Hi Cathy, yes floors look just as good.... we did them in December 2013. When floors were brown.. wood coloured they showed a bit of wear (dog scratches), on the white you don't see the scratches... the white floors still look fresh... the beauty of the painted floors is that if you get heavy wear in certain areas, you can just repaint the floor!!! (ie no sanding... this is a big deal). If you decide to go ahead, I would love to see your before and after photos. Thanks. Following is how my husband did the floors: We are in Sydney, Australia... unsure if the following are international brands? My husband used Feast & Watson Floor Paint in White Satin (water based) and then 2 coats of Intergrain clear finish (also water based... so with sunlight the floors won't yellow if you use water based)

Hi there I thought I would jump in here a touch as you are on the right track but there are some glaring points that need to be cleared up for you before you go and purchase flooring. Laminate flooring is a Hi Def image of Timber flooring/oak/Natural Species etc and then transposed using a heat method to a MDF or HDF core, then profiled with a click system for ease of installation, maintenance relocation and repair. Good laminate flooring (Quikstep or Krono Swiss) can be very rewarding , look very much like natural timber, and be very durable against scratching and indentation. Laminates nemesis is high saturation of water or moisture. Good e budget solution for all living areas and rooms except toilets bathroom or laundrys. Engineered boards are a veneer of Natural timber and are just as durable as the solid version of whatever species you choose. Whether that be Spotted Gum, Jarrah or Oak. Sorry but you CAN re sand engineered boards. When re sanding occurs through a professional sander, the top .5mm is the depth of the product that you generally ever really need to remove. Some engineered flooring has a 6mm wear layer/ veneer and that's more than if you purchased a solid 19mm raw timber floor. Engineered boards are less likely "cup"(edge of the boards rising so that you can see a little lip) than a solid. We would recommend that if you are considering a timber floor please consult a retailer that only handles timber and specializes in that medium. Hope this helped

I guess some people associate 'beach' homes with weatherboard cladding, inside wall panelling, and wooden floor boards to give that relaxed vibe. I personally thing stone would also look effective and require less maintenance in comparison to the wood. Remember, sand has a tendency to scratch floorboards, therefore, over time, it may require some TLC to restore to original condition. Stone would simply require a vacuum and mop and would give a seamless look to the home.

R u laying boards over the concrete or beside?