Hello,
I am still in the planning phase for building a house.
My wife would like a vinyl floor in the bathroom, including in the walk-in shower.
Does anyone have experience with this or know if and how it could be done?
From what I have found, it doesn’t seem like such a bad idea.
However, I have some doubts about the whole thing.
Thanks in advance for your help.
I am still in the planning phase for building a house.
My wife would like a vinyl floor in the bathroom, including in the walk-in shower.
Does anyone have experience with this or know if and how it could be done?
From what I have found, it doesn’t seem like such a bad idea.
However, I have some doubts about the whole thing.
Thanks in advance for your help.
When the moisture issue is mentioned here, it is no different than with other materials. The dew point does not depend on the material but on the humidity and air temperature, and whether condensation occurs also depends on the surface temperature (it must reach the dew point).
For example, in summer at a room temperature of 24°C (75°F), the dew point at 60% humidity is 15.75°C (60°F). Therefore, the surface temperature should not fall below 16°C (61°F). As far as I know, a standard underfloor heating system does not drop below 18°C (64°F). However, at 27°C (81°F) and 80% relative humidity (such as after a summer thunderstorm), the dew point is already 23.25°C (74°F), which could happen occasionally. Modern systems, to my knowledge, have dew point sensors and automatically reduce cooling capacity up to shutting off.
It should also be noted that wood is generally more sensitive to moisture (with prolonged exposure) than tiles or PVC.
In practice, however, this is manageable. In general, the cooling function of a heat pump heating system should not be overestimated. Instead, summer heat protection (shading) and additionally air-to-air heat pumps (commonly called air conditioners) should be relied on.
It could also be the case, possibly spread by urban legends, that wood simply has poorer thermal conductivity. So even if it is cold, it does not feel as cold to us. I would rather see this as an advantage (no cold feet). The cooling effect is not intended to be felt directly on the skin of the soles but rather by slightly cooling the air that passes over the floor. However, since air conducts heat even worse than wood [0.12–0.25 W/(mK) vs. 0.025 W/(mK)], this is not the limiting factor and can be neglected, especially if glued (no air layer acting as an insulator between screed and covering).
For example, in summer at a room temperature of 24°C (75°F), the dew point at 60% humidity is 15.75°C (60°F). Therefore, the surface temperature should not fall below 16°C (61°F). As far as I know, a standard underfloor heating system does not drop below 18°C (64°F). However, at 27°C (81°F) and 80% relative humidity (such as after a summer thunderstorm), the dew point is already 23.25°C (74°F), which could happen occasionally. Modern systems, to my knowledge, have dew point sensors and automatically reduce cooling capacity up to shutting off.
It should also be noted that wood is generally more sensitive to moisture (with prolonged exposure) than tiles or PVC.
In practice, however, this is manageable. In general, the cooling function of a heat pump heating system should not be overestimated. Instead, summer heat protection (shading) and additionally air-to-air heat pumps (commonly called air conditioners) should be relied on.
It could also be the case, possibly spread by urban legends, that wood simply has poorer thermal conductivity. So even if it is cold, it does not feel as cold to us. I would rather see this as an advantage (no cold feet). The cooling effect is not intended to be felt directly on the skin of the soles but rather by slightly cooling the air that passes over the floor. However, since air conducts heat even worse than wood [0.12–0.25 W/(mK) vs. 0.025 W/(mK)], this is not the limiting factor and can be neglected, especially if glued (no air layer acting as an insulator between screed and covering).
At least I was able to convince my wife to use tiles in the bathroom.
By the way, you are also responsible for making me reconsider vinyl and think about hardwood flooring. In my parents' house, they had a very sensitive hardwood floor that became very unattractive due to discoloration and wear.
So what do you recommend? Lacquer sealing or oiled?
By the way, you are also responsible for making me reconsider vinyl and think about hardwood flooring. In my parents' house, they had a very sensitive hardwood floor that became very unattractive due to discoloration and wear.
So what do you recommend? Lacquer sealing or oiled?
In my condominium, I had lacquered flooring. It stays looking fresh for a while, but then suddenly looks bad and is difficult to touch up in spots. After a few years, you usually have to sand everything down completely and then re-lacquer or oil it.
Oiled floors may require more frequent maintenance, but you can do this spot by spot if necessary, and you definitely don’t have to sand the entire surface. You only do that after 15-20 or more years, when there are really too many marks.
But wait for @nordanney, who is more of the parquet expert here with more experience in different types and DIY work. Unfortunately, when I built my house, I had to be very budget-conscious. That’s why I chose tiles downstairs and laminate upstairs.
The parquet in the condominium wasn’t particularly good—it was fairly soft and had a very thin wear layer—but the lacquered surface still looks good in the areas without damage after 9 years.
If I were to redo the upper floor with parquet under the right circumstances and budget, I would oil it. I prefer the look, I think it’s better for the wood, and it fits more with the “parquet comes alive” idea I mentioned above. I would choose a naturally more lively wood grain. That way, marks (and stains 😉 ) don’t show as quickly. We (= my wife) wanted a very light and calm pattern, and that choice has backfired. It just doesn’t suit our lifestyle. But maybe you feel differently about that.
Oiled floors may require more frequent maintenance, but you can do this spot by spot if necessary, and you definitely don’t have to sand the entire surface. You only do that after 15-20 or more years, when there are really too many marks.
But wait for @nordanney, who is more of the parquet expert here with more experience in different types and DIY work. Unfortunately, when I built my house, I had to be very budget-conscious. That’s why I chose tiles downstairs and laminate upstairs.
The parquet in the condominium wasn’t particularly good—it was fairly soft and had a very thin wear layer—but the lacquered surface still looks good in the areas without damage after 9 years.
If I were to redo the upper floor with parquet under the right circumstances and budget, I would oil it. I prefer the look, I think it’s better for the wood, and it fits more with the “parquet comes alive” idea I mentioned above. I would choose a naturally more lively wood grain. That way, marks (and stains 😉 ) don’t show as quickly. We (= my wife) wanted a very light and calm pattern, and that choice has backfired. It just doesn’t suit our lifestyle. But maybe you feel differently about that.
W
wiltshire17 Jul 2025 16:29ypg schrieb:
There is also bamboo parquet.Great! I hadn’t thought of that at all. A colleague installed it in his house 25 years ago and raised two children there. The floor was sanded once and is still in perfect condition. I don’t remember exactly how it was treated, but I think it was just oiled. Definitely worth exploring this idea.You need to make sure to choose bamboofiber parquet. However, the downside is that it is basically only available in light or dark shades. There is no option like pine white or similar. This is related to the dense fiber and its absorption capacity.
There is horizontally or vertically laminated bamboo parquet, which can be more easily colored, but it is not nearly as hard.
There is horizontally or vertically laminated bamboo parquet, which can be more easily colored, but it is not nearly as hard.
N
nordanney17 Jul 2025 17:22Stone82 schrieb:
So what do you recommend? Lacquer finish or oiled?Oiled / waxed. Always looks naturalSimilar topics