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Original poster

I've just pulled out the kitchen...

34 replies

Gardeningnotdiy · 22/08/2019 05:56

Yesterday, in a mad fit of DIY enthusiasm I pulled out the whole kitchen. I filled the open plan living room up with cardboard boxes so we can't sit down but do have access to a tiny annex kitchen so can still eat. I planned to drive to IKEA today to buy a long planned IKEA kitchen. However I have forgotten that the floor needs to be changed too as I have 1950's cork tiles. I want to put down black ceramic tiles; my husband says they will be freezing. My dilemma is whether to put in underfloor heating pipes now which will raise the floor height by 16 cm. This will create a step into the room and has to be done before I make the kitchen and could take weeks. So:1. What do people think about a step between rooms (the step would end up being between hall and open plan kitchen/ living) 2. Should I wait and put in underfloor heating? 3. Does anyone have ceramic tiles throughout the whole open plan kitchen/ living area and like them. I'm in a panic, my husband is seriously unimpressed and the kids think I've lost the plot. The flip side is I'm watching the sunrise for the first time in years and it's beautiful. Any advice please?

OP posts:
Monty27 · 22/08/2019 05:59

Can you lower the floor?

WhereDoesThisToiletGo · 22/08/2019 06:02

Enjoy the sunrise.

No other suggestions!

Iggly · 22/08/2019 06:04

Ceramic will be freezing without underfloor heating, yes. How cold is your house??

We have wood flooring and no underfloor heating which is fine but our open plan area is well insulated so doesn’t get cold.

You could get electric underfloor heating to take the edge off. Depends on the rest of your heating options.

PostNotInHaste · 22/08/2019 06:06

I personally wouldn’t and would look at something like Karndean or Amtico instead. I don’t think the whole thing is worth the hassle and I wouldn’t want the step.

orangeshoebox · 22/08/2019 06:17

we have a step and it's ok.
would a fan heater under the units be an option?

orangeshoebox · 22/08/2019 06:18

if you put new tiles down consider using aquaboard around the washer/dishwasher/sink area and tile up to the wall.

Ginisatonic · 22/08/2019 06:24

We have a plinth heater in the kitchen and it’s really effective. We have karndean flooring though so I don’t need know for sure that the ceramic wouldn’t still feel cold.
Are you sure you want black tiles? We have black tiles in our en-suite and they are very difficult to keep clean. Show every bit of dust. Friend had black in her kitchen and they had to mop it every day.

BlackCatSleeping · 22/08/2019 06:30

My parents have ceramic tiles and it’s not just the cold, but if you drop anything on them it shatters. A cup, a plate, your phone, it’s so unforgiving. At home we just have Lino and it’s much better. I’m always on edge at my parents house.

I would reconsider, if I were you.

orangeshoebox · 22/08/2019 06:30

we have dark slate in the kitchen and it really shows the dirt.

StraffeHendrik · 22/08/2019 06:32

This makes me feel better about my current "bitten off more than I can chew" diy scenario, I am also up early to make a start on day 3.

I would go for engineered wood with good underlay- not cold at all no need for under floor heating. Also looks nice.

Can you afford to lose 15cm from ceiling height and door height anyway?

AgeingDurannie · 22/08/2019 06:37

We have inherited black tiles the kitchen ( and one bathroom) in the house we moved into last year. We actually have electric underfloor heating too but I've never switched it on... have just not felt it necessary...and we're in Scotland....

They do show every little crumb though...

Nowisthemonthofmaying · 22/08/2019 06:38

Agree that if you drop anything on tiles it will immediately smash - I hate them in a kitchen for that reason.

Cork is actually pretty trendy these days for floors but I can understand wanting to get rid of gunky old tiles! Could you try wood instead?

zebra22 · 22/08/2019 06:40

We have ceramic tiles and they are freezing - I hate them

raspberrypancakes · 22/08/2019 06:41

We inherited black ceramic tiles and hate them. Shows all dirt, really hard and cold in winter. Can't wait to get rid.

wowfudge · 22/08/2019 07:11

Do not use black tiles. Repeat, do not use black tiles. Or glossy white ones for that matter.

What are going to do if IKEA don't have all the bits you want?

georgialondon · 22/08/2019 07:14

You're not in a hard water area are you. My black floor is horrific to keep looking clean even though it is clean. The hard water marks look dreadful.

Humphriescushion · 22/08/2019 07:17

We had these everywhere and I hated them. Yes they were cold which was not too bad but they were horrible to walk on or stand on without shoes or slippers ( not a massive prob - just wear slippers i suppose but i hated them.)
Have laminate now in kitchen not ideal but lovely to walk on. Next house i am getting vinyl.

flirtygirl · 22/08/2019 08:58

I had a black granite floor, never again for a black floor. Always looked dirty. Please heed all these warnings.

Ceramic tiles are fine even without underfoot heating but wood is warmer underfoot and to look at. The plank vinyls are very expensive.

Personally, I would go for wood.

PigletJohn · 22/08/2019 11:31

is the (sub-) floor concrete or wood?

orangeshoebox · 22/08/2019 11:33

would that affect the structure of the whole building and the other dwellings?

AndreaDonno · 22/08/2019 11:58

You can get an overlay system for wet UFH which means your floor will only need to be raised by 3cm.

FrogFairy · 22/08/2019 12:58

I have black ceramic tiles in my kitchen and would not recommend them.
They are hard, cold, very slippery and even with two big windows the room always looks dark.
I had hoped to fit Quickstep Impressive when I get a new kitchen but the budget looks like I will have to keep the tiles.

Bythebeach · 22/08/2019 13:03

We’ve got porcelain tiles with underfloor heating in open plan kitchen and small step down to wood floor in hallway which continues through living room. Seems fine. Tiles beige-y not dark though.

Ginnymweasley · 22/08/2019 13:09

We had ceramic tiles in our kitchen when we moved in. They were horribly cold. We replaced them with vinyl flooring.

littlewoollypervert · 22/08/2019 13:24

Electric underfloor heating takes up much less space than pipes. It's not designed to heat the room - just warms the floor. I think it's only a couple of hundred per room and as it's not designed to heat the room like central heating, it's cheap to run.

My friend installed it in her home in the west of Ireland - the house overlooks the Atlantic so can be very cold and windy. She just has it under slate in the kitchen, and under the tiles in the main bathroom. Great for walking around barefoot or in socks (and for kids)

Word of warning - if you are going to have a free standing bin (and are positive you are never going to have to stand on that spot for long periods) see if you can put a gap in the underlay so that the bin spot is cold. Otherwise you are heating up your food waste and it can get smelly.

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