A family home in Vancouver gets hard use. A toddler drops a toy truck on the floor, a teenager leaves a wet glass on the counter, and a grandparent needs a floor that will not slip and a handle that is easy to grip. The finishes you choose decide how the home looks after ten years of that life. In this post, we walk you through floors, counters, cabinets, paint, tile and hardware, with what BC Housing, CMHC and Health Canada say about each one, and how to choose surfaces that are easy to keep and that hide everyday wear.
Who We Choose Finishes For
In REW's video tour of We Killarney, Costar's six-home multiplex, Louis Nguyen, Costar's Director of Sales, says our homes are built for "small children, young family, and also friendly with the elders." He describes how we pick materials for those families: they should be "easy to ... maintain," they should "hide the imperfection," and they should "feel earthy, organic, and also evolve with the homes" (REW video).
Those three reasons guide every choice in this post. A finish that is easy to maintain saves you time every week. A finish that hides small marks still looks good after years of use. A finish with natural texture, such as wood grain or stone veining, can show some wear and still look the way it was meant to look.
What BC Housing's Performance Guide Says About Finishes
BC Housing's Residential Construction Performance Guide sets out the minimum performance required for new homes covered by home warranty insurance in BC, and warranty providers have agreed to use it to help decide whether a defect claim is covered. For the floors, counters, cabinets, paint and tile in this post, it lists 12 months of warranty coverage, or 15 months for the common property of a strata building. The pages we quote are dated August 2014 in the copy BC Housing publishes today.
Two lines repeat across almost every finish in the guide, and both matter when you choose materials:
- Care counts. Damage from maintenance that was not done in keeping with the maintenance documents from the builder or warranty provider is not covered. So the care sheet for each material is part of your warranty.
- Repairs may not match. When a finish is repaired, the guide says an exact match of colour, finish, grain, sheen or texture may not be possible. In our experience, a floor or counter with natural variation hides a repair better than a plain, even one.
If you already have the keys and want to check your finishes at handover, our post on the new home handover walkthrough covers the drywall, cabinet gap, door and tile limits. This post is about the choices you make before that day.
Floors
Start with safety for the youngest and oldest people in the home, then think about care.
Safe Floors for Every Age
CMHC's guide Renovating for Accessibility: Kitchens lists "resilient flooring rather than a hard surface" among the features that make a kitchen easier for everyone to use. It also tells you to think about surface finishes and low maintenance when you choose floors and counters, and to avoid small rugs and mats in the kitchen, because they are a tripping hazard for people who use a walker or a wheelchair and for people with dementia.
CMHC's list of low and no cost modifications adds three floor points:
- Secure or remove any area rug that someone could trip over.
- Install low transition strips wherever the floor height changes between rooms.
- Choose slip-resistant flooring in the kitchen and bathroom, or add a slip-resistant coating over the tile.
The Performance Guide agrees on transitions. A change in height where two floor materials meet is acceptable when it is eased so it does not create a trip hazard, and the usual way to ease it is a transition strip of wood, metal or marble (section 12.1, page 222). In a home with a grandparent, ask for the thinnest step you can get at every doorway.
Hardwood
Wood is the "earthy, organic" floor that many families want. It moves with the air in the home. The Performance Guide's appendix on moisture and wood floors says wood flooring performs best at 30 to 50 percent relative humidity and between 15 and 27 degrees Celsius, and that most hardwood flooring is made at 6 to 9 percent moisture content (Appendix A2, page 323). The National Wood Flooring Association gives the same 30 to 50 percent range.
Outside that range, boards shrink or swell. The guide sets these limits:
- Gaps between boards that stay open more than 1.5 mm along the board are not acceptable. Gaps from normal drying after construction are not covered (section 12.20, page 241).
- Cupping, where the edges of a board rise, is a defect when it comes from faulty labour or materials and is more than 1.5 mm high over a 100 mm board width. Cupping caused by the owner not keeping proper ventilation and humidity is not covered (section 12.21, page 242).
For a busy family, the dent rule matters most. The guide says the impact resistance of wood varies with the species, that dents count only when they were reported at the pre-delivery inspection, and that impact damage after possession is not covered (section 12.25, page 247). It also treats marks that are part of a "distressed" finish as part of the design. Knots and colour variation are natural characteristics of wood (section 12.29, page 253). So ask your supplier about the hardness of each species you consider, and look at textured or distressed surfaces.
Care is simple. The Performance Guide and the NWFA both say not to wet mop or steam clean a wood floor. The NWFA tells you to wipe spills at once with a dry or damp cloth, put pads on the legs of chairs, sofas and tables, and recoat the floor with a fresh coat of finish when it starts to look dull.
Laminate and Resilient Floors
Laminate is a floating floor: the pieces lock to each other and rest on the subfloor without fasteners. The Performance Guide says heavy objects or anything that stops the floor from floating can cause gaps, and that open joints over 1.5 mm are not acceptable (section 12.31, page 255). Its care tips for laminate are floor protector pads under furniture, sliders under appliances, and a warning that high heels and pet claws can damage some floors (section 12.36, page 262).
Resilient floors, such as sheet vinyl, are the kind CMHC suggests for a kitchen. Two Performance Guide points help here. Sheet flooring must be sealed at seams and edges next to tubs and exterior doors, so water cannot get under it (section 12.15, page 236). And rubber-backed mats can turn vinyl yellow over time, which is not covered, so the guide's tip is to avoid rubber or other dense-backed mats (section 12.17, page 238).
Floor Tile
Tile suits entries, mudrooms and bathrooms. The Performance Guide's tips are to place mats inside and outside each entrance and to take care not to drop objects on tile, because it can crack or chip (section 12.37, page 263). The cut edges of floor tiles should be free of sharp edges (section 12.38, page 264), which matters where small children crawl and play.
Countertops
The counter is where hot pots, wet glasses and homework all land. Choose it for how your family cooks.
Laminate Counters
The Performance Guide says standing water, heat, impact, heavy loads and some cleaning products can damage countertops, and asks owners to keep standing water away from joints and from the openings at sinks and faucets (sections 11.7 and 11.8, pages 212 and 213). Hot appliances or pots can weaken the glue under laminate and cause a bubble, and a bubble from local heat is not covered (section 11.9, page 214). Seams should be tight, with gaps no wider than 1.5 mm, and the joint between the counter and a tile backsplash should be sealed so water cannot get in (section 11.10, page 215).
Stone Counters
In our experience, stone hides wear well because it varies naturally. The Performance Guide calls surface pits, shading, fissures and veins naturally occurring characteristics of stone, and lists no warranty coverage for them (section 11.14, page 220). For seams, the guide says joints must be filled and sealed to give a continuous surface (section 11.13, page 218), and two sections next to each other may not differ by more than 1.5 mm over a 150 mm straight edge (section 11.15, page 221).
Stone needs care. The guide says stone counters may be sealed at installation and need sealer again from time to time, that sealer helps against deep stains but does not stop surface stains, and that spills need attention right away (page 219). The Natural Stone Institute adds that sealing makes stone more stain resistant without making it stain proof, that lemon, vinegar and other acids can dull or etch calcareous stones (stones made mainly of calcium carbonate), and that scouring powders can scratch some stones. It suggests coasters under glasses and trivets or mats under hot items. CMHC's kitchen guide makes the same point in general terms: some countertop surfaces need a yearly sealer to protect them from staining.
Counters That Help Older Eyes and Small Heads
CMHC's kitchen guide gives three ideas for a family with grandparents and young children:
- Rounded or bull-nose edges remove sharp corners.
- People with reduced vision or dementia do better with a solid colour that contrasts with appliances and dishes than with a busy pattern, and a contrasting edge helps them see where the counter ends.
- A backsplash in a contrasting colour helps people with low vision see the shape of the counters.
The Performance Guide also sets the care rules for every counter: no abrasive cleaners or steel wool, and use a cutting board (section 11.12, page 217).
Cabinets and Hardware
The Performance Guide says they may become misaligned through normal use and need adjusting from time to time, and that indoor humidity can affect doors and drawers made from wood or wood products (section 11.4, page 209). Its tips are to check hinges and hardware and tighten them if they are loose, not to overload shelves or drawers, and not to put heavy strain on doors (sections 11.4 and 11.5, pages 209 and 210). A child who swings on an open drawer is exactly that strain.
For hardware, CMHC's kitchen guide recommends D-type pull handles on cupboards and drawers, because they are easier for people with reduced mobility or grip. It suggests pulls in a contrasting colour, so they are easier to find for people with limited vision, and lower drawers that pull out fully, so the contents are easy to see and reach. CMHC's low-cost list repeats the D-handle advice and recommends lever door handles that open without gripping or twisting a knob. Our post on the aging in place bathroom covers grab bars, faucets and door widths in more detail.
Paint
Paint affects the air your family breathes. Health Canada's page on volatile organic compounds (VOCs, chemicals that some products release into the air) lists building materials such as paint, glues and varnish, and composite wood products such as some furnishings and flooring materials, as indoor sources. It names children and seniors among the people at greatest risk. Its advice is to choose low-emission products when possible, since some paints and varnishes give off fewer VOCs than others, and to increase ventilation while using paints, varnishes and adhesives.
For daily wear, the Performance Guide says lighting can change how a painted surface looks, and that brush marks are acceptable where paint meets trim and on the trim itself (section 9.10, page 178). Repainted spots must match the original as closely as possible, and some surfaces take paint differently, so an exact match may not happen (section 9.11, page 179). The guide's tip is to use no abrasive cleaner on walls. In a hallway where small hands touch the walls every day, a colour you can buy again by name and a sheen you can wipe gently will keep touch-ups small.
Tile and Grout
The Performance Guide says grout is porous and can absorb water and stain, and suggests sealing floor grout joints once a year with a clear liquid sealer (section 12.42, page 268). Minor variation in grout colour is normal.
Natural stone tile, such as granite, marble, travertine, slate or limestone, varies in tone, veining and shading, and the guide lists no warranty coverage for that colour variation (section 12.41, page 267). In our experience, that variation also hides everyday wear. For stone floors, the Natural Stone Institute suggests a dry dust mop used often, and mats or rugs with a slip-resistant backing inside and outside each entrance. In a shower, it suggests a squeegee after each use to keep soap scum down.
Practical Tips for Choosing Finishes
Write Down Who Lives Here. List each person and what they need: a crawling baby, a teenager, a grandparent with a walker. Choose each finish for the person who uses that room most.
Ask for the Care Sheet Before You Choose. The Performance Guide excludes damage from care that does not follow the maintenance documents. Read them before you pick a material, and choose one your family will actually look after.
Pick Natural Texture. In our experience, wood grain and stone veining hide small marks better than a plain, glossy surface, and the Performance Guide treats that natural variation as a normal feature of the material.
Plan the Doorways. Ask for low transition strips at every change of floor, as CMHC suggests, and keep rugs out of the kitchen.
Buy Spare Material. Repairs may not match exactly, so keep a box of floor boards, a few tiles and the paint names for every room.
Buy a Hygrometer. It is the meter the Performance Guide suggests for checking that indoor humidity stays at 30 to 50 percent for wood floors.
Air Out the Home After Painting. Health Canada's advice is to increase ventilation when you use paints, varnishes and adhesives, and to choose low-emission products when possible.
How Costar Chooses Finishes With You
In the REW video, Louis Nguyen describes how, on a multiplex, Costar works with the architect and the interior designer to make a good sample board and a good design first. He says the goal is a beautiful home for the family that lives there today, and a home that is easy to sell when the time comes.
On every project, Costar's process page says the client reviews details such as flooring, cabinets, electrical, lighting and plumbing during the construction stage, while Costar supervises the crew and the trades. That review is the time to hold a floor sample in your hand, run a fingernail across a counter sample, and test a cabinet pull. Costar's project gallery shows the finishes in homes such as Chez Victoria, a condo renovation at 5555 Victoria Drive in Vancouver.
Whether you are planning a custom home, a kitchen or a bathroom, bring the list of who lives in your home to a one-hour consultation and we will choose the finishes with you. Tell us about your project today.
Related on this site: Custom homes in Metro Vancouver · Kitchen renovations · The new home handover walkthrough · Book a one-hour project consultation
