Home Improvement → What is the best tile to install in the kitchen and bathrooms?

You're missing a lot of information necessary to make a recommendation. Like what is your skill level, how much time and money are you willing to set aside, what is the substrate under the current tile, will you be removing existing tile, what kind of look are you going for, etc.

Also, any home improvement store sells self-adhesive felt or silicone pads to stick on the bottom of your wood chairs to help them glide across the floor easier.

Thanks for the felt advice for the chairs. I was thinking about using that and just wanted to make sure.

I had 2 hip replacements in the past 11 months (left/right) and am not able to do it myself. I have to bite the bullet on this one and go to Lowe's and buy tile and have them do the install. I know it's going to be $$$. I'm hoping to not spend more than $1500 for all 3 rooms. Lower if possible.

I do not know what the substrate is like under the current tile. It's the original tile in the house which is 23 years old. I am just about 100% sure that the Lowe's installer will remove the existing tile first.

As for the look, I would like a nice light grey, more solid colored tile. It can have some design in it, but it should be a muted one.

You aren't going to come even close to your $1500 price for doing the 3 rooms!

I would be willing to put vinyl in the bathroom near the kitchen instead of tile. That would get me closer, wouldn't it? The vinyl would just need to go with the tile in the kitchen.

Measure the rooms and post square footage.

I should have done that first thing....sorry:

Kitchen - 143 square feet
Main Bath - 24 square feet
Master Bath - 24 square feet

I would think you can get it done for around $1500. That would be $7.50 per square foot.

Is your house on a slab (concrete)?

Thanks. The house is on concrete.

I just redid my kitchen and bath floors using Porcelain tiles. It's rated for commercial and the kitchen tile cost $1.85/ft at HD. As far as specific tiles you'll just have to go through samples at Lowes and pick something you like/afford. Ask a salesperson as to what installation would be. It doesn't cost anything to ask and prices for tile/installation may vary by region.

I had similar square footage in my kitchen and went through 250 pounds of thinset by the time I layed backerboard and tile. Grout will vary as far as tile size, spacing and thickness. I used Hardie backerboard and I think it was $11 for a 3X5 sheet. It took like 600 screws for the space.

Thanks....I'm on my way to Lowe's to check out some tile and prices. Will post again when I'm back.

No reason for backerboard on concrete.

I was typing when that came to light ..........

We had some of this installed in our kitchen this summer.
»www.congoleum.com/produc ··· aCeramic

Plenty to choose from, very durable won't crack, warmer feel than ceramic tile on a cool floor, and the grout is factory premixed acrylic, won't stain. Main component of this tile is ground limestone, and has some flex in it.

lordpuffer I've read about a lot of different types of tiles, and am still not sure what to get.

Get what your wife wants.

Went to Lowe's, saw a real great grey Porcelain tile. It is a special order:

»www.lowes.com/pd_251602- ··· 4&rpp=32

I hope the link works. I have an occasional issue with Lowe's website URL. If not, it comes up when you search for Item # 251602 or "Iron13Grey" at Lowes.com.

I'll put the tile in the kitchen, and vinyl in both bathrooms. Lowe's said that they still have to come out and measure the rooms if they are going to do the install. So, I won't have a price until then. If it's going to be over $1500, I'll put a little larger dent on a credit card.

Thanks for all of the responses. Will post back after I get a price and have the vinyl picked out.

It came up for me. Looks good.

Looks good here also.

Some things to consider,
I would use single piece vinyl flooring in the kitchen because if you drop a pot or anything heavy on ceramic tile it can chip or crack. You'll end up with a lot of throw rugs covering broken tiles. Refrigerators can crack tile too if there's an air pocket in the mortar that you roll it over.

The grout, even if sealed, get's dirty from cooking and spills and hard to clean. The hard surface is also murder on your feet and back when you stand at the sink or stove. It's also cold on your feet in the morning.

If you live in an old house that is prone to seasonal settling, that can crack the tile as well. In New Mexico it may not be a problem since you don't get a deep freeze.

If your house is built on a slab, settling shouldn't be a problem.

Thanks. I'll consider that before I make a final decision.

Just another mention here of thinking about vinyl instead of tile for the kitchen.
My wife won't even think about tile because (according to her)
1) it is too hard
2) it is cold on your feet
3) anything that gets dropped breaks

When we redid our previous kitchen we stepped up to a high end vinyl (I think it was an Armstrong) and it was AMAZING, never scratched once (we have a 90# Rot/Shepherd mix who would tear across the floor all the time and her nails never even left a mark) and when we moved in new appliances it didn't miss a beat (even when the fridge got pulled across the floor in what should have left skid marks)

I also have to say it was much more soft and comfy on bare feet than any tile I have ever felt.

YMMV but it might be worth investigating (and it will probably save you some $$$ at the same time).

I still want tile in the kitchen. A Lowe's installer came by the other day and measured the rooms (they always do that for $35 before an installation). Then I went to Lowe's to find out what the labor will cost. Over $1,400 labor just for the kitchen alone! And over $1,400 labor for the 2 bathrooms!

Well, that priced me right out of it. I have a Lowe's CC with a zero balance and was going to use a promotional 18 months no interest deal that I had received. However, it expires in 4 days and I don't know what to do.

You'll save a little by going to a mom and pop tile place. Lowes is just goings hire them out anyway, but will take a cut of the price for playing middle man.

We did a much larger tile job recently, I think it was slightly under 500 sq/ft, for around 6K in labor, included taking out the old granite/marble floors. It took two guys about a week. Used a local guy, bought the tiles ourselves. Be careful with Lowes tile, you need to confrm all the tiles come from the same lot number, otherwise you risk large color differences in the tiles.

Thanks...The only reason that I was going to do it through Lowe's was because of the 18 months no interest on the Lowe's CC.

I'm not sure that I have the cash right now to do it at another place. I may have to just wait a while to get the cash and then go to a mom and pop place.