Quilt Room Flooring Recommendations

[Mike E.]

Hello Gang -
I finally get to replace the nightmare berber carpet on the floor of my quilt room. What do you have in your quilt room that you like - tile, ceramic, wood, vinyl, carpet, or what? What have you used that you would recommend against? I have one chance to do this and I'd like to get it right this time! Looking forward to your advice.
Best wishes,
Mike

[Margo C.]

Have fun with your re-model, Mike!! In the room where my Handi-Quilter (mid-arm machine) lives, there is carpet on the floor, and I wouldn't recommend it. I can't tell you how many times I've stepped on a pin that I didn't realize had hit the floor because I couldn't hear it! The carpet is also buckling somewhat where I have to move the HQ out of the way to take photos on the design wall.

In my sewing area, I have a wonderful very light colored vinyl floor that is printed with a grid type design, so I can use the floor to damp block a quilt into shape. Also, I starch hunks of fabrics before I cut the shapes for piecing, and can just spread beach towels on this floor, and not worry about it causing damage. When pins hit the floor, I can hear it, and pick them up immediately.

Hope you post photos here of your new space!

[Margo C.]

I have lamanent flooring and it was inexpensive and fairly easy to install..

[Margo C.]

I have vinyl that is an off white. Works great.

[Margo C.]

I would never have carpeting [I'm not very neat] I have my area in the basement and I use those rubber tiiles that look like puzzle pieces. They insulate, are colored,are easy on the legs, and can be swept or vacd. easily. You can also sink pins into them to block items.Plus they are inexpensive and can be replaced easily.

[Dawn S.]

I put a cherry wood floor down in a quilt room in a previous house. Although it was beautiful, it was not very practical! When I dropped scissors, they would land like an arrow. Thud, stick! And, the casters on my chair as well as my sewing room furniture, when moved, would make track marks on the floors. The wood was just too soft. (Not a hardwood floor!)The upside was ease of cleaning (Swiffer each morning) and I could hear if something fell on the floor.

Dawn
In beautiful Northwest Montana

[Dawn S.]

I have carpet in my sewing room. I recommend NOT using carpet!

[Judy B.]

The new Studios magazine has an article on floorings for sewing rooms. I'm interested in everyone's comments about carpeting. In my old basement sewing room (definitely not a studio), I had painted cement. My
new room had carpet already installed and I've not had a problem. It's a plain color so I can see pins if I drop them and I like the insulation qualities of the carpet. (It's a basement room.)

[Deborah W.]

I have carpet in my sewing room as it is in a basement and I haven't had trouble with it--I usually know when I drop pins. So far so good.

[Jenny C.]

definitely vinyl. Mine has a thick backing or underlay which is warm enough most of the time, i just need a small mat where i iron because my legs can ache. the vinyl is so easy to clean and is easy to see when pins etc are dropped
Jenny in Oz

[Pam D.]

I would go for laminate flooring every time in preference :-)

[Cheryl K.]

As a practical girl, I would also look at whether or not this room would be considered a bedroom, office, etc for a future resell. Besides nixing the carpet idea, which you already know, if you have the funds, go hardwood floor. It is a long tern purchase but any future buyer would want hardwood over tile. Hardwood also will stand up to the wear and tear of a sewing room and be refurbish-able for any future use. Hardwood flooring really cuts down on allergies, comes prefinished now and easily cleans with a vinegar/water mixture. I use a microfiber rag dipped in a vinegar/water solution and wring it out until almost dry, and run it across my floor. There are also roller wheels for chairs and furniture that are meant for use on wood surfaces.

If you are in a basement, then tile would be great. You will have lots of choices. post a pic when you're finished!

[Cheryl K.]

Can't wait to see what you're up to Mike!

I have carpet at the moment which, to be honest, is a pain but then my room is our upstairs dressing room too. When I have the room on the side extended for me I will either have tile or continue the solid oak I have throughout the downstairs. Whichever it will be heated! The floor downstairs is so easy to keep clean and move around on my operators saddle chair. Solid floor everytime.

[Sherry B.]

I have carpet and it works just fine, except my chair doesn't roll easily unless I put a mat under it. If I had it to do over, I would use laminate.

[Robin G.]

When we redid my sewing room a few years back, I wanted to put down a large black-and-white checkerboard vinyl like Caryl Bryer Fallert has in her studio. My husband was very adamant that we needed to have something that blended more with the rest of the house, which has wood floors. I chose a striated bamboo, which is really strips of bamboo that have been compressed with some sort of bonding agent (epoxy?). It looks great, cleans up easily, is not expensive, is a renewable wood and dropping scissors and the like does not make even the tiniest mark. It is also relatively soft underfoot. I would think that a laminate or a vinyl would work well, too. Just don't get a really light color vinyl or you will find yourself constantly cleaning it, since your studio will be heavily-trafficked area.