ᐅ Flooring. Laminate, engineered hardwood, vinyl? Where is the best place to buy?
Created on: 10 Oct 2016 18:25
A
AndreasPlü
Hello,
for our new single-family home, we are looking for suitable floor coverings. On the ground floor, the choice is fixed with a view to the entrance/terrace to the garden/fireplace: tiles. There will also be tiles in the basement. The house will have underfloor heating with an air-to-water heat pump.
Now we are considering what to put upstairs (children’s bedrooms and ours) as well as in the attic (gallery). Regardless of price, I find parquet problematic in playrooms, but ideally, the flooring should be uniform throughout the floor, look like wood, and be somewhat warm underfoot.
The price should be a maximum of 35 €/sqm (about $37/sqft) and it should be possible to install it ourselves. It should also match the solid walnut staircase.
What would you choose/recommend? Laminate, cheaper engineered wood flooring, or even vinyl? And where is the best place to buy? Which manufacturers have a good reputation?
for our new single-family home, we are looking for suitable floor coverings. On the ground floor, the choice is fixed with a view to the entrance/terrace to the garden/fireplace: tiles. There will also be tiles in the basement. The house will have underfloor heating with an air-to-water heat pump.
Now we are considering what to put upstairs (children’s bedrooms and ours) as well as in the attic (gallery). Regardless of price, I find parquet problematic in playrooms, but ideally, the flooring should be uniform throughout the floor, look like wood, and be somewhat warm underfoot.
The price should be a maximum of 35 €/sqm (about $37/sqft) and it should be possible to install it ourselves. It should also match the solid walnut staircase.
What would you choose/recommend? Laminate, cheaper engineered wood flooring, or even vinyl? And where is the best place to buy? Which manufacturers have a good reputation?
So, our parquet installer even lays parquet flooring in bathrooms... that says a lot about its durability.
We have it in the children’s room, where spills happen quite often, including bodily fluids. It’s not a big issue at all. And if you read things like that, you have to ask yourself how long you usually leave spills on the floor before they become a problem.
Also, parquet does not need to be oiled every 12 months; that’s a generalized statement.
Ours was oiled three years ago, and it still looks like new.
It’s nice that you (as often here) already have a fixed opinion, but simply searching the internet doesn’t necessarily help.
People who live in a house or apartment with parquet flooring are probably better able to talk about the actual issues.
We have it in the children’s room, where spills happen quite often, including bodily fluids. It’s not a big issue at all. And if you read things like that, you have to ask yourself how long you usually leave spills on the floor before they become a problem.
Also, parquet does not need to be oiled every 12 months; that’s a generalized statement.
Ours was oiled three years ago, and it still looks like new.
It’s nice that you (as often here) already have a fixed opinion, but simply searching the internet doesn’t necessarily help.
People who live in a house or apartment with parquet flooring are probably better able to talk about the actual issues.
To be honest, I don’t know anyone in my immediate circle who has ever noticeably re-oiled their hardwood floor. Whether that’s a good thing or not is up for debate.
However, you need people who appreciate the feel, appearance, texture, patina, and overall quality of wood flooring—not those who suggest vinyl as an alternative.
It’s like comparing a Porsche to a Golf. Or rather a Polo. (As always: Everyone should be happy with whatever they prefer.)
However, you need people who appreciate the feel, appearance, texture, patina, and overall quality of wood flooring—not those who suggest vinyl as an alternative.
It’s like comparing a Porsche to a Golf. Or rather a Polo. (As always: Everyone should be happy with whatever they prefer.)
RobsonMKK schrieb:
It’s nice that you (as often here) already have your decided opinion, but just researching on the internet doesn’t necessarily help.Oh man...
Grym schrieb:
This decision is not final for us yet, but so far I don’t see a “case” for hardwood flooring at least.RobsonMKK, Alex85: Your experiences completely contradict the nearly unanimous opinion of experts found online (websites of floor installers, articles on websites, etc.).
So you really believe that the advice to oil once a year is unnecessary, even though it is so often recommended?
You think that oiled parquet can compete with or even outperform vinyl with wear class 23/34 in terms of durability? Moving furniture around, rolling desk chairs, toy cars, dropping things — all no problem for oiled parquet?
Even for dirt and grime in the entrance area, oiled parquet is very suitable?
Also for the kitchen? Where spills happen and maybe everything is only cleaned properly a few hours after eating?
Alex85 schrieb:As mentioned. This subjective argument. Parquet is less durable, requires more maintenance, is more expensive, and so on (at least according to many experts), BUT: It is parquet. I see the car comparison more like an electric car. It accelerates faster, is quieter, has lower emissions, responds better, and has much less wear (and should also be cheaper to buy and maintain for the comparison to be complete), BUT: It doesn’t have the roaring engine with which I can rev nicely at a traffic light...
But you need people who appreciate the feel, appearance, texture, patina, and quality of wooden floors, not those who suggest vinyl as an alternative.
So you really believe that the advice to oil once a year is unnecessary, even though it is so often recommended?
You think that oiled parquet can compete with or even outperform vinyl with wear class 23/34 in terms of durability? Moving furniture around, rolling desk chairs, toy cars, dropping things — all no problem for oiled parquet?
Even for dirt and grime in the entrance area, oiled parquet is very suitable?
Also for the kitchen? Where spills happen and maybe everything is only cleaned properly a few hours after eating?
Grym schrieb:
Moving furniture around, swivel chair with casters, toy car, dropping things – is all that no problem with oiled hardwood floors?I’ll take photos tomorrow from a room where that happens quite regularly. Then you can judge for yourself.
Regarding oiling: there are many different opinions ranging from "every 3 months" to "every 10 years." As usual, the truth lies somewhere in between. It also depends on which care products you use.
Friends of ours had hardwood flooring in their kitchen, no problem, but it definitely requires more maintenance.
And:
Grym schrieb:
What about spills that might only be cleaned thoroughly a few hours after eating?That doesn’t even happen with tile in the kitchen. If something is spilled there, it’s wiped up immediately with a cloth. In my opinion, this is independent of the floor type. a) I don’t want to slip on something wet or greasy, and b) otherwise you end up dragging delicious tomato sauce all over the house.
Grym schrieb:
As mentioned. This common argument: parquet is less durable, more demanding in maintenance, more expensive, and so on (at least according to many experts),Experts on advertising sites?
It seems you rely solely on marketing claims rather than trusting your own experience (for example, the incident with the spilled liquid in the kitchen) – today you prefer vinyl, tomorrow cork, and the day after it’s back to parquet.
I don’t mind if someone changes their opinion completely, even a 180-degree turn,
but blindly trusting the internet is wrong.
Grym schrieb:
RobsonMKK, Alex85: Your experiences completely contradict the almost unanimous opinion of experts found online (websites of parquet installers, articles on websites, etc.).The internet is full of advertising and copied reports, all claiming their product is the best. Neutral sources are only found through careful searching or by actively looking at opposing views, so study the other side as well.
Vinyl can also swell or be damaged by a dropped knife. Where there is rough treatment, signs of wear will eventually show!
It’s worth talking to local salespeople, in the showroom: from their facial expressions, gestures, honest or dishonest words, and of course the product itself, you can often learn more than from a screen.
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