After six years, my kitchen’s original floor tiles had started to shift and pop up. Two years ago my contractor had pulled up many of the tiles and new adhesive was applied, but this fix did not work. Before long the tiles began to shift again, and the gaps between tiles started to widen. The main problem is the wooden sub-floor with occasional dampness under the house (pier beam) causing the wood to expand. If the tiles had been laid on smooth level concrete, I wouldn’t have this problem. And if a super thick wax sealer had been applied after the first installation, the tiles would have had a much better chance on staying put longer.
Vinyl composition tile is very affordable compared to other flooring choices for kitchens. So I’m sticking my neck out one more time, armed with the knowledge of what not to do, and will give VCT one more chance. Unfortunately this time I was forced to choose different colors since the original tile colors were no longer available.
Charley McKenney, my architect, and I decided to move away from the current checker board pattern, which had been chosen because it was the typical pattern used in homes in the 1920s and 30s. He had discovered a cool site that showcased fun patterns from the 1950s, and after choosing the new three colors and the patterns we liked from the website, Charley colored up floor plans to show how each would look. But to be doubly sure, I ordered a box of each color, and when they arrived, we laid out two of the patterns. To see the pattern we didn’t choose, click on the link below.
I agree with going with the checkerboard pattern!