flooring

[csarkar001]

wasnt quite sure where to put this thread. anyway, after several water spills in my carpeted den, i've decided to rip up the carpet and have some sort of other flooring installed.

wanted opinions on what folks on the forum recommend for flooring for a room that will be my office/den but also will house a couple of medium-sized discus tanks.

i thinking hardwood probably wont hold up to the eventual water spills. considering linoleum even though its a bit cheezy. ceramic tile is a possiblity. am i missing anything else worth considering?

[Patr1ck]

Go with ceramic tile. That is what my tank is on. No issues.

Pat

[csarkar001]

but i live in the northeast and ceramic can get a bit cold in the winter. :santa:
that was my only issue. but i may go with it anyway.

thanks for the suggestion.

chandan

[Patr1ck]

Maybe a throw rug or 2.

Pat

[DiscusOnly]

Ceramic is probably the most ideal way to go but you know that ceramic is not really water proof. Water may still get through the grout. My tank is on ceramic tile and when I had a leak in the filter, it flood the floor but water did get to the subfloor and into my basement ceiling.

I think you can get sealer for the grout or better yet, do a drain on the floor and floor it like a shower if you want to go all out.

[scottthomas]

I would go with Ceramic tile and some rugs if it gets too cold. We just had new hardwoods installed and my wife insisted that I move all tanks to the garage after the floor guy said that aquariums were a bad idea on the hardwoods. Oh well, at leat now i get to build a real fishroom in the garage:)

Scott

[DonMD]

I have a 125 g show tank in the dining room on a hard wood floor with an area carpet under the dining table. The stand is on the floor. I do daily water changes, I just spread a large towel down, and do the changes. Sure I get occasional spills, but I haven't had any damage to the floor.

You can see my project here: http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?t=72105&highlight=dining

The old 90 g tank was on that floor for about 4 years, and when I took it off, the floor was bone dry.

Just my 2 cents. -Don

[ifixoldhouses]

I'd go with VCT tile vinyl commercial tile, its available in several colors, I use a black and white checkerboard pattern alot in the old houses I restore. THey have it at lowes or Home depot/

[Jhhnn]

If you're paying to have it done, then sheet vinyl is probably the most waterproof. Depending on the size of the room, it may be possible to do it in a single piece, even to cove the edges up...

The latter is fast becoming a lost art.

Some of the sheet vinyl available really is reasonably attractive... Measure your room, check it out at some floorcovering places...

[LizStreithorst]

Ceramic, well sealed with throw rugs. Lasts forever, easy to clean. If you get a tear in the vinyl or it wears, which it will over time, it just about can't be patched without you being able to tell

[ifixoldhouses]

Vinyl just rips and tears, vct will hold up for years, you must have a very strong floor for ceramic tile, if its a large room ceramic isn't feasable, the grout will just crack and tile pops up, trust me I've been remodeling for 20 years.
check out my website
www.westsalemrestoration.com

[csarkar001]

ifixoldhouses:

my worry with the vct you suggest is that it comes in squares. if i get a spill, wont the water get in the joints? i was going to go with one solid sheet to avoid this problem but would appreciate your advice on the water issue with the squares. because the big advantage of the squares is repairing.

chandan

[Jhhnn]

The better grades of modern vinyl have very thick color layers. some have color all the way through, and they're ~1/8" thick...

Tear it? Maybe with a hatchet...

[Patr1ck]

Is the floor underneath concrete? If so you could epoxy coat the concrete. There is other alternatives with coloring the concrete as well. My friends house has a concrete floor that is etched to look like huge 4 feet tiles. Looks really slick.

Pat

[ifixoldhouses]

ifixoldhouses:

my worry with the vct you suggest is that it comes in squares. if i get a spill, wont the water get in the joints? i was going to go with one solid sheet to avoid this problem but would appreciate your advice on the water issue with the squares. because the big advantage of the squares is repairing.

chandan If you mop it with several coats of "mop and glow" its pretty waterproof. I have used it in laundry rooms and kitchens alot.

[dwilder]

wood is fine just clean up spills and dont let sit there for days it will be fine im in the flooring trade by the way

[ifixoldhouses]

ya woods fine as long as the whole tank doesnt bust open on it, All mine are on wood, I did however have my sink overflow on it while using my python, and 20 gallons or so leaked all over it, I dried it up quick, but it still warped the boards a little in the doorway from the laundry room to the hall.It did'nt hurt the tile floor in the laundry room any that I can see.

[Wahter]

I recently also asked about this (since I'm getting wood floors in my new house). One of my friends told me what she did (she had to leave the house during the curing process though) was to have her wood floors finished with a Moisture-cured urethane finish that's usually used in commercial businesses not residential buildings.



Walter

[Jhhnn]

I recently also asked about this (since I'm getting wood floors in my new house). One of my friends told me what she did (she had to leave the house during the curing process though) was to have her wood floors finished with a Moisture-cured urethane finish that's usually used in commercial businesses not residential buildings.



Walter

Well, if she had to leave the house, then the fish probably do, too, unless the tanks are covered and the airpump temporarily moved outdoors...

Part of the potential problem comes from modern aquarium cabinets with flat bottoms. They do spread the load on the floor a lot better than old-fashioned wrought iron stands, but once water gets underneath, it's tough to get it all out...

[ifixoldhouses]

You can buy waterbased poly if your living in the house, it dries in 2 hours and has hardly any smell, but its like $40 a gallon.

[dwilder]

or get a pre finished wood floor