[HotJava480]

Oh my gosh, here I am again.

Question: I have a bad knee (bad knee! shame, shame) and I need flooring that is safe. I lived with a roommate who had tile flooring. One day, the floor got wet and I didnt see the slippery spot and lo and behold I slipped! Needless to say, I hurt my bad knee. So. I was wondering if anyone knew of a slip resistant flooring that still ups the value of my home? I heard that tile, hardwood flooring, and something else that I can't remember at the moment ups the value. I have decided that I do want tile but want to know if anyone knew of tiling that is slip resistant. Shall I say it again (just now realizing I'm being redundant)? Slip resistant tiling . Please let me know! Thanks. Actually, any other suggestions would be most welcomed. Thank you for your kind help.

[woodswell]

Java,
I've got the same problem - doubled (both knees are now bad and I am trying to plan when to have knee replacement ).

So for our new house, I've been researching materials. (I'm hoping to put off the knee replacement until AFTER the new house is finished, since I'm planning it to be handicapped accessible.)

For ceramic and porcelain tile, you need to check the COF:

COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION (ASTM C 1028)
Establishes how much effort it takes to move an object across the face of the tile dry or wet. This is vitally important when choosing floor tile in an attempt to minimize slip and fall injuries. For example, the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that floor surfaces be stable, firm, and slip resistant. Further, the Building Code for the City of Los Angeles, California (USA) requires that level surfaces have a COF of not less than 0.6 and ramps no less than 0.8 when tested.

There should be COF figures for dry AND wet conditions. Some tile comes with a texture to improve the slip resistance, also.

If you check tile manufacturers' web sites such as Daltile or Crossville, often they will not have this info in the consumer section. Just look for a commercial or archetect area and there will be more info there. Or ask your tile installer or tile distributor to get it for you - don't buy if they do not provide the information you need to make an informed decision.

For more help on tile installation and selection, check out the John Bridge Forum: http://johnbridge.com/vbulletin/index.php

If you choose to not go with ceramic or porcelain tile, check out linoleum which can be sold under the Marmoleum and other brand names. It can be very attractive, slip resistent and is environmentally friendly. BUT it is harder to find, fewer installers are familiar with it anymore and it is not as wet resistant as tile.

Anne

[climber_grrl]

I'm not sure if it will increase the value of your house but it is very slip resistent and we are using it in our master bath. It comes in a variety of colors, textures,and styles. What is this wondermaterial? rubber

We just purchased the Johnsonite/CityScape/Downtown (color = Alley) 24"x24" tile. It's mainly an industrial product for stadiums, locker rooms, schools, hospitals, etc., but there is no reason it can't be used residentially. It glues down to the floor. We're paying about $6.50 sq ft. The one caveat was we had to order more than we needed 'cause it comes pre-packaged in an unspecified amount of sq ft and they won't break up the packages. Oh well, just gives us a reason to use it somewhere else.

Check out all the wonders of rubber as well as the different product lines at http://www.johnsonite.com/products/default.htm

Another option for you might be cork, but I don't know anything about it besides it looks great and is supposed to wear well.

[stacylu]

I just saw this on Apartment Therapy, Faux Leather flooring


Is this really rubber? This rubber flooring has a very leather-like appearance. It is available to the trade through Robin Reigi, though I've not seen it elsewhere. The flooring is available in 4 natural colors and in sizes as large as 39"x39". The rubber is about half the price of leather flooring, wears better than real leather, and is much easier to maintain.




http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/p...looring-013604


I personally like the Cork idea...

[GardenOfDarwin]

Cork is great, but I don't think it's particularly slip resistant -- especially when wearing socks. Ours at least, has a very smooth surface. OTOH, it's soft and warm underfoot and would be a dream come true if you have joint problems. I love it!

Susan

[stacylu]

GardenOfDarwin wrote:

Cork is great, but I don't think it's particularly slip resistant -- especially when wearing socks. Ours at least, has a very smooth surface. OTOH, it's soft and warm underfoot and would be a dream come true if you have joint problems. I love it!

Susan

Really - I thought it was slightly nubby...

[Liz H]

Stacy, it may depend on the type of floor. The floor that I'm using has several finish coats over the cork. It feels smooth to the touch, not like a cork coaster or bulletin board. I think you can buy unfinished cork tiles as well.

[GardenOfDarwin]

Mine is like Liz's it sounds like. It's perfectly smooth except for minor pits here and there, which are also coated with poly. Here's a picture that shows the smoothiness:


It's really wonderful, and would be wonderful for bad knees. It's hard to describe but it's very soft underfoot. It compresses just the tiniest bit when you walk on it, making it easier on joints and so forth. Plus it stays nice and warm in the winter. Can you wear non-skid shoes and/or socks? Paste rug-grippers on the bottoms?

Susan

[alydev]

Please tell more about cork! One of my biggest complaints about my kitchen is that my knees and legs ache if I'm standing cooking for a long time. I have ceramic (I think) tiles right now. Not that I don't like tiles generally, but these are very light in color and show every crumb that is dropped.

I love the idea of cork and there is a flooring place nearby which carries it, but they do glue-down. I was hoping for floating planks so we could try to do it ourselves. What types to you have? Can I please see more pictures?

[Liz H]

Aly, here's some info I copied from NaturalCork.com I'm using their floating plank floor in my kitchen, and would have loved to use it in most of the house as well. Btw, while glue down cork has been in place in public buildings since the early 1900's the floating plank floor is newer, though it has been around for awhile as well. I think this photo represents about a 6" square of material.



This is Natural Cork's Cleopatra pattern. Others look quite different.
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Having a natural cork floor is a good investment and a healthy choice at that. In fact, people have used natural cork floor since the early 1900's, a testament to our products tradition of brilliance and excellence. ... highly durable natural cork floor which can be easily maintained.... The company also stands as the perfect source for comfort in terms of human indoor living, augmenting the very facets of convenience and hominess. ... the product is made of natural and renewable material, improving health conditions for you and your family. Since cork is environmentally correct, you can be sure to avoid inconvenient elements such as molds, mildews, and common pests. All of these features and benefits could be yours with a single purchase from our much-celebrated product line.

.... When it comes to durability, our products can certainly perform at a level which can easily impress even the most meticulous home owner. Since cork flooring is protected by 5 coats of highly durable UV cured acrylic finish, you never have to worry about the maintenance of your floor covering. For maintenance, regular sweeping and cleaning are quite sufficient to restore the original brilliance of your flooring. The task can also be facilitated with a hardwood floor cleaner or a new coat polyurethane, giving your flooring a new sheen. You need not worry because you can easily rejuvenate your flooring, even when it begins to show certain signs of wear. As long as you take good care of your cork flooring, you will be able to keep it for decades to come. Coupled with innate brilliance of our products, years and years of quality residential living is certainly at hand.