, I do like your hardwoods in the kitchen.

I would keep the current hardwood in the kitchen. Hire a professional to sand to bare wood, stain to a dark chocolate color and apply 3 coats of urethane. It will look fabulous and be a very stylish and durable floor.

If you just looking to add a detail to the space. Why not just tape off the area, sand it and add a painted detail or stain a different color.

Yes, I agree that the other designers, I would have the wood refinished. The floors are showing a lot of red in the wood, so urealy a Duraseal brand color like a walnut might change the way the floors look completely. The refinishing company would give you a few samples to look at near the area where you have the most natural light, on once the floor is sanded. Also, a satin finish works well in an area where you have the kitchen, the scratches that happen over time with not show as much as a gloss finish.

I lived in a house that was 150 plus years old and the hardwood floors could not be refinished anymore so hired a company called sandfree floors. Don't know where you live or if you access to them (I think it's a chain) but they are great. They actually do floors in museums because there is no mess. It puts down a new finish and they look brand new again. I don't actually know their process but the price is very reasonable and I've told several people about them and they've used them also. My floors had definite wear and tear marks due to age and dogs but looked great after they got through.

The kitchen also looks like a galley style, so the kitchen is k not large enough to be putting in a contrast material. It will not solve the problem. Also this look was done almost 20 years ago- more so by builders though. I would stay with the clean look, for overall the entire space is good- the floor needs a different finish- something a little darker.

I have an old pine floor in my 62 year old home, in one room only- I guess this was to be the den. I had this refinished and stained a color that I mixed. The floor turned out beautifully. It is a dark walnut, and you do not see much of the grain in the wood, which works with the oak floors in the other rooms.

Thanks everyone for your feedback, the hardwood is throughout the entire main floor so changing the colour is not an option. I will try and see if sand free floors is here in Canada, however I'll be more surprise if it is!! Have decided no tile everyone!

Yeah! You won't regret it.

Happy you have made a decision that you are comfortable with. Keep us in the loop with the end result!

stick with hardwood floors...so much nicer on your feet. Tile is exhausting to stand on. What you already have is perfect...just resand and varnish.

I have hardwood in my kitchen and added a custom runner for additional texture, comfort and interest. You might want to consider that.

Carol, is the runner carpet, if so where did u have it made. I live I western Canada.

try FLOR carpet tiles they have a wonderful selection and can be staggered to create extra interest.

I have found some quite beautiful runners at very reasonable sale prices at Lowes, Home Depot and Ross. I use them to stage my Real Estate listings.

I have seen dust free refinishing companies advertised in Edmonton

I am having mine made by Ethan Allen since I am working with them on a larger redecorating project. I think you could go to any carpet provider and have one made.

Thanks Carol

As a licensed tile contractor the only place in my house where there is tile are the bathrooms, and
both of these bathrooms have travertine (butt-jointed...so only a small amout of grout.) But...travertine
is not ideal in a kitchen setting....needs sealing and constant cleaning! After working
with tile all day long the last thing I want to come home to is tile and dirty grout!! Most of the comments
were about the appearance of wood/tile, but the comments that made the most sense were from "green-
beret" and MHA Homebuilders because they addressed the maintenance aspects of what you were
originally thinking of doing. Glad you decided to stay with wood. Funny no one suggested the new
"wood look" porcelain tiles that are so popular now. I disliked the concept originally, but there are so
many choices now I really like the look and I usually don't like using something that "looks" like
something else, but believe me these new "wood" tiles are beautiful and practical. And a note to
GREENBERET, if you were closer I'd retile your kitchen floor for you...I feel so sorry for people that
use tile where it's going to be a problem....why didn't your contractor warn you of the drawbacks
of a tiled kitchen floor?

I would draw the eye up and play with a black splash of tile and stain glass doors every now and then. I think you are in over your head. Lots of interesting long rugs made of various colors and textures are easy to find....and you can change them up. Inlays will remain the same forever. The cost of quality inlays might not be worth it. Great drawers in your kitchen.

I'm a designer and vote for the hardwood- it's a forgiving surface, both for being on your feet and if you should drop something- I love hardwood floors in a kitchen, and advise my clients to use them- they are warm and contrast nicely with the cold surfaces of countertops and appliances-

Tile is very cold and hard for a kitchen floor! If you entertain, guests will have cold and pained feet quickly. Also, when you drop something on tile - something is going to break! Tile is not a welcoming surface (think of retail stores with marble and granite---you try to find carpet to stand on!). Our friends installed tile in their new kitchen and now wear their shoes all the time in the house. If you do go with tile, put a heater mat below the tile with a thermostat - it will solve the warmth issue, but not the hardness.

I cannot read all above but we just tore out tile in our kitchen, laundry, and entry. Forget breaking dropped things, it is TOO HARD underfoot and, if you really like it CLEAN, the dirt collects in the grout lines. We bought the Hoove w/ scrubbing brushes to clean it. I have cork now w/ a special finish on the rectangular tiles. I LOVE IT...soft underfoot, wears like steel, and just wipes up w/ a damp rag...at 70, I do it w/ a bucket of barely soapy water in just minutes. Keep the hardwood or look at cork. Cork come in colors you couldn't even imagine, like hot pink, bright yellow, as well as natural in different tones from dark to light. Good luck...think hard. KSB

your floors are warm and inviting. I have the same and found a soft coloured second hand "persian" carpet that adds interest and hides a few dings.

Have you considered painting areas of the wood floor instead of tile? You could use the marked out area and paint or stain a border and then put a design in the center like large checkerboard or diamond pattern etc. It would only require light sanding, a good floor paint and a top coat. This treatment would give you a lot of options and could always be changed.

You can cut the floor and insert a board round the kitchen and after you can put the tile in the middle
Www.remodelingbydaniel.com

I too am a wood floor girl!!! ESPECIALLY with those beautiful kitchen cabinets! Have you thought of putting some really high quality backsplash up? I notice you have granite countertops...the Tuscan stones are GORGEOUS and would really set off your granite. As for the floor....perhaps get a professional to come in and rework it-then cover with a thick coat of poly (but only if the quality is really really poor). Good luck girlie!

I love your cabinets and countertop. Based on the layout of the kitchen, I think the border may be a little busy. If you change out, I would suggest going with just one material. Dal Tile and others make some beautiful plank tiles that look like wood. Dal's product is called Color Body Porcelain. When installed it looks just like real wood. It comes in several colors. see link below

http://products.daltile.com/images/products/zoom/DAL_SW03_Panel_AutumnWood.jpg