ᐅ Laminate Flooring – Why Is It So Unpopular Among Sellers?
Created on: 27 Jan 2017 15:18
A
AndreasPlü
We are building a single-family house with underfloor heating for hot water. The entire ground floor living area will be tiled, but we are still undecided about the flooring for the children’s rooms and the bedroom.
We initially considered installing floating laminate flooring ourselves – expected to cost around €15 (about $16) plus impact sound insulation per square meter (approximately 10.8 sq ft). If the flooring wears out in 20 years, we don’t mind replacing it.
We visited three flooring suppliers, and all recommended vinyl or engineered hardwood flooring, both to be fully glued down. We are generally against hardwood flooring because it is not ideal with underfloor heating and, above all, expensive. When the children (currently toddlers) damage it, it’s frustrating. Sanding engineered hardwood is often not an option, and replacing it when glued down is a real hassle. We are suspicious of vinyl due to pollutant concerns, which were confirmed by Ökotest in 2012. Laminate, on the other hand, appears to be free of harmful substances according to the same test.
Why do all salespeople advise against laminate? Is it because they earn more with other types of flooring? Also, is floating installation of engineered hardwood compatible with underfloor heating, or should it be avoided?
We initially considered installing floating laminate flooring ourselves – expected to cost around €15 (about $16) plus impact sound insulation per square meter (approximately 10.8 sq ft). If the flooring wears out in 20 years, we don’t mind replacing it.
We visited three flooring suppliers, and all recommended vinyl or engineered hardwood flooring, both to be fully glued down. We are generally against hardwood flooring because it is not ideal with underfloor heating and, above all, expensive. When the children (currently toddlers) damage it, it’s frustrating. Sanding engineered hardwood is often not an option, and replacing it when glued down is a real hassle. We are suspicious of vinyl due to pollutant concerns, which were confirmed by Ökotest in 2012. Laminate, on the other hand, appears to be free of harmful substances according to the same test.
Why do all salespeople advise against laminate? Is it because they earn more with other types of flooring? Also, is floating installation of engineered hardwood compatible with underfloor heating, or should it be avoided?
Even though gluing has some drawbacks (higher costs, a lot of adhesive, etc.)... you can immediately tell when standing on a floor whether it has been glued down or installed as a floating floor. The feel is definitely more premium when glued. In our new build, we will definitely have only glued parquet flooring. Just the texture of laminate... not my thing.
Glued parquet flooring costs more than floating laminate, but it doesn’t have that rental apartment vibe, can be sanded multiple times, is timeless, and not a disposable product. Scratches caused by pets and children don’t bother me there, by the way.
I can understand laminate in children’s rooms, though, since kids quickly develop their own taste and usually don’t appreciate parquet anyway... but we don’t like a colorful mix of floor coverings in the house; we prefer to keep it as uniform as possible.
Glued parquet flooring costs more than floating laminate, but it doesn’t have that rental apartment vibe, can be sanded multiple times, is timeless, and not a disposable product. Scratches caused by pets and children don’t bother me there, by the way.
I can understand laminate in children’s rooms, though, since kids quickly develop their own taste and usually don’t appreciate parquet anyway... but we don’t like a colorful mix of floor coverings in the house; we prefer to keep it as uniform as possible.
I didn’t have to worry about the cost for the flooring, so I considered all options. Parquet was the first to be crossed off the list because it is just too high-maintenance for us. Both of our parents had it and would not choose it again. Tiles in the living area felt too sterile, so we went with high-quality vinyl flooring that is glued down. It is low-maintenance, looks very good, and offered a wider range of design options.
In the bedroom, we even chose laminate because the look we wanted was not available in vinyl...
Both options ultimately cost significantly more than the prices mentioned here for parquet, but they still convinced us. Whether that will be the case in the long term, of course, remains to be seen.
In the bedroom, we even chose laminate because the look we wanted was not available in vinyl...
Both options ultimately cost significantly more than the prices mentioned here for parquet, but they still convinced us. Whether that will be the case in the long term, of course, remains to be seen.
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AndreasPlü29 Jan 2017 23:45As mentioned: The flooring doesn’t need to last 100 years since it’s for children's rooms, bedrooms, and the home office.
Especially in the first room, the 0-5 year-old occupants don’t really care about the quality of the floor. It should simply be low in harmful substances (according to consumer tests, unlike vinyl, according to environmental tests) and not cost a fortune, as damage is inevitable. If the floor is worn out in 20 years, something else can be installed. It would be a shame to have parquet in this case.
Does anyone have other suggestions, also considering underfloor heating? Tiles are not an option because my wife refuses them.
Especially in the first room, the 0-5 year-old occupants don’t really care about the quality of the floor. It should simply be low in harmful substances (according to consumer tests, unlike vinyl, according to environmental tests) and not cost a fortune, as damage is inevitable. If the floor is worn out in 20 years, something else can be installed. It would be a shame to have parquet in this case.
Does anyone have other suggestions, also considering underfloor heating? Tiles are not an option because my wife refuses them.
I never quite understand the argument about hardwood floors being "too valuable to use." Once sealed, they are extremely durable— in my opinion, no other flooring offers that level of hardness and resistance.
The higher price is justified by the fact that depending on the thickness of the wood layer, the floor can be sanded down multiple times (!!), giving it a lifespan of several decades (!). Even high-quality laminate flooring can’t match that.
Alternatives:
In the children’s rooms, we use low-pile carpets installed over an underlay typically used under concrete stairs. This gives the carpet a short, dense surface while providing the cushioning and impact sound properties of a thicker carpet. It’s not cheap, though; the underlay alone costs about €10/m² (approximately $11/m²).
In the attic (DG), we have a floor made of OSB panels (at least 3cm (1¼ inches) thick if I recall correctly), sealed with a special clear lacquer. The finish makes the OSB’s appearance fully visible. The floor is so hard that you can roll office chairs on it without protection. The kids play sitting on it comfortably, and you can also place play rugs on top.
This type of floor costs around €15/m² (approximately $16/m²), including lacquer. It’s glued and screwed to a subfloor and can be resealed or sanded down like hardwood flooring.
It also looks quite cool because everyone can tell it’s “just” OSB material, but combined with the hard clear lacquer, it’s immediately seen as intentional and unusual. If you ever tire of the look, you can simply glue a carpet over it or repaint it in a different color.
Best regards,
Dirk Grafe
The higher price is justified by the fact that depending on the thickness of the wood layer, the floor can be sanded down multiple times (!!), giving it a lifespan of several decades (!). Even high-quality laminate flooring can’t match that.
Alternatives:
In the children’s rooms, we use low-pile carpets installed over an underlay typically used under concrete stairs. This gives the carpet a short, dense surface while providing the cushioning and impact sound properties of a thicker carpet. It’s not cheap, though; the underlay alone costs about €10/m² (approximately $11/m²).
In the attic (DG), we have a floor made of OSB panels (at least 3cm (1¼ inches) thick if I recall correctly), sealed with a special clear lacquer. The finish makes the OSB’s appearance fully visible. The floor is so hard that you can roll office chairs on it without protection. The kids play sitting on it comfortably, and you can also place play rugs on top.
This type of floor costs around €15/m² (approximately $16/m²), including lacquer. It’s glued and screwed to a subfloor and can be resealed or sanded down like hardwood flooring.
It also looks quite cool because everyone can tell it’s “just” OSB material, but combined with the hard clear lacquer, it’s immediately seen as intentional and unusual. If you ever tire of the look, you can simply glue a carpet over it or repaint it in a different color.
Best regards,
Dirk Grafe
Dirk Grafe schrieb:
I never quite understand the argument about hardwood flooring that it's "too good to waste." Once sealed, it becomes extremely durable; in my opinion, no other flooring offers comparable hardness or resistance. My experience has been different. Especially with pets (dogs), I've noticed that hardwood flooring doesn't last as long as people often say here. When I factor in the costs of sanding and resealing over the years (especially if done professionally!), it can be more economical to replace laminate flooring multiple times. The effort involved isn’t greater than sanding and sealing the hardwood, but you have a completely new floor, and you can also change the look if you want.
However, I do like the idea of sealing OSB.
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