Hello,
I need help choosing the right flooring.
We are looking for the right flooring for our new build, for the upper floor and attic.
We will have underfloor heating installed throughout the ground floor, upper floor, and attic.
On the ground floor, we will have tiles laid everywhere.
What flooring would you recommend for the upper floor and attic?
We definitely want to install the flooring ourselves (to save costs).
Our budget is around 35€/m² (approximately $37/m²).
I have researched but got overwhelmed by the wide range of flooring types available.
Laminate and vinyl are the classic options for affordable flooring.
Hardwood flooring is probably too expensive for us; we won’t manage with a maximum of 35€/m².
What are bio-based floors, luxury vinyl tiles/planks (LVT), or cork flooring?
Which wear rating should we choose if the floor needs to be as durable as possible?
Should you always go for the highest wear rating?
We also have a dog (in case that’s relevant for the selection).
I hope you can help me.
I need help choosing the right flooring.
We are looking for the right flooring for our new build, for the upper floor and attic.
We will have underfloor heating installed throughout the ground floor, upper floor, and attic.
On the ground floor, we will have tiles laid everywhere.
What flooring would you recommend for the upper floor and attic?
We definitely want to install the flooring ourselves (to save costs).
Our budget is around 35€/m² (approximately $37/m²).
I have researched but got overwhelmed by the wide range of flooring types available.
Laminate and vinyl are the classic options for affordable flooring.
Hardwood flooring is probably too expensive for us; we won’t manage with a maximum of 35€/m².
What are bio-based floors, luxury vinyl tiles/planks (LVT), or cork flooring?
Which wear rating should we choose if the floor needs to be as durable as possible?
Should you always go for the highest wear rating?
We also have a dog (in case that’s relevant for the selection).
I hope you can help me.
M
motorradsilke9 Nov 2022 05:42ypg schrieb:
Every time someone asks about a flooring option that can be installed by themselves and is not too expensive, I mention bamboo parquet.
Strangely, none of the people asking ever appreciate this option. Most of them just want an answer about the desired oak parquet.
And why not you? I also looked into that last year, but unfortunately it was significantly more expensive than oak parquet.
M
motorradsilke9 Nov 2022 06:00andimann schrieb:
Hi,
For parquet flooring, I would always choose oiled rather than lacquered. With lacquered surfaces, every scratch shows clearly and is difficult to repair. Oiled parquet is much easier to fix.
But: Forget about floating parquet! Unlike laminate, it expands and contracts noticeably with changes in humidity (summer vs. winter), which causes tension. This leads to creaking floors, and in large rooms (spans over 6 m (20 feet) from wall to wall), you might find that the parquet touches the walls and even buckles in summer, despite leaving a 15-20 mm (0.6-0.8 inches) gap in winter that the baseboard hardly covers. We experience this in our living room (7.5 m (25 feet) span), and eventually, we’ll have to lift the floor again and glue it down.
When I installed it myself, I insisted on installing it floating. Upstairs, it was even worse; we installed it without transition strips (which the manufacturer explicitly approved), and in summer it expanded so much it creaked like an ancient castle floor. The last thing missing was a ghost! After a water damage required replacing the parquet, I had it glued down permanently.
Floating installation isn’t cheap, either. Good impact sound insulation can easily cost €8-12 per m² (about the same as the parquet adhesive), and you need many finishing profiles and transition strips, which add up if you choose good quality.
In the basement, we installed good laminate flooring floating without any problems.
So, my advice:
Laminate can be installed floating without issues, there are really good products available.
Parquet should always be glued down. Having seen how it works, I would install it that way myself; it’s not rocket science.
Best regards,
AndreasI can’t confirm this from my experience. We have floating parquet in our open-plan living area and two other rooms, and we have not noticed any differential expansion or creaking. We installed it ourselves and prefer the feel underfoot compared to glued flooring.
Regarding your question: I would avoid parquet in a children’s room or households with children. While parquet is somewhat hard, it is also sensitive. If a child throws something around, it will scratch the floor. If you can live with that, it’s fine, but I wouldn’t like it. Large or quite active dogs can also cause scratches; a visiting dog once damaged our floor, although our medium-sized dog hasn’t caused any problems.
In homes with children, I would rather choose high-quality laminate, which is generally more durable based on my experience.
For a children’s room, I would always recommend carpet, even if it seems out of style nowadays. I find it better for kids because it’s softer and warmer, at least as long as they play on the floor.
I’ll add rigid vinyl to the discussion. My neighbor installed it himself as a floating floor this spring. We are planning to use it as well. It costs €30/m2 (approximately $33/ft2), though prices can vary upwards. It includes impact sound insulation and is suitable for underfloor heating. Due to its rigid core, it expands very little with temperature changes. I noticed this clearly at my neighbor’s place during the summer.
The floor feels very natural and looks great. I can’t compare it with having a dog or children around, as I don’t have either.
The only downside for me so far is that it’s made of plastic. People with a strong environmental concern will need to decide that for themselves.
The floor feels very natural and looks great. I can’t compare it with having a dog or children around, as I don’t have either.
The only downside for me so far is that it’s made of plastic. People with a strong environmental concern will need to decide that for themselves.
Laminate flooring was also my recommendation at first, until the priority shifted due to the dog (padding around). Now I have a direct comparison, and on the laminate upstairs, you can hear it very loudly. On the parquet flooring in the apartment, it is almost inaudible.
I’m not sure how much of this is due to the material itself and how much is related to the installation method (floating vs. glued), but the difference is significant.
My guess is that parquet helps a lot simply because of its softer surface and at the same time greater mass of the material. However, floating installation creates a resonance chamber, which can amplify the sound even more.
I’m not sure how much of this is due to the material itself and how much is related to the installation method (floating vs. glued), but the difference is significant.
My guess is that parquet helps a lot simply because of its softer surface and at the same time greater mass of the material. However, floating installation creates a resonance chamber, which can amplify the sound even more.
W
WilderSueden9 Nov 2022 08:57motorradsilke schrieb:
I would always install carpet flooring in a child's room, even if it’s apparently not very popular right now. I think it’s better for children because it’s softer and warmer, at least as long as they play on the floor.I absolutely can’t understand that. Carpet is a nightmare to keep clean; every bit of dirt really gets embedded. Spilled drinks, chocolate bars,... There’s a good reason why carpet is hardly ever used nowadays.Similar topics