Laundry room floor

[Matt Meiser]

Time to replace the linoleum in our laundry room which has been there since the house was built in 90/91. There's a half bath and closet off it with the same floor. It's on the first floor so it's typical OSB subfloor. I'd like to tile but am concerned that vibration from the washer could cause cracking--especially if we later buy front loaders? Linoleum isn't out of the question though not favorite. We're going with nice cabinetry (well, lets hope it turns out nice!) and granite for the counter so I'm not sure linoleum will be the right look.

I'd probably DIY tile but hire out linoleum or anything else so that affects pricing.

Any suggestions/advise?

[Myk Rian]

Cement board might help with vibration.
Would help in case of a leak from the washer.

[Kevin Bourque]

Use epoxy grout. It won't crack like standard grout and its waterproof.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Matt,
We just installed groutable press and stick vinyl tile in the bathroom and kitchen of the rental we're working on.
So far, I'm very impressed with the results.
Time will tell how well it holds up.
It's "fooled" everyone that's seen it. They can't believe it isn't real tile.
The plumber we had come out to give us a price on some work said he wished we would have called him in before we put the "tile" in because it would have made the job of drilling through it a lot easier (cheaper). He had to get down and poke it with his thumbnail to see for himself that it wasn't tile!

If you read the online reviews of the press and stick groutable vinyl tiles, there's two basic types of reviewers.
The ones that have actually used it rate it very well.
The ones that make negative comments about it are the ones that haven't used it.

The only change in the installtion I did that I would make if I did it again would be to use the special bonding material to coat the old floor with.
I used BIN on the bathroom floor and installed right over that. I had a couple of tile pop within the first few days.
That was ~ three months ago and they are all sticking down like they're welded to the floor now.

Home Depot carries the stuff and it runs under $2.00 a sq ft.
We did the kitchen and the bath both for under $200.00 - including the cost of the pre mixed grout and a small container of adhesive.

A coat of vinyl tile adhesive is recommended for tile in a high traffic area - such as in front of a door way.

Cutting/trimming was all done with a utility knife and a large set of scissors.
Again, hindsight being 20/20, I would have packed a set of tin snips instead of shears.
As it was, I scored the tile as deep as I could with the utility knife ( buy a box of blades from HF and change them every cut or so) then snapped them off - just like little pieces of drywall.

[phil harold]

I have used the groutable peel and stick vinyl tile in the bathroom an laundry room, looks good!

One trick I have always done with peel and stick vinyl tile is use vinyl adhesive over the whole floor be for installation, never have a tile lift this way

Tile on a osb sub floor is not really an issue. The real issue is floor flex.
are the floor beams and sub strong enough so there is no deflection?
sub floor 1.25 on 16" center?
if yes you can use thin set to attach 1/2" cement board to the floor and then tile

Also remember the smaller the tile the less chance for a cracked tiles

[Mike Cutler]

Matt

Our laundry is on the second floor,and shares a wall with the bathroom. Believe me when I tell you that we know when that washer hits the spin cycle, at 1700 rpm.
So far, after 17 years, it hasn't effected the tiled floors, shower, or walls, in the bathroom. I think the only thing I can attribute to the vibration was a leaking toilet flange, which was the old style wax ring and has been replaced with a Fernco.
I will tell you though that the tile job in the bathroom is "robust". It was my first tile job and not knowing anything, I followed the book to the letter. It's going to be a PITA for whomever has to remove that tile.:eek:

[Matt Meiser]

Mike, what did you do to prep? For our master bath, I did the fiber cement board screwed down with 10,000,000,000 screws per the instructions and then used thinset (or whatever was called out in the instructions) and mesh tape on all the seams. Then tile and grout. It wasn't my favorite job but one I could do again.

Floors are pretty stout--2x10's 16" on center over a 13' span. Its actually a modular (the kind that's built like a stick built house in a couple pieces, trucked to the site and assembled) so things tend to be fairly rigid structurally. But even an unbalanced load in our current washer will shake things. Maybe the fact that its so noticeable instead of being absorbed by the floor is a good sign?

[Jamie Buxton]

Who's the person in your household who's responsible for cleaning the floor? I'll bet that person would appreciate sheet vinyl flooring. Cleaning grout lines is a pain. Yes, for the most part sheet vinyl is ugly. But you can find ones that aren't too bad. I'm for practicality in a laundry room.

[Jerome Stanek]

I put down some Allure flooring in a bathroom for my son. It goes down easy and it is easy to clean. supposed to make a water proof floor when done. My wife wants it in our laundry room.

[Mike Cutler]

Mike, what did you do to prep? For our master bath, I did the fiber cement board screwed down with 10,000,000,000 screws per the instructions and then used thinset (or whatever was called out in the instructions) and mesh tape on all the seams. Then tile and grout. It wasn't my favorite job but one I could do again.

Floors are pretty stout--2x10's 16" on center over a 13' span. Its actually a modular (the kind that's built like a stick built house in a couple pieces, trucked to the site and assembled) so things tend to be fairly rigid structurally. But even an unbalanced load in our current washer will shake things. Maybe the fact that its so noticeable instead of being absorbed by the floor is a good sign?

Matt
2nd floor bath Sub floor is two layers of T&G 5/8" plywood, screwed at 4" intervals.The next layer was 1/4" cement backer board for a shear layer, then a modified Mapei thin set, with mosaic tiles. Walls are 1/2" cement backer board with modified thin set up to the chair rail line of the tiling. Shower is the same as the walls, but I didn't know enough about moisture control then, and so it will be coming out soon to put the vapor/moisture barrier in properly.

1st floor bath subfloor is two layers of plywood, 1st layer is 3/4" plytanium, 2nd layer is 5/8" ply. The next layer is an SLC, which I will never do again, followed by Ditra adhered with thin set for the shear layer. Modified thin set was burned into the Ditra, and then 13" square tiles on top. Shower is 1/2 Ply walls for a reference then the moisture barrier, then 1/2 Cement backer board and then the tiles.

If you've never used Ditra, give it a look. It's really nice stuff, and will save some weight on the floor. The whole floor "floats" on the Ditra due to it's design. it also makes putting in a radiant heat layer easier.

[Steve Jenkins]

My laundry room is 1/4" hardibacker fastened down with thinset and screws then thinset and 9" tile. no problems after 4 years and my house does have some seasonal movement.

[Matt Meiser]

We have a cleaning company come in once a week (best $50 a week we spend!) so cleaning isn't my problem! :D

Mike, I think that much prep would end up requiring a step up from our hall--and might be a problem with the back door.

We've got a floating vinyl floor in our main (daughter's) bath which I actually REALLY like. But they don't recommend that when heavy appliances will be sitting on it.

[Brian Elfert]

Ditra is great stuff. My house has Ditra in one bathroom with no cement board or extra subfloor and it has no cracks after 10+ years. I had the other two bathrooms done in tile in 2008 and the guy was old fashioned. He put down 1 1/2" of mortar before he installed the tile. I would rather have Ditra as the floor is pretty thick now. I have no idea if Ditra could handle the vibration. but my bathroom with Ditra is next to the laundry room and the whole house vibrates when the washer runs.

I wish I had a cleaning person, but I can't really afford the $250 a month.

[Steve Griffin]

Hi Matt,
Marmoleum!

Not a wicked pile of chemicals, and tougher and less plastic looking than linoleum.

[Matt Meiser]

Interesting idea, but the nearest dealer is 45 minutes away. Its not too far from where my wife works so maybe I'll see if she can stop by there and take a look.

Edit...Actually their search engine just doesn't cross state lines--found 2 dealers in Toledo, OH that I'll have to check out.

[Peter Kelly]

If you go the tile route, add a layer of A/C X plywood, then unmodified thinset, Schluter Ditra then tile set in unmodified thinset. DO NOT USE EPOXY GROUT. The stuff is a nightmare to work with and 99% of installs don't require it.

If you don't want to build the floor up that much, you might consider seamless linoleum from Forbo. http://www.forbo-flooring.com

[Jerome Stanek]

You may want to look into Tarkett flooring We used that in the pharmacies for a drug chain I did work for and It holds up very well

[Prashun Patel]

If you've tiled before I'd just tile it. My parents have a 3/4 ply subfloor in their laundry room. They guy tiled straight on top of it. They have front loaders. No cracking issues at all.

Personally, I would put down 1/4" cement board. I agree - it's not fun. I've heard great things about Ditra too.

It seems yr laundry room is not off the garage. If it is, then I'd say go with the epoxy grout; outside foot traffic is killer on grout lines. If not, I'd use the normal, sanded.

[Mike Cutler]

We have a cleaning company come in once a week (best $50 a week we spend!) so cleaning isn't my problem! :D

Mike, I think that much prep would end up requiring a step up from our hall--and might be a problem with the back door.

We've got a floating vinyl floor in our main (daughter's) bath which I actually REALLY like. But they don't recommend that when heavy appliances will be sitting on it.

Matt
I wasn't clear.
In my case I literally had to take the floors out to the joists. The joists had full width sisters attached, nailed, screwed, and glued, to level the floors. Then all of the subfloor material had to get put back on top.
The Ditra is only 1/8" thick, and can be applied on top of a compatable substrate layer layer, but not OSB. You would only have to accomodate enough change in height for the Ditra and the substrate layer beneath it.
Sorry for the confusion. It did sound like I raised all my floors up 1-5/8", didn't it.:o

[Matt Meiser]

Ok, so I think we made a decision today to go with Armstrong Alterna which is a groutable tile product with a lifetime warranty. My parents put it in their kitchen 3 years ago and the tile guy who did their backsplash was really confused when he showed up it looks so realistic. We've decided to remove the 22 year old engineered hardwood in our hall and foyer which would need refinishing if we kept it and carry the Alterna through the kitchen, dining room, hall, laundry and foyer. We will buy all the materials now for safety but the kitchen area will have to wait until we do the cabinets in there in 9-12 months so they'll install temporary transitions and leave the linoleum. It's going to cost a fortune but will look good and be a permanent solution.

[Craig Matheny]

I'd like to tile but am concerned that vibration from the washer could cause cracking--especially if we later buy front loaders?
Any suggestions/advise?

Matt this is not a big issue get cement backer 1/2" or hardi backer. take and mix thinset with acrylic additive spread it on the floor put down the cement board screw it down 6" on side 12" center let it dry tile the floor. Regarding the grout most of the custom brand grouts already have and acrylic additive in it. I have done this on many floors and second story bathrooms including my own home. My kitchen has raised foundation with tile floors not one crack or grout issue 15 + years.

[Kevin Yount]

Yes, I agree with Kevin Bourque.

[Jim Falsetti]

Matt - for the vibration issue, try anti-vibration pads. We installed them last year and the difference in noise is dramatic. The washer used to walk around and the anti-vibration pads stopped that too. Jim

[Brian Tymchak]

Matt,

First thing I wondered after reading your post is if there are anti-vibration stands for those big machines. Quick google provided this (http://0vib.com/?gclid=CMng-ZLT6LcCFaYWMgodOhwASQ) and this (http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-Anti-Vibration-Pads-4-Piece-WX17X10001DS/202212328#.Ub26R6W5Mo0) so I bet there is a decent selection of anti-vib solutions out there.

Also wondering if there's any piece of that house you haven't renovated over the last few years... :)

..Edit.. didn't see Jim's post before I responded..

[Matt Meiser]

We've been back in the remodeled laundry room for almost a year.

We used Armstrong Alterna for flooring throughout the laundry, hall, foyer, and kitchen and are really happy with it.

And no, there isn't a room that hasn't at least seen flooring replaced in the 9-1/2 years we've lived here. My office is the only room that hasn't seen paint since it was painted an acceptable color shortly before we moved in but it's about time to paint it too. And we are thinking our dining room needs a refresh to match the kitchen--maybe wainscot to match the cabinets.

[Gordon Eyre]

We have hand cut Italian rock in the launder room, halls, kitchen and bathrooms and have not had problem one with any of the rooms. It has been 15 years now so if it were going to crack it would have done so long before now.

[rogers kevin]

Matt,
We just installed groutable press and stick vinyl tile in the bathroom and kitchen of the rental we're working on.
So far, I'm very impressed with the results.
Time will tell how well it holds up.
It's "fooled" everyone that's seen it. They can't believe it isn't real tile.
The plumber we had come out to give us a price on some work said he wished we would have called him in before we put the "tile" in because it would have made the job of drilling through it a lot easier (cheaper). He had to get down and poke it with his thumbnail to see for himself that it wasn't tile!

If you read the online reviews of the press and stick groutable vinyl tiles, there's two basic types of reviewers.
The ones that have actually used it rate it very well.
The ones that make negative comments about it are the ones that haven't used it.

The only change in the installtion I did that I would make if I did it again would be to use the special bonding material to coat the old floor with.
I used BIN on the bathroom floor and installed right over that. I had a couple of tile pop within the first few days.
That was ~ three months ago and they are all sticking down like they're welded to the floor now.

Home Depot carries the stuff and it runs under $2.00 a sq ft.
We did the kitchen and the bath both for under $200.00 - including the cost of the pre mixed grout and a small container of adhesive.

A coat of vinyl tile adhesive is recommended for tile in a high traffic area - such as in front of a door way.

Cutting/trimming was all done with a utility knife and a large set of scissors.
Again, hindsight being 20/20, I would have packed a set of tin snips instead of shears.
As it was, I scored the tile as deep as I could with the utility knife ( buy a box of blades from HF and change them every cut or so) then snapped them off - just like little pieces of drywall.
I agree with you and the most important part of vinyl tile is more stylish than any other floor.