Kitchen Build Thread - & Tile Advice Needed

[anonymous-user]

Hi

Now that I have finally finished my bathroom ( http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...) it's on to the kitchen, still early days but will update as I go.

I am chief labourer and my brother provides the skill. Been very lucky not to have to get a company in, he has saved me a large fortune both in that he charges me nil (for now at least) and with the trade discount he gets. The fact that he is an excellent carpenter is pretty handy too.

Don't have any picture of how it was before to hand, the blue lino etc was below the floor I ripped up.

This is it ripped out.







On right hand side there are four larder units, one to enclose the boiler, one for the fridge and freezer, one for the oven and microwave and the last is simply storage. The original plan was for them to be free standing, but my brother decided it would look better to build a frame to slide them into, this also allowed us to intergrate the RSJ boxing in the ceiling (you can see this better in the later pictures). This has now all been plastered and looks like it should have been like that from day one. Shows it's worth having a pro in!









Left hand side



Worktop being oiled - didn't help that my brother is very alergic to Iroko wood


Getting there

Having an end panel in the same wood and doing it with a mitre cut rather than butting it up was hard work to get right but worth it in the end.


Now, what to do about tiles! I have the walls white at the moment but think the cream doesn't really go and thinking of doing area around units in grey??

Any ideas for some good looking tiles for the floor? With pictures examples if you have them - I need all the help I can. I may end up going for same as I have in the bathroom floor, but would like something slick (but not slippy, been there) looking.

Thanks for looking P

Will update as I go.

Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 10th December 22:50

[Simpo Two]

Well the only thing you haven't copied from my kitchen is the glass splashback, so you'd better have those

Then vinyl on the floor, much nices than horrible hard cold tiles. Thousands of designs to choose from, and very affordable.

[anonymous-user]

Simpo Two said:

Well the only thing you haven't copied from my kitchen is the glass splashback, so you'd better have those

Then vinyl on the floor, much nices than horrible hard cold tiles. Thousands of designs to choose from, and very affordable.

Do you have any pics?

With regard to tiles being cold, my bathroom Floor was freezing this morning. Now is this because the tiles retain the cold and stop it passing through to the room? Or do other flooring types simply repell the cold back below floor?

Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 11th December 07:24

[Tuna]

Looks like an excellent job.

I'd be tempted to go with a glass splashback with a really bold colour, but that's not to everyone's taste. If you're considering grey, you could go with a stainless steel splashback, though that can make it feel a bit like a canteen.

For floors, I can recommend linoleum - or one of the equivalents (e.g. marmolium). If you buy quality stuff and have it laid properly it's flawless and nice to walk on.

The cold you feel on tiles is because they have a high thermal mass and fairly good conductivity - they basically hold a lot of heat (or cold), so when you stand on them, they can take a lot of heat out of your feet to warm up. You can improve things by putting insulation under them, but once you've got kitchen units in, that's not really an option. Lino, wood or the plastic 'fake stone' tiles all feel much warmer under foot.

[Simpo Two]

MRSNEAK said:

Do you have any pics?

I'm conscious of posting this photo on another thread recently, but as you asked it's



It's toughened glass with the natural greenish colour left in, and the back is sprayed white - but any colour is possible. It's a great answer because it's easy to fit (assuming you get the template/dimensions right!) and being opaque it covers up any damage behind.

This is a general view showingthe floor. It's a light beige tile effect, cost fitted (including removal of old vinyl and latexing) about £220. It has fooled at least one visitor!

MRSNEAK said:

With regard to tiles being cold, my bathroom Floor was freezing this morning. Now is this because the tiles retain the cold and stop it passing through to the room? Or do other flooring types simply repell the cold back below floor?

Tiles seem cold because they are very good conductors of heat - they conduct it from you straight into the foundations. Carpet would have been the same physical temperature, it just feels warmer beacuse it doesn't suck the heat out of you! Vinyl somewhere between the two. Or you can have tiles with underfloor heating of course.

[anonymous-user]

Simpo Two said:

MRSNEAK said:

Do you have any pics?

I'm conscious of posting this photo on another thread recently, but as you asked it's



It's toughened glass with the natural greenish colour left in, and the back is sprayed white - but any colour is possible. It's a great answer because it's easy to fit (assuming you get the template/dimensions right!) and being opaque it covers up any damage behind.

This is a general view showingthe floor. It's a light beige tile effect, cost fitted (including removal of old vinyl and latexing) about £220. It has fooled at least one visitor!

MRSNEAK said:

With regard to tiles being cold, my bathroom Floor was freezing this morning. Now is this because the tiles retain the cold and stop it passing through to the room? Or do other flooring types simply repell the cold back below floor?

Tiles seem cold because they are very good conductors of heat - they conduct it from you straight into the foundations. Carpet would have been the same physical temperature, it just feels warmer beacuse it doesn't suck the heat out of you! Vinyl somewhere between the two. Or you can have tiles with underfloor heating of course.

thanks for that, is the splashback the whole width of the wall? Or just width of cooker? With regards to the type of floor, ignoring the floor temperature will any of those ( not including with underfloor hearing) make the room warmer or colder?

Hadn't thought of lino but going to check some out tomorrow.

[Simpo Two]

MRSNEAK said:

thanks for that, is the splashback the whole width of the wall? Or just width of cooker? With regards to the type of floor, ignoring the floor temperature will any of those ( not including with underfloor hearing) make the room warmer or colder?

The splashback runs from the right-hand wall to the fridge-freezer and is an inverted T-shape. There are two other panels on the opposite walls, the rectangle you can see and a low J-shape which fits under the window. With certain limitations, you can have glass in any shape you like.

A piece of tile at 15 degrees is the same temperature as a piece of carpet at 15 degrees, it's just that the tile *feels* cold because it conducts the heat away from you hand more quickly. It's like the old question - 'which is heavier, a pound of feathers or a pound of lead?'

As well as perceived temperature on bare feet etc, something dropped onto vinyl is much less likely to break than if it is dropped onto tiles.

[anonymous-user]

Simpo Two said:

MRSNEAK said:

thanks for that, is the splashback the whole width of the wall? Or just width of cooker? With regards to the type of floor, ignoring the floor temperature will any of those ( not including with underfloor hearing) make the room warmer or colder?

The splashback runs from the right-hand wall to the fridge-freezer and is an inverted T-shape. There are two other panels on the opposite walls, the rectangle you can see and a low J-shape which fits under the window. With certain limitations, you can have glass in any shape you like.

A piece of tile at 15 degrees is the same temperature as a piece of carpet at 15 degrees, it's just that the tile *feels* cold because it conducts the heat away from you hand more quickly. It's like the old question - 'which is heavier, a pound of feathers or a pound of lead?'

As well as perceived temperature on bare feet etc, something dropped onto vinyl is much less likely to break than if it is dropped onto tiles.

Thanks again. Have decided to continue with tiles, although now going to include some underfloor heating to take the edge off it on the cold mornings.

Just trying to decide which ones, there are so many and I have changed my mind at least five times today. Interior design is not my forte...

[Tuna]

MRSNEAK said:

Thanks again. Have decided to continue with tiles, although now going to include some underfloor heating to take the edge off it on the cold mornings.

Just trying to decide which ones, there are so many and I have changed my mind at least five times today. Interior design is not my forte...

I assume you'll be going with electric underfloor heating.... it's worth pointing out that it's very expensive to run. If you're just going to use it to take the chill off, it might be an idea to put it on a half hour time switch so you can't accidentally leave it on all day, but better still not to use it.