ᐅ Laminate Flooring vs. Luxury Vinyl Flooring in an Energy-Efficient House 40
Created on: 7 Mar 2026 23:45
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Boden321
Hello everyone,
We are currently building an energy-efficient house with underfloor heating and are unsure about which type of flooring to choose.
We initially ruled out hardwood flooring. Floating engineered hardwood was not recommended to us, and high-quality glued hardwood would be very expensive for our approximately 150 square meters (1,615 square feet) of living space. Additionally, since we have two children, we want a floor that is as low-maintenance and durable as possible.
Therefore, we are currently considering high-quality laminate flooring (e.g., Logoclic Ambienta), which the manufacturer claims to be very quiet and environmentally friendly. Because we have children, it is especially important to us that the floor does not contain plastic materials or harmful substances such as PVC or plasticizers.
During our research, we also came across luxury vinyl tiles/planks (LVT/LVP) that are offered without PVC and plasticizers. Compared to laminate, these floors seem to have some advantages: they are said to be quieter, more water-resistant, feel warmer underfoot, and, in some cases, work better with underfloor heating.
At first glance, these advantages seem to outweigh those of laminate. Therefore, we are wondering whether we should reconsider our decision to choose laminate and instead opt for luxury vinyl flooring. In both cases, we plan to install the flooring as a floating floor.
Could you tell us what advantages laminate would have over luxury vinyl flooring in our situation – apart from the fact that laminate does not contain plastic and is considered more environmentally friendly?
Best regards
We are currently building an energy-efficient house with underfloor heating and are unsure about which type of flooring to choose.
We initially ruled out hardwood flooring. Floating engineered hardwood was not recommended to us, and high-quality glued hardwood would be very expensive for our approximately 150 square meters (1,615 square feet) of living space. Additionally, since we have two children, we want a floor that is as low-maintenance and durable as possible.
Therefore, we are currently considering high-quality laminate flooring (e.g., Logoclic Ambienta), which the manufacturer claims to be very quiet and environmentally friendly. Because we have children, it is especially important to us that the floor does not contain plastic materials or harmful substances such as PVC or plasticizers.
During our research, we also came across luxury vinyl tiles/planks (LVT/LVP) that are offered without PVC and plasticizers. Compared to laminate, these floors seem to have some advantages: they are said to be quieter, more water-resistant, feel warmer underfoot, and, in some cases, work better with underfloor heating.
At first glance, these advantages seem to outweigh those of laminate. Therefore, we are wondering whether we should reconsider our decision to choose laminate and instead opt for luxury vinyl flooring. In both cases, we plan to install the flooring as a floating floor.
Could you tell us what advantages laminate would have over luxury vinyl flooring in our situation – apart from the fact that laminate does not contain plastic and is considered more environmentally friendly?
Best regards
N
nordanney10 Mar 2026 22:13Boden321 schrieb:
Is it generally worth it to choose this parquet flooring and have it glued down instead of this laminate? My opinion? It's not just generally worth it—it’s always worth it.
For the price, you could even get "brand-name parquet" if you allow for a bit more waste.
Or even cheaper, cool wide plank country-style flooring from a specialist supplier, with a slightly thicker wear layer.
Or, or, or...
You can even find good parquet on auction sites (which I also consider "better" than what you get at DIY stores) for under 30€ per square meter (around $30 per square yard). You just have to look a bit and think outside the box.
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motorradsilke11 Mar 2026 06:32You don’t have to glue down parquet flooring; floating installation works well too. We’ve had it like this for over 4 years now (in an open-plan area without an expansion gap), and it causes no issues nor does it prevent the house from being heated to a comfortable temperature at reasonable costs. Yes, it might use slightly more heating energy in the end, but that is completely insignificant.
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nordanney11 Mar 2026 08:04motorradsilke schrieb:
You don’t have to glue down parquet; floating installation works well too. Sort of. Two-layer parquet must be glued down, while three-layer parquet can also be installed floating. The only downside to gluing is that it costs money.
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motorradsilke11 Mar 2026 09:48The latter, however, often involves quite a bit of work. Installing it as a floating floor can be done yourself, but I wouldn’t have dared to glue it down.
With a floating installation, you can also replace parts more quickly and easily if a larger damage should occur.
With a floating installation, you can also replace parts more quickly and easily if a larger damage should occur.
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nordanney11 Mar 2026 10:08motorradsilke schrieb:
And if installed floating, you can also replace it faster and easier if a larger damage occurs.
Report No, because in that case you probably have to clear out the entire room and remove the whole hardwood floor (if I understand you correctly). With glued hardwood flooring, the damaged section is simply cut out and new flooring is glued in. That could be quicker ;-)
For floating floor installation, the only relevant factors for me are whether the floor feels springy when walking on it and if the underfloor heating delivers heat effectively. Both aspects are said to be slightly better with glued installation. However, gluing costs more than €20 per square meter.
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