Please share your favorite/most durable interior finishes & materials!

last year

Hi, we are planning a new build and my goal is to make it as low-maintenance and worry-free as possible.

We own two dogs, I’m very clumsy plus I bake and cook a lot, husband is an avid outdoors person… we are always going to track in dirt/chip delicate surfaces/have sauce splatters & too many hot pans and baking sheets being used at once, shed fur & scratch things!

Everything needs to be easy to clean/hide tracked in dirt/be very durable & take abuse.

What are your tried & true building material & design suggestions? Grout colors? Tile shape/type? Countertop edge style? Easy to clean toilet? Sink that’s least likely to chip or scratch? Etc…

(The one thing I really deeply dislike is laminate flooring. Other than that I’m open to any and all suggestions!) I’d love a rustic hand sawn look floor that hides scratches but what I’ve I read says they tend to trap dirt etc. in the grooves. Not limiting the discussion; just sharing as an example… it feels like there are pros and cons to everything and I really want to keep things simple (both in style/design and our decision-making process!)

Featured Answer

theotherjaye

last year

last modified: last year

Marmoleum for floors. Resiliant, self-healing (to a point) available in a huge range of colors, can be inlaid/cut into really fantastic designs.

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Comments (39)

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Patricia Colwell Consulting
last year
I have 3 huge dogs who have free run acess to a dog run through a doggie door in all kinds of waetehr this door is located in our walk out basement we put LVP in the level and a quick mop up and the floor looks like new Ours is 15 yrs old so old school VP but I would do it again if we ever move. IMO an eased edge on real stone for counters will never be a bad choice. Do not use white grout in backspalshes or tiled floors and shower walls. Buile with large overhangs on the home so the sun does not reach the inside during the summer but helps heat the house in the winter. Durable wall finishes are bit trickier but making sure hallways are wider helps. IMO there is no better material for a kitchen sink than stainless the best one you can afford. Do not choose a workstation one since IMO all the addons are a PITA and too small to really be useful so the biggest sink you can put in the sink cabinet 10" deep one bowl always my choice for myself and clients.
Fori
last year

The problem with flooring is the dogs, and you might encounter it with any floor. My big old dog needs traction. He likes to lay on a cold stone floor but he's not great at maneuvering on it so we have a lot of rugs...he also marks up the wood floors so there are rugs there as well.

Sheet linoleum (not vinyl) is really nice. I've had it in the past and it's my favorite flooring. (It didn't look right in the current house.) It's durable, repairable, easy to clean, and stuff bounces when you drop it.

In the kitchen I have stainless steel countertops with integrated welded sinks. They cannot be busted, stained, chipped, dented, or burned. I do not have a marine edge (a raised lip around the counter) but have in the past and it's so much better.
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Hello! Nice to try to help you dear! What about concrete ? Decora Cement is a London based family business dedicated to the manufacture, supply and installation of high quality decorative Eco Porcelanic Microcement. Our factory and manufacturing systems controls all the development process of our products, to provide the highest quality in all. We offer full personal and professional service, supporting you from the beginning of your project throughout the installation of our Microcement. Decora Microcement is a modern and extremely versatile decorative finish that can be applied to almost any surface: floors, walls, furniture (interior & exterior), and its coatings are ideal for reforms, new constructions and renovation of living or working areas. We have the most advanced system to install our products: Decora NanoTech, which offers Antimicrobial and Anti-fungal properties, Water Resistant, Fire Retardant, UV & Corrosion resistance as well as enhanced flexural and compressive strength. Our Microcement is the perfect finish for almost any area where style and hygiene are paramount. As the interest and popularity of microcement has rapidly started to grow in the UK, it's quickly becoming a modern alternative to both tiling and hard wood flooring. Our product stands out from regular Microcement available on the market due to its exclusive formula that contains nano material additives which are 1000 times finer than Microcement particules, and are capable of offering protection in crevices with sizes bellow the micro-scale, to further limit penetration of agents of degradation. Decora Microcement is also flexible and its application builds up a very thin layer (max. 3mm). This new generation of Microcement turns to be extremely efficient once its special installation system developed by Decora Cement minimize porosity and cracks. Microcement has become a very well-known product and selected by architects, decorators, contractors, building and constructions agencies due to its high possibility coatings and customized finishes. OUR COLOUR CHART : Decora Cement Colour Chart.pdf Uniqueness and advantages: Its workability is excellent on any surfaces and also becomes pore less. It’s 100% water resistant. Fire Retardant. Flexible. 3mm tickness Antimicrobial & Anti-fungal properties. High resistance to rubbing and wear. Stable against ultraviolet rays. Corrosion resistance. High mechanical resistance. Non slip. Does not generate bubbles. Protected to prevent efflorescence of lime. Wide range of colours. Easy to customize. No need to remove existing material. Easy maintenance. Suitable for any indoor and outdoor surface. Seamless look. We offer a wide range of products with different textures and looks, that can be done in different colours and you can also choose the finishing of your preference between matt, satin or gloss or even metallic glazes. Please feel free to visit our showroom where you can see large applications of our different range of products, so you can have a better idea of the final look. If you would like to receive a free estimate for your current project please send us the measurements of the surfaces you would like with our range of Decora Microcements. You can find our online catalogue and more information on our website: www.decoracement.com If you have any further enquiry, please do not hesitate to contact us. Her eyou have some pictures for your inspiration with your dark patio! I think a grey light colour and cut the trees will transform that patio at all! Have a look! This one of our projects in exterior! Looks really nice ! (Can be applkied in floor and walls , interior and exterior ) Here you can see another diferent exterior finish for you patio walls! Another of our latest projects ! Maybe a little fountain will make your patio look full of live !
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kandrewspa
last year
Wood floors have become popular in kitchens, but I am not 100% a fan. I moved 2+ years ago into a house with wood floors in the kitchen. I can see the appeal because you can refinish wood and change the look of your floors without redoing your whole kitchen, but I never feel like you can get it as clean as tile because you have to clean it gently so as not to ruin the finish. I still haven't decided whether I will keep it or replace it with tile when I do get around to remodeling my kitchen. But my last house had tile floors and even though some people think tile is too hard I really liked them. Each to his own - you have to decide what is best for you. Tile certainly doesn't scratch. I would never paint my walls gray, but gray is a good color on floors if it goes with the rest of the elements in the room. It doesn't show dirt. I am not interested in washing my floor every day. :-) But any medium color is good. Just stay away from very light or dark floor colors.
shirlpp
last year
last modified: last year
Hi, we are planning a new build and my goal is to make it as low-maintenance and worry-free as possible.

Good Luck!
Mrs Pete
last year
last modified: last year
Do not choose a workstation one since IMO all the addons are a PITA and too small to really be useful so the biggest sink you can put in the sink cabinet 10" deep one bowl always my choice for myself and clients.

Disagree about workstations.

Agree about one-bowl stainless steel sinks. Even a builder-basic will last forever.

Sheet linoleum (not vinyl) is really nice. I've had it in the past and it's my favorite flooring. (It didn't look right in the current house.) It's durable, repairable, easy to clean, and stuff bounces when you drop it.

Agree, especially if you don't have to have a seam. The linoleum in my old house was installed in 1970 and still looked great.

It's also warmer to the foot than tile, and -- yes -- when you drop a piece of china, it often doesn't break.

Tile floors is a lifetime choice.

Which is both good and bad. Tile is difficult to remove from a floor, it's hard on the knees as you age, it's cold underfoot, and anything you drop in a tile kitchen is going to break.

But any medium color is good. Just stay away from very light or dark floor colors.

Definitely yes to medium colors -- either extreme will be harder to keep clean -- also colors to match your dirt. So if you live at the beach, a sandy-beige makes sense, whereas we Southerners like something to match our red clay.

I'll add these thoughts:

- Don't build more than you need ... it'll be more to clean.

- Minimize glass in your showers; shower curtains are a perfectly acceptable choice.

- Avoid overly fancy cabinets or furniture that will collect dust.

- Don't duplicate things ... for example, dishwashers, sinks.

- Plan a modest-sized kitchen with a large adjacent pantry.

- Include a broom closet in a central location.
worthy
last year
Toughest floor material I installed was natural finish Chinese quartzite tile in an entry hall

designed to resemble a centuries old home. The only maintenance required was a once monthly custodial string mopping.

But if dirt, clumsiness, splatters, goo and uncontrolled canines are your lifestyle, probably best look into replicating prison interiors.
bkind37
last year
We have tile floors in our kitchen and entry way ( 20 plus years) and they are great. They are not the most popular choice now days with wood floors and lvp choices, but they have held up great with kids, pets, water spills, etc. IF I was making this choice again, I’d still choose tile.
orangecamera
last year
I'll chime in about kitchen countertops. I cook a lot, and often use turmeric so I tested a lot of materials before we redid our kitchen. I chose to go with Glacier White Corian. It is the easiest to clean, and nothing I've done to it has stained it yet - including doing a test with turmeric paste left on for several days. When we redo our bathrooms, I'll be using the same Glacier White Corian. You'll need to use trivets for hot pots/pans, but I've done that my whole life so it's not an issue.
john3582
last year
Soapstone for counters. I wish I had wood baseboards, I think we have mdf . I would not think I drop much on baseboards but it looks really chewed up in places.
PRO
JAN MOYER
last year
last modified: last year
"No matter where you go, there you ARE"

"if dirt, clumsiness, splatters, goo and uncontrolled canines are your lifestyle, ( CHOICE ) probably best look into replicating prison interiors". Yes... a place you can hose out for heavens sake?

There is no reason for humans to track in major dirt. That is a decision, easily solved with a quick exterior foot stomp , walk off mats inside, and shoe change at the door.

Splatters ( especially grease/ sauce ) and GOO need a in the moment or daily wipe, or you have chosen to live in a house that will soon be nothing but piggy gross. Your surfaces won't hide that gross. More goo will simply cling to that which is already there.

Uncontrolled canines are also a decision, a choice. Dogs can learn the sit word, and a few towels in a basket at the door is a paw wipe.

Answer here? Pick durable surfaces (which most are today). Then ? Grow up.

"Everything needs to be easy to clean/hide tracked in dirt/be very durable & take abuse..................."

This is a CHOICE. Abuse is a choice. Hide is a bad word. Easy is relative to your LAZY factor.
M R
last year
Some of our choices for durability (we live on a working farm with dogs and young kids)

-SPC flooring

-quartz countertops

-scrubable paint sheen

-bosch dishwashers (2 of them!)

-solid wood cabinets

some regrets

-wish we would have not done any tile in bathrooms. Would prefer SPC only. HATE the upkeep of grout. Looks aged already, after a little over a year.

-MDF baseboards and trim. Tried to save money, should have gone with all wood
la_la Girl
last year
last modified: last year
We reno'd and added on about 12 years ago - what's worn well and been easy for upkeep: skirted toilets, stainless panel behind the range, large & powerful range hood, quartzite counters, slab backsplash, water softener (needed for our region) and a roomy pantry for counter top appliances - also this one sounds weird but we have all glass uppers in the kitchen, and it totally forces me to keep things organized and minimal (once my plastic cup drawer won't shut I have to pare down)

ETA - also agree with @Mrs Pete - our kitchen is a modest U shape - very functional and not too burdensome to clean

things I haven't loved - we did an elaborate herringbone tile in the MBath and there's too many grout lines in there, I would love to rip it up but it seems wasteful :(
PRO
Sabrina Alfin Interiors
last year
The truth is, no material is indestructible. But for the most durable and dog-friendly, I'd go with:
- Dekton counters (ultra compact surface). Make sure you get a fabricator that is certified for this material.
- Tile floors for the main living areas, kitchen and baths, preferably porcelain because they're super hard and not porous. For bedrooms I'd do performance-grade carpeting.
- Lots of wool area rugs on the tile floors because they last, can be cleaned easily, and will help with noise reduction.
- Performance fabrics and recycled vinyl for furniture.
Don't cheap out on permanent things like cabinets. Get soft close doors and drawers to minimize the chance of chipping the finish on the cabinets.
PRO
JAN MOYER
last year
All above is true. However, I am far too familiar with folks who can destroy almost anything.

A VERY good LVP floor will be a lot kinder to backs

and if clumsy? Maybe your plates will survive.....they won;t on tile unless paper or tin.
PRO
Sabrina Alfin Interiors
last year
last modified: last year
ACK! A hard no on LVP. They're petroleum based and can't be recycled. In other words, an ecological nightmare. If I were queen they'd be banned. A cushioned floor mat in front of the sink and/or range on the tiled floor is a better option.
PRO
Diana Bier Interiors, LLC
last year
I'd vote for you for Queen, Sabrina!
PRO
Sabrina Alfin Interiors
last year
@diana bier, LOL! 😂
njmomma
last year
My best purchase and still looking beautiful is my Melamine Kitchen Cabinets. Melamine over Wood dovetailed Kitchen Cabinets. 25 years and I cook everyday, raised children who had many friends, who cooked and slammed and dripped and goo everywhere.

Easy clean up on these cabinets. Never chipped.
PRO
JAN MOYER
last year
last modified: last year
Dearest Royals above: ...: )

They're ( LVP floors ) probably far less an ecological nightmare than the Marshalls, Home Goods, Kohls, Wayfair, Overstock.com, Kirklands, Hobby Lobby and more, consumed during the pandemic, alone. They will also far outlast all that stuff and by ten to fifteen years at least.

https://localtoday.news/us/how-cheap-fast-furniture-could-soon-be-clogging-landfills-159050.html

( above originally NYT )
Kendrah
last year
Great question. I'd much rather tailor my materials to suit the real world needs of people and pets around me than to be a nag about how people behave in my home!

1. Corian counters. I've had granite and marble in the past. Never again. Corian is heaven. Nothing stains. I've tested everything and been using mine for 6 months. I was worried they would look cheap but they don't. You have to get the right color and they look great.

2. Toto toilet. They have some kind of coating product on the bowl that makes it super easy to clean. We noticed a huge difference between the Totos and other ones we own.

3. I love wood floors and am fine with my dog leaving marks on them. I think of it as patina!

4. Grout - dark grey. I've had light grey and it just ends up looking dark grey anyway so why not start there to begin with.

5. Avoid suede, chinelle, velvet furniture. They are dog hair magnets.

6. I have finally trained my husband to not throw his entire body weight on to the sofa like he is cannon balling into a swimming pool. I told him that the more he does it the soon it will wear out and we'll have to go sofa shopping again. It seems to have fixed the problem!

Good luck.
jaja06
last year
I like your post topic! Some things we upgraded have been noticeably easier/harder to clean or maintain. Some things are repeated from above.

…..Workstation sink means more cleaning with the ledges. Also zero radius sink is harder to clean than a slight curve. Our Bianco silgranit (not sure if I’m remembering the name right) sink in the laundry room looks cleaner than the stainless. For me stainless always has water spots that don’t just wipe up. Also stick to only one sink in the kitchen.

…..Fingerprint/spot resistant stainless steel. OMG. Huge difference. We have this for our fridge and faucets. The faucets are especially awesome.

…..Melamine cabinet doors we had before were very easy to clean and held up well for 30 years.

…..We love our tile floors. Also over 30 years old.

…..One story home, not two. Way easier and cheaper maintenance.

…..Trash pull out cabinet with servo-drive in the kitchen has been really great. Tap it with your knee and it opens so you don’t have to touch the door/handle with messy hands. Oh and maybe consider placing it where you could scrape food etc directly from the countertop prep area into the open trash cabinet.
PRO
Diana Bier Interiors, LLC
last year
@Kendrah Love #6!!!
PRO
Diana Bier Interiors, LLC
last year
@JAN MOYER yes I read that article the other day. It's a sad situation, disposable furniture. And so ironic that it's popular with the very young 'uns that are so worried about climate change and the planet.
PRO
JAN MOYER
last year
last modified: last year
Corian. Agree. and for the careless? Perfect! You can have it sanded, buffed........and it is brand new.

And sorry to say? There are amazing LVP floors, you just watch the wear layer. Better at resisting dogs, and a lot warmer, warmer looking than tile. I wasn't convinced until I used a great one. Get 72 inch planks. It will fool your own eyes.
kl23
last year
It's not so much a durability issue, but a convenience, comfort, and safety issue. I like electric radiant heating. I have it to melt snow and ice on my driveway. I want it indoors in any room I tile. I would want it with any stone countertop I rest my arms on, like a peninsula or island. I even want it on top of my concrete floors under the carpet...which chill me and make my joints ache. And I will consider it on my roof next time I have that done, unless solar shingles become more available. If your husband has a shop or works in the garage, he will love it. All my mechanics do. It's great for drying a wet garage floor you park a snow-laden vehicle in. Also, consider a finished garage floor and garage walls. People often neglect this other work room and only think of the kitchen.

Thanks for your post! I am learning so much from everyone else's responses, even where there is disagreement. I will save this one.
PRO
Sabrina Alfin Interiors
last year
last modified: last year
@JAN MOYER and @Diana Bier Interiors, LLC disposable furniture is all many of them can afford. They're up to their necks in studen debt and rental costs that are out of control. That said, they'd be better off going to designer consignment or vintage furniture stores and recovering/refinishing pieces vs. doing the fast furniture route.
PRO
JAN MOYER
last year
last modified: last year
Agree absolutely. I say this as great pieces of furniture languish in consignment, due to the homogenized style shoved down their tonsils by the ( yawn ) mass market. Read RH. Pottery Barn, West Elm, and........ continue ad nauseam : (
bpath
last year
Besides the materials, the design of the layout can help. Covered entryways, a good back door and garage entry, with (unpopular) step up from there into the main living area, mats in and out, boot tray with a rack on top (our service hall has standard boot trays with a wire ventilated shelf inside, keeps the footwear out of the melted snow, salt, and leaves while they dry).

In the kitchen, design it so you don’t have to travel across floors between sink, prep, cooking cooking, serving, cleanup, trash. Paper towels and bar mops at the ready.
PRO
Kristin Petro Interiors, Inc.
last year
If I had the time and money to build my last forever home, I would reference the single-story Usonian style with concrete floors (likely not Cherokee Red as is FLW signature) with radiant heat. I would use same flooring for all the bathroom flooring too. Granite, quartzite or soapstone countertops. Stained cabinets, probably Walnut or Oak. I think the more natural materials you can use the better as they are inherently "imperfect" anyway and will better hide dents and dings from use over time. Large format tile for bath and shower surrounds. I might even consider stained millwork (trim and doors).
partim
last year
Vintage is great until you price out the cost of reupholstery, recovering or refinishing. As far as do-it-yourself, some folks are very time constrained with full time work and family care for children and/or elderly parents. I enjoy doing this now that I am retired but it would have been impossible in my younger years.
PRO
Master Edge Homes
last year
This post, we appalud. Makes sense.

Concrete flooring, now that can take abuse. The wood cabinets, they two can age nicely, I personally like the idea of soemthing aging. Its natual patina as mentioned previoulsy. Keeping the materials raw, natural and simple. I would use granite as there are many slabs that are literally art for your kitchen. This creates a natural conversation with your guests. One level is smart @Kristin Petro Interiors, Inc. aging in place is top of mind these days we are finding. Large openings, wheelchair accesible cabinets for our clients to use and not feel restricted. Simple open concept living with environmentally friendly and pet friendly products seem to be the focus.
shirlpp
last year
K L - Do you have the electric radiant heating installed under your driveway surface?
Jennifer Hogan
last year
To the Queen:

LVT is where you are drawing the line?

What about bamboo? Do you care about the extinction of Giant Pandas, Red Pandas, Mountain Gorillas, Lemurs, bats, opossums, monkeys and other species that rely on biodiverse bamboo habitats?

https://pulitzercenter.org/stories/chinas-appetite-bamboo-damaging-forests

Replanting is not the same as old growth, bio diverse habitats. This is true for both bamboo and hardwood forests. Deforestation is not sustainable.

Granite and Human rights? Should we be purchasing products mined by indentured servants and children with little or no safety equipment? http://www.indianet.nl/pdf/TheDarkSitesOfGranite-abstract.pdf

How about SUVs and light trucks? Deciding to replace your car with another car instead of switching to a light truck or SUV saves 4 times more energy than deciding to recycle aluminum cans and 75 times more energy than the decision to recycle plastic.

"http://bcs.whfreeman.com/webpub/biology/friedlandessentials1e/student%20resources/science%20applied%20pdfs/essentials_SA_07.pdf";

How many people remove hardwood floors that have narrow planks or tile floors that are "dated"? Just because you buy something that will maintain usefulness doesn't mean it doesn't end up in a landfill.

I try my best to buy quality products that won't be thrown away in days, weeks or months, but will last for many years and keep what I have until it no longer functions as intended. I also do my best to research the manufacturers and get assurance that I am supporting companies that are trying to meet "acceptable"/"tolerable" environmental and humanitarian standards.

There isn't much other than living in a mud hut that won't have some negative impact on our environment.
Jennifer Hogan
last year
Why I chose LVT for my home:

1. I needed flooring that would not be ruined by my dog's claws. That eliminated hard wood, bamboo and cork flooring.

2. I needed flooring that was kind to my joints. That eliminated cement, tile, stone.

3. I needed something that was easy to keep clean. That eliminated carpet.

Once I eliminated all the things that wouldn't work I decided to use LVT and have been very happy with my choice.
PRO
Sabrina Alfin Interiors
last year
I don’t want to hijack this thread, but I’d say that petroleum products in general are problematic. I also think that if we federalized California’s Title 24 building code for energy savings, that would go a very long way toward reducing our collective carbon footprint. Obviously, no solution is bulletproof. But as the saying goes, if you know better, do better.
kl23
last year
Shrlpp, it is embedded in the concrete. The wires are laid out then the concrete is poured. I even helped set it up! Such fun…

The company was great help. They were able to design it remotely and walked the contractor through every step, providing a cell phone number for constant availability to help with voice or video help. https://www.warmzone.com/
mountaintidings
Original Author
last year
So much helpful feedback! Wish I could reply directly to everyone (alas, I’m not very Houzz-savvy & only use the mobile app).

Sabrina, no worries about hijacking. I enjoyed the civil dialogue about affordability versus sustainability. Since the subject was raised I’ll weigh in!

I found our sofa on eBay for under $200; it’s a George Smith English roll arm & the quality is incredible (had to laugh at the other commenter who mentioned training their husband about how to sit on the sofa; SAME!). Saving pennies to someday reupholster but the current cut velvet has been surprisingly durable & dog hair resistant. Got an all-wool mattress via Craigslist (pristine condition), inherited quality armchairs & a table, hunted consignment for the rest. We even have a kitchenaid double oven sitting in our living room for the next year and a half until the build! Price was a steal & still half in the original packaging on Craigslist… while we have no storage for it, I couldn’t resist! (This bargain is my biggest gamble since obviously it meant foregoing a warranty).

So long story short, we are doing our best on a VERY limited budget to be sustainable, buy quality durable items, AND cut costs.

I’d be open to marmoleum flooring if I knew it could hold up to our abuse… but not vinyl. (We will probably just opt for local-ish milled lumber harvested here on the East Coast, and some tile.) Concrete is too hard on my feet/knees & the cement industry is a big contributor to air pollution.

We’re hoping to build a “pretty good house” a concept I believe originated in Portland, ME which emphasizes a realistic/more attainable approach to passive house/LEED. It focuses on a tight envelope & smaller footprint.

My response turned into a novel, sorry!

Thrilled to have such useful advice & direct confirmation on a few things I’d wondered about already (like a skirted Toto toilet, for example)! Thanks, everyone.

Please share your favorite/most durable interior finishes & materials!

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