check here

Here is a link that might be useful: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/decor/msg1201210529153.html

Cons (memory from the '70's, as well as my own bricks outdoors): Not a nice texture for bare feet. Very porous. Hard to clean.

There are other kinds of pavers which have the same cons but not as much as brick, like French pavers, concrete, and terra cotta. Saltillo tiles are much nicer on the feet, not nearly as porous, and easier to clean. They don't go with every style house, but they're very inexpensive.

I had brick veneer tiles on the floor of my hearth in my kitchen in my old house (oh how I miss you) and it was not a problem. We didn't seal the floor there but should have, as it is close to the range. I think it would be a lovely texture for feet. Also, I LOVED the supplier of our hand made tile...Inglenook Tile in Lancaster, PA!

Here is a link that might be useful:

I will second Inglenook--I have been in contact with them for my own kitchen and they have been wonderful to work with, though it looks like (for budget reasons--we are splurging elsewhere so the floor is where we are cutting, unfortunately) we will probably be going with Portstone. I also did have some concerns about the rougher texture on stocking feet, though maybe with sealer that isn't so much of an issue? And they do have smooth texture pavers too, lots of colors, etc.

The Portstone looks like brick pavers but is made out of a cementious material and you care for it just like tile; also, since it goes down in sheets (the pavers on on a webbed backing with spaces built in for the grout) it might be a quicker install--I think the whole floor can be down and ready to walk on in in 3 days?

I am still going back and forth--all I know is I like the look of the brick!

Good luck!

I have brick tile from Inglenook that will be installed in a half bath, it is beautiful! As the above 2 posters mentioned they are great to work with and will answer any questions you may have and can send out samples. Their website has pictures of several different applications including at least one kitchen and the owner can email additional pics.

I love the look. Can someone who has experience with this kind of floor in the kitchen talk specifically about the cleaning? That is my major concern.I would plan on sealing, but... Yesterday I cleaned dog puke off the kitchen floor (twice), and also cleaned up after a teenage cookie fest this weekend (flour, sprinkles, some egg). Would this be a nightmare with brick? Can you swipe a sponge over, or does the texture just rip it up?

Had it for 15 years before remodeling

PROS looked great with my 150 year old house
didn't show dirt --I'd go weeks/months without mopping

CONS my babies knees would get scraped up and not comfortable to walk on without shoes

cleaning __ after a sponge mop got shredded the first time I cleaned it, i bought an industrial 3 spinning head floor polisher. it's the only thing that would celan the grout, took me about 3 hours to do -- that's why I would wait so long in between to clean. Sure I would vacuum in between and if soemthing dropped like an egg, you have to clean it up right away, not so much because of the brick but because of the grout

Mine was probably only sealed once though at installation. I kept rugs on it and they would catch a lot of the dirt. this floor was also at the entrrance to the back of the house where people came in with muddy shoes

I guess now that I am looking back on it... the "look" did not outweigh the upkeep. if I did it again, it would be because i was an empty nester with no grandkids, dogs or cats

"Can someone who has experience with this kind of floor in the kitchen talk specifically about the cleaning?"

This house had it for 40 years, and I lived with it for about 5 before going over the top with tile. I'd have happily kept it, but we moved too many walls.

Cleaning: Are you the type of cleaner who needs things to be clean, and hates surfaces that won't let you see when it's dirty? Or are you the type of person who would rather her surfaces hide the dirt? Brick pavers definitely fall into the 'hide the dirt' category, and probably are much more difficult to really clean for those of you who insist on 'sanitary'. Mine did rip up sponges, so I switched to string mops.

Foot-Friendliness: My brick was much eaiser on the feet than an old kitchen's terra cotta pavers. I think it had to do with the relative flatness of the bricks compared to my terra cotta, where each tile was slightly domed. I found that 'doming' to be really uncomfortable.

I would do bricks again in a heartbeat.

Thanks everyone for the info...I'll check it all out...

We live in Richardson, TX. Those brick pavers - those D*** things are EVERYWHERE here! The builders must have gotten them for a penny a ton back in the day. I hate them, hate them, hate them. They tear up your mops, shred sponges, and happily grab onto the tiniest speck of dust and turn it into a basketball- sizes hairball. We are happily ridding ourselves of these pesky pains in the A**, by having them ground (because they were stained and sealed - YUCK) and having beautiful new porcelain tile put down. The grinding is like living on Mars for a day, (the dust is EVERYWHERE), but anything to get rid of the pavers. thumbs down on pavers. Oh, and they REALLY hurt your feet. I would spend a whole weekend sweeping, mopping and waxing- never again! BOO to brick pavers!

I think Julie from Inglenook has them down in her kitchen. Actually, I think that is how her business was born. She wanted beautiful brick tile for her kitchen but couldn't find any...so she made them! I am sure she would be helpful discussing stuff on the phone with you.

susienordin... I don't think you're allowed to talk about the "most beautiful kitchen floor" and not show us a picture!! ;o)

pretty please!

Oh, I agree Susienordin! I'd love to see a picture. I'm determined to use brick pavers in my new kitchen, but I'll be darned if the brick haters don't cause me to second guess myself!

I keep focusing on the Sweeby cleaning test. Hides dirt is good! And I think they're beautiful.

I think one of these is the inglenook owner's kitchen.Both are from their website.
{{!gwi}}

We have brick pavers in our kitchen, foyer/hallway and downstairs bathroom. I love the brick! We recently redid our kitchen and the only thing I knew from the beginning is that I was keeping the brick floor. We had it stripped and sealed after 16years of neglecting it. I mop with a looped string mop and simple green which is what the cleaner/stripper guy recommended. Takes 10 min. once a week. The floor is definitely harder to stand on but here in CA our homes are built on cement slabs anyway so even carpeted areas aren't the easiest in my opinion. Anyway here's a few pix of our kitchen.

Here's the before cleaning brick, dirty but waxed:

After:

Pic of redone kitchen, lg. microwave is gone now.

I forgot to mention that I have 3 teens that are very messy (2 of them boys) a large dog with a wet beard and a cat so someone is always dripping on this floor. Nobody ever thought the floor looked dirty, the grout just looked darker before we had it stripped.

I used to have brick in the kitchen. I loved how it hid the dirt....In the remodel I wanted a contiuous floor between the FR, Nook, Kitchen, DR, LR, so I took out the brick. I never found it hard on my feet, but the grout was hard to clean (though ours is a dark grey grout)....a string mop was a must. I didn't find it hard on my feet, but mine is smooth and sealed, so it wasn't any worse that the scratchiness of the grout. Of course I have tough feet from running around without shoes on.

Here's a shot of what it used to look like. I still have it in the entryway, laundry room, and downstairs half bath.

I would do it again...I love brick, but I love wood more.