Flooring

Spicedwine

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Apr 25, 2006
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Has anyone used anything other than ceramic tile for flooring with success?
We are looking to redo a large area and are seeking other alternatives.
If possible, we would like to continue with one type of floor onto the terrace which gets weather...
Any thoughts or suggestions are as always much appreciated..
 

Ringo

On Vacation!
Mar 6, 2003
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We tried to use some natural local products in our home.

We have used laja/flagstone in most outside areas and driveway. It comes in many colors and we had the morter tinted to blend the stones. We put on couple of coats of a clear sealer, but is not needed. Also did the same in a couple of showers. Much less slippery with wet feet.

Unpolished granite in the formal master bath No slipping. Imported and expensive.

Coral "stone", coralina (?) is nice and you can find some slight color differences. Most people fill in all the natural holes with a matching morter, we did not. 2 coats of sealer can be applied if desired. Again, a low slipping factor compaired to glazed tiles.

You could also look at unglazed tiles and bricks.

Good luck, Ringo
 

Squat

Tropical geek in Las Terrenas
Jan 1, 2002
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Cemento polido is nice... You can choose yellow, red or blue... It is "polished cement"...
 

Spicedwine

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Apr 25, 2006
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Thanks I love the laja for outside, but are hoping that someone has used a wood type product, a floating floor I believe it is called. Anyone heard of or used this type of flooring here? Would like to try something different inside rather than ceramic tile, if it is not cost prohibitive or slippery....
 

Ringo

On Vacation!
Mar 6, 2003
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We are looking at doing a formal dining room with wood floors. I have seen a couple in other houses. Told that a plywood sub is laid first. Most of the wood would be imported, depending on what you want. Non-slip finish should not be a problem. Problem is having the house cleaner NOT flood it with water. Heavey walk patterns will show quickly.

The wood needs to be seasoned/dryed and best to let sit for a while, covered, at your place.

Anyone know of a good hardwood in the D.R.?

Regards, Ringo
 
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amparocorp

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Aug 11, 2002
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cemento polido, i agree with squat, it is cheap, after all it is only cement, good way to cover large area. it is really nice when done right, nice inlaid (marble) tile border and some sort of tile (marble) mosaic in the middle and at entryway. i saw the work of two guys that were flown in from portugal to do a job. they did a fish mosaic, nice, nice, nice. most all good dominican masons cut their baby teeth doing these floors so you don't need guys from portugal. they will wonder why the rich gringo wants a poor man's floor though. needs to be sloped just right or you will get puddles. you can also add white to the color list which really is a nice touch..............
 

gamana

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Apr 24, 2006
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polished concrete is the way to go if you are looking for a different look. In order to enhance the look so it doesn't look like a typical cemento polido floor, I would suggets either a mechanical high speed polishing or some high gloss sealer. It will make your floor look like a mirror.
 

reese_in_va

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Feb 22, 2007
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Spicedwine, I would not suggest a floating wood floor. The moisture content in the air is too much for this thin stock material. Basically it's veneer. Interior wood floors should not exceed 4% moisture content.
 

GringoCArlos

Retired Ussername
Jan 9, 2002
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Tambien, anyone heard of termites?? They LOVE wood floors. And they are everywhere in the DR.

Trouble is they eat everything just up to the surface,and then stop, so you don't see any damage until part of the surface crumbles. You can trench and drench the slab every few years, but it doesn't seem to stop them, just slows them down.
 

PICHARDO

One Dominican at a time, please!
May 15, 2003
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Santiago de Los 30 Caballeros
Has anyone used anything other than ceramic tile for flooring with success?
We are looking to redo a large area and are seeking other alternatives.
If possible, we would like to continue with one type of floor onto the terrace which gets weather...
Any thoughts or suggestions are as always much appreciated..

You can use "terrazzo" to create your floor and extend it to the patio.
It's wildly used to create terraces in the DR.

You can also go for a brick layered look, using plain salvaged bricks to lay down.

In our home at Villa Olga (Santiago) we have a Spanish style terrace with terrazzo and the French patio with weathered marble. The patio itself is linked from one spot to the other using Roman's style bricks.

The bricks are non-slippery as anything can be!
 

gamana

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Apr 24, 2006
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Terrazzo is nice but not a cheap option. It is way more than polished concrete. You will need a knowledgeable crew to perform the job and use a sealer to finish it. The local sealers are not good products and do not last long. You may end up with a yellow floor very quickly.
Also, terrazzo is not recommended for exterior use.