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.
M
MachsSelbst17 Jul 2025 19:09You step away for a few weeks... and suddenly there’s all this nonsense going around about the urban legend of wood and the poor insulating value of air… Help… that has very little to do with the effects of underfloor heating. Underfloor heating only works partly through convection. That’s exactly what makes it so comfortable...
Apart from the usual prejudices... laminate is for welfare recipients, vinyl is middle class, parquet is above all questions... tiles, of course, depend on the price. At 25 EUR/m² (about 23 USD/ft²) you probably shouldn’t invite anyone over, and you’re only allowed to show off the rooms if it’s at least 40 EUR/m² (about 37 USD/ft²). Definitely keep the price tags(!)...
The labor and cost involved in sanding parquet are comparable to those of installing new flooring. The room must be empty, baseboards removed, sanding, deep spots filled, oiling... It can be cheaper to lay engineered wood flooring and just throw it out and replace it after 10 years. You can do it yourself, it can be installed as a floating floor.
I installed it floating in a 4 x 10 m (13 x 33 ft) room, with a 15 mm (0.6 in) gap on the short edge, and 10 mm (0.4 in) on the long edge. No problems. People told me, “No! You never install parquet as a floating floor—that ends in disaster!”
Well, the third summer is coming, the parquet is still in place, it looks good, and it cost me 50 EUR/m² (about 46 USD/ft²) plus my own labor. When the kids are older, in 6 or 7 years, I’ll take it out and replace it with engineered wood flooring again for 50 EUR/m² (46 USD/ft²)... and I’m still cheaper than a specialist who got it glued down for 120 EUR/m² (about 111 USD/ft²) and then had it sanded, filled, and oiled after 10 years for 90 EUR/m² (about 83 USD/ft²)...
Apart from the usual prejudices... laminate is for welfare recipients, vinyl is middle class, parquet is above all questions... tiles, of course, depend on the price. At 25 EUR/m² (about 23 USD/ft²) you probably shouldn’t invite anyone over, and you’re only allowed to show off the rooms if it’s at least 40 EUR/m² (about 37 USD/ft²). Definitely keep the price tags(!)...
The labor and cost involved in sanding parquet are comparable to those of installing new flooring. The room must be empty, baseboards removed, sanding, deep spots filled, oiling... It can be cheaper to lay engineered wood flooring and just throw it out and replace it after 10 years. You can do it yourself, it can be installed as a floating floor.
I installed it floating in a 4 x 10 m (13 x 33 ft) room, with a 15 mm (0.6 in) gap on the short edge, and 10 mm (0.4 in) on the long edge. No problems. People told me, “No! You never install parquet as a floating floor—that ends in disaster!”
Well, the third summer is coming, the parquet is still in place, it looks good, and it cost me 50 EUR/m² (about 46 USD/ft²) plus my own labor. When the kids are older, in 6 or 7 years, I’ll take it out and replace it with engineered wood flooring again for 50 EUR/m² (46 USD/ft²)... and I’m still cheaper than a specialist who got it glued down for 120 EUR/m² (about 111 USD/ft²) and then had it sanded, filled, and oiled after 10 years for 90 EUR/m² (about 83 USD/ft²)...
Papierturm17 Jul 2025 19:45Stone82 schrieb:
At least I was able to convince my wife to use tiles in the bathroom.Very good decision!There is also the opportunity to make the bathroom a highlight on its own. In particular, this creates an exception to the otherwise consistent wood look throughout the house.
As for the rest of the house (although I wouldn’t do this in the bathroom): there are higher-quality vinyl options with a durable wear layer, high abrasion rating, and waterproof seams. This is especially important if you have pets. Regular vinyl, on the other hand, can quickly look worn out with pets.
However, if I had the choice and the financial means between vinyl and tile/hardwood, I would always choose tile or hardwood.
MachsSelbst schrieb:
A radiant floor heating system relies only minimally on convection. Please do not quote out of context; that was about the cooling function. There is no such thing as radiative cooling. Air does not transfer heat through radiation. Air warms (transfers heat to an object) by convection.
And what exactly are you trying to say? Your entire tone is critical, but in the end, are you recommending hardwood flooring or not?
B
Bierwächter17 Jul 2025 21:00What happens if a cat urinates on the wooden floor and it isn’t noticed right away, allowing it to soak in?
Unfortunately, our cats tend to do that. In general, it’s something to consider because older pets often urinate in various places. My wife is strongly against installing hardwood flooring and prefers click vinyl because of the cats.
Our general contractor also asked if we were planning any hardwood flooring, as a different screed height would be needed in that case.
Unfortunately, our cats tend to do that. In general, it’s something to consider because older pets often urinate in various places. My wife is strongly against installing hardwood flooring and prefers click vinyl because of the cats.
Our general contractor also asked if we were planning any hardwood flooring, as a different screed height would be needed in that case.
N
nordanney17 Jul 2025 21:08Bierwächter schrieb:
What happens if a cat pees on the hardwood floor and it’s not noticed right away, allowing it to soak in?The question is how well the surface is protected. Whether it is lacquered or oiled. Whether it has been re-oiled or left untreated. With lacquered floors (there are also matte lacquers), you usually have many hours without any problem.
Oiled floors (from my experience with a dog and Haro hardwood) can handle at least a few hours without any damage.
W
wiltshire17 Jul 2025 21:09Bierwächter schrieb:
My wife strongly opposes hardwood flooring and prefers click vinyl because of the cats. It is a mistake to believe that the joints are 100% sealed. Urine will find its way through click laminate flooring. In combination with underfloor heating, this creates an odor in the room that I personally find unacceptable.
Given these requirements and the budget, avoiding tiles is functionally challenging.
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