Cheap flooring ideas

[insidevoice]

We have water damage in our kitchen floor. I will pull up the linoleum (circa 1972- it's green and white  and scary!)  and we will repair the subfloor.  We are trying to keep the expense low, and resale value is not a consideration.  

Suggestions for cheap floor finish ideas? 

[bezark]

Peel and stick vinyl tiles are ridiculously cheap. $0.88 per square foot at Lowes and cheaper on Ebay.

Ceramic tile is obviously a bit more labor intensive, but they typically start at about $1/sq ft.

Ikea has laminate flooring for between $0.65 and about $2, but I'm not sure if they're recommended for kitchens and bathrooms.

Our local Habitat Restore always has salvaged wood for anywhere from $0.25-$2/sq ft.

[insidevoice]

I'm toying with the idea of peel and stick stuff.  This house is one we will be leaving within a couple months, and will be simply our vacation home when we visit family from that point on.  While I'd love to make it perfect and organic, the budget demands cheap, and my energy level requires easy. 

[momct]

Vinyl composition tile- what you see in grocery stores.DIY installation is possible and they will hold up much better than peel and stick.Choose two colors for a checkerboard or install on the diagonal- trickier-.Choose three colors - two being a light and dark version of the same color- for a gingham look.Do a contrasing center and border for another look/ 

[CookiePie]

You can usually find ceramic tile for less than $1/sq ft but it is COLD!.  There is also peel & stick tile that you can grout to look like tile, they have it on display at HD.  We are considering it for a bathroom.  My kids rooms have painted floor boards, very cozy cottage look, but over time it wears & peels.  I keep telling DH that it adds to the charm : )  Are you getting HO insurance to help out?

[bigteamug]

Um, vinyl that old may have asbestos in it.  Better check before you start on removal.

[Vaske]

One of the Not So Big House books showed a house with wallpaper over plywood for some of the flooring.  They put a couple of coats of polyurethane over the wallpaper to seal it, and said that they had to replace the wallpaper every couple of years, but didn't mind.  If no one is living in the house full-time, it should last a while.

[mommaof3boz]

many of the amish folks in our area put down good quality plywood and do several coats of deck paint over it. 

[CookiePie]

More ideas....

Frugal farmhouse floors

stained