ᐅ Which types of flooring are recommended for single-family homes? What does the building expert community suggest?
Created on: 14 Sep 2020 07:43
E
exto1791
Hello everyone,
We are slowly starting to consider the flooring for our planned single-family house and are still completely undecided.
We have an open-plan living-dining area with a kitchen. We believe that a seamless floor transition looks nicer than separating the kitchen from the living/dining area. For this reason, we want to have a uniform floor covering throughout.
Now the question: vinyl or tiles? We have already read about the pros and cons, but maybe we can get some first-hand tips or tricks here that might put some of the disadvantages into a more positive perspective?
1. Question: Is vinyl really safe to use in the kitchen? Is vinyl fully waterproof? How does vinyl flooring react if, for example, a knife slips from my hand and falls on the floor? Will I get immediate dents or marks? Are there vinyl floors that are significantly more resistant?
2. Question: How does vinyl respond to sunlight? Since we will have several large glass fronts in our living-dining area, vinyl "technically" seems to be excluded... Does vinyl actually deform? Is it true that vinyl, like parquet, fades significantly in sunlight?
3. Question: Is vinyl really only suitable for 10-20 years? What happens afterward? Do I have to replace the vinyl, or can it be refurbished or maintained?
--> We are considering tiling the entire area because then we would be "done," have a robust floor that works perfectly with underfloor heating, is simple, and very resistant to sun/fading/stains/impacts. We think generally that you can’t go wrong with tiles.
However, I see the problem that the tiles will likely stay in place for a lifetime, and I may not want or be able to replace them later due to the high effort involved. Also, any chip or damage to a tile will be visible for life since I can’t quickly repair it (true, vinyl also can’t be easily repaired, but I could replace the floor after 15-20 years). Another downside is cost. Tiles are generally more expensive, and I wouldn’t be able to install them myself (I don’t feel confident with tiles but feel okay with vinyl), so we are wondering what is best for us.
What flooring have you installed in your living/dining areas? What good or bad experiences have you had?
Now about the upper rooms:
1 bedroom and 2 kids’ rooms: vinyl/parquet/cork/laminate?
We are familiar with the pros and cons here as well. Parquet is "technically" out of the question because it is very expensive (is there good parquet for around 30€ (about $33)?). Opinions on vinyl are divided... We also have clear concerns (especially in the kids’ rooms) regarding plastic flooring... Are they really completely safe and non-toxic nowadays? If I pay attention to this, can I safely choose vinyl for the kids’ rooms? The kids’ rooms should be "good and affordable" above all. Cork might be an option? Laminate is somehow excluded because it is very noisy and offers no advantages over cork or vinyl.
Is parquet sensible for the bedroom? Here there is no fading, parquet is durable, and sunlight is limited. Very durable and might make the bedroom more visually appealing. What do you think?
We are open to any suggestions.
Where did you buy your flooring? From a hardware store? A specialist dealer? Are there recommendations, including manufacturers or models?
We are slowly starting to consider the flooring for our planned single-family house and are still completely undecided.
We have an open-plan living-dining area with a kitchen. We believe that a seamless floor transition looks nicer than separating the kitchen from the living/dining area. For this reason, we want to have a uniform floor covering throughout.
Now the question: vinyl or tiles? We have already read about the pros and cons, but maybe we can get some first-hand tips or tricks here that might put some of the disadvantages into a more positive perspective?
1. Question: Is vinyl really safe to use in the kitchen? Is vinyl fully waterproof? How does vinyl flooring react if, for example, a knife slips from my hand and falls on the floor? Will I get immediate dents or marks? Are there vinyl floors that are significantly more resistant?
2. Question: How does vinyl respond to sunlight? Since we will have several large glass fronts in our living-dining area, vinyl "technically" seems to be excluded... Does vinyl actually deform? Is it true that vinyl, like parquet, fades significantly in sunlight?
3. Question: Is vinyl really only suitable for 10-20 years? What happens afterward? Do I have to replace the vinyl, or can it be refurbished or maintained?
--> We are considering tiling the entire area because then we would be "done," have a robust floor that works perfectly with underfloor heating, is simple, and very resistant to sun/fading/stains/impacts. We think generally that you can’t go wrong with tiles.
However, I see the problem that the tiles will likely stay in place for a lifetime, and I may not want or be able to replace them later due to the high effort involved. Also, any chip or damage to a tile will be visible for life since I can’t quickly repair it (true, vinyl also can’t be easily repaired, but I could replace the floor after 15-20 years). Another downside is cost. Tiles are generally more expensive, and I wouldn’t be able to install them myself (I don’t feel confident with tiles but feel okay with vinyl), so we are wondering what is best for us.
What flooring have you installed in your living/dining areas? What good or bad experiences have you had?
Now about the upper rooms:
1 bedroom and 2 kids’ rooms: vinyl/parquet/cork/laminate?
We are familiar with the pros and cons here as well. Parquet is "technically" out of the question because it is very expensive (is there good parquet for around 30€ (about $33)?). Opinions on vinyl are divided... We also have clear concerns (especially in the kids’ rooms) regarding plastic flooring... Are they really completely safe and non-toxic nowadays? If I pay attention to this, can I safely choose vinyl for the kids’ rooms? The kids’ rooms should be "good and affordable" above all. Cork might be an option? Laminate is somehow excluded because it is very noisy and offers no advantages over cork or vinyl.
Is parquet sensible for the bedroom? Here there is no fading, parquet is durable, and sunlight is limited. Very durable and might make the bedroom more visually appealing. What do you think?
We are open to any suggestions.
Where did you buy your flooring? From a hardware store? A specialist dealer? Are there recommendations, including manufacturers or models?
I once researched and found vinyl flooring starting at 20 EUR/m² (about $22 per sq ft), but it was probably not the best quality. For 30 EUR/m² (about $33 per sq ft), you can often get hardwood flooring, though likely not top quality either.
You can sometimes find both at deep clearance sales for even less, but that usually means the products are either not the best quality or discontinued, so replacements might soon be unavailable.
High-quality hardwood flooring (with a thick wear layer or even solid wood) is certainly more expensive than 50 EUR/m² (about $55 per sq ft), but it is really good and will likely last a lifetime with or without maintenance. It will age accordingly if you don’t take care of it, but some people appreciate that rugged look.
You can sometimes find both at deep clearance sales for even less, but that usually means the products are either not the best quality or discontinued, so replacements might soon be unavailable.
High-quality hardwood flooring (with a thick wear layer or even solid wood) is certainly more expensive than 50 EUR/m² (about $55 per sq ft), but it is really good and will likely last a lifetime with or without maintenance. It will age accordingly if you don’t take care of it, but some people appreciate that rugged look.
The DIY store’s parquet flooring is fine; they also carry higher-quality parquet types that occasionally go on sale. Then you’re looking at around €35 per m² (about $35 per sq ft). Good vinyl flooring also costs around €25–30 (about $25–30).
Parquet needs to be oiled once at the beginning and usually not after that. You just mop it twice a year, adding a cleaning agent. Otherwise, it requires no maintenance!
But fine, just go with vinyl if you prefer.
Parquet needs to be oiled once at the beginning and usually not after that. You just mop it twice a year, adding a cleaning agent. Otherwise, it requires no maintenance!
But fine, just go with vinyl if you prefer.
Bookstar schrieb:
You only need to oil parquet flooring once at the beginning, then basically no more. Mop twice a year with some cleaning agent added. Otherwise, no special maintenance!Regarding oiling, I completely agree with @Bookstar. Our parquet installer also looked at me strangely when I asked how often it should be re-oiled per year… However, we mop (with a barely damp cloth) more often, or have it mopped. That doesn’t cause any harm, but usually vacuuming is sufficient.
exto1791 schrieb:
We really want a seamless transition from the living-dining area to the kitchen because we don’t like that “disjointed” look. If we don’t choose vinyl, then tiles are the only option left. With underfloor heating, the tiles feel very comfortably warm on cold days and pleasantly cool in the summer. I don’t think that’s a disadvantage.Also, consider rubber flooring – warm, hygienic, easy to maintain, and flexible like vinyl, but non-toxic. Linoleum has similar qualities.
Vinyl is essentially a trendy name for an improved type of PVC; since PVC has a negative reputation, the term "design floor" is used instead.
Tolentino schrieb:
There are differences, though. I touched a vinyl design floor from one supplier at the showroom, and with my eyes closed, it really felt like wood. Whether it would still feel that way after 5 years, of course, I can’t say.
Yes, and where does the "softness" come from? Well, from the plasticizers... cheers!Similar topics