ᐅ Affordable engineered hardwood flooring: Is a 2.5 mm wear layer sufficient?
Created on: 23 May 2024 09:47
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claubiblau
Hello,
we want to install an oiled oak country-style plank parquet flooring in our single-family house. The parquet listed by the general contractor in the schedule of quantities does not appeal to us after seeing it installed, so we are looking for alternatives. Currently, we have two alternatives: Bauwerk Studiopark Oak 2-layer with a 2.5mm (1 inch) wear layer and HDF backing for about 70€, or Thede & Witte 'Boston' (3-layer with poplar backing, 3mm (1.2 inches) wear layer) for about 50€. The problem is that we prefer to avoid Asian-sourced products, which – due to the poplar core layer – speaks against the Thede & Witte in our opinion. We like the wood quality of the Bauwerk better and would almost be willing to pay the higher price, if it weren’t for the thin wear layer on the Bauwerk parquet. Do you have suggestions for parquet of similar quality to Bauwerk but with a thicker wear layer and priced similarly? Or is 2.5mm (1 inch) sufficient with HDF backing? We have underfloor heating, the parquet will be glued in all living areas including hallway and kitchen, and we have a small dog, so the flooring should be sandable at least once. I find it difficult because the internet often lacks detailed information about the exact construction/material of the core layers.
It would be great if someone could help.
Many thanks
we want to install an oiled oak country-style plank parquet flooring in our single-family house. The parquet listed by the general contractor in the schedule of quantities does not appeal to us after seeing it installed, so we are looking for alternatives. Currently, we have two alternatives: Bauwerk Studiopark Oak 2-layer with a 2.5mm (1 inch) wear layer and HDF backing for about 70€, or Thede & Witte 'Boston' (3-layer with poplar backing, 3mm (1.2 inches) wear layer) for about 50€. The problem is that we prefer to avoid Asian-sourced products, which – due to the poplar core layer – speaks against the Thede & Witte in our opinion. We like the wood quality of the Bauwerk better and would almost be willing to pay the higher price, if it weren’t for the thin wear layer on the Bauwerk parquet. Do you have suggestions for parquet of similar quality to Bauwerk but with a thicker wear layer and priced similarly? Or is 2.5mm (1 inch) sufficient with HDF backing? We have underfloor heating, the parquet will be glued in all living areas including hallway and kitchen, and we have a small dog, so the flooring should be sandable at least once. I find it difficult because the internet often lacks detailed information about the exact construction/material of the core layers.
It would be great if someone could help.
Many thanks
C
claubiblau23 May 2024 22:40Ok, that sounds good. However, I’m always surprised by the prices from different manufacturers. The construction has a thinner wear layer but is significantly more expensive. But is it also better? If the base layer really doesn’t matter, then you basically only need to look for where you can get the thickest wear layer for the lowest price.
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nordanney23 May 2024 22:59claubiblau schrieb:
If the sublayer really doesn’t matter, then you basically just have to look for where you can get the thickest wear layer for the lowest price?Over the past 30 years, in my owner-occupied houses/apartments, I have used click-lock engineered wood flooring ranging from MSRP 35€ to 180€ per square meter. After installation, I never noticed a difference (90% fully glued down and only 10% floating). During installation, good click-lock flooring was easier to install because the click joints fit more precisely. But that was about it. Currently, in my present house, I installed leftover Haro flooring. It cost 30€ with a 3.5mm (0.14 inch) wear layer and an MSRP of about 100€/sqm.
Tolentino schrieb:
I used to say at least 3mm (0.12 inches), but @nordanney is right, sanding is actually almost never done.And what if it is necessary or desired? @Bertram100 probably wanted to do it after 3 years, but is postponing the process.
Anyone who uses the search function is clearly at an advantage.
https://www.hausbau-forum.de/threads/geoeltes-parkett-hat-flecken-erfahrungen.47439/
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MachsSelbst24 May 2024 01:09If you choose to install hardwood flooring in the kitchen, there’s really not much advice that can help you.
That only works if you treat the kitchen purely as a showroom or if you’re extremely meticulous about wiping up every single spill immediately.
We didn’t put a plastic mat under our child’s high chair without reason; otherwise, the hardwood there would probably be black by now.
If you find yourself needing to sand your hardwood floors after just three years, you would have been better off installing click vinyl or tiles. Because after three years, it will look like that again. How thick is the wear layer supposed to be? 10mm (0.4 inches)?
On top of that, sanding is a huge effort. You have to remove all the furniture, take off the baseboards, sand, seal, and then put everything back.
At that point, I would simply install new flooring...
PS:
By the way, the thicker the hardwood, the worse the heat conduction is for underfloor heating. Anything over 12mm (0.5 inches) is basically inefficient from an energy standpoint.
That only works if you treat the kitchen purely as a showroom or if you’re extremely meticulous about wiping up every single spill immediately.
We didn’t put a plastic mat under our child’s high chair without reason; otherwise, the hardwood there would probably be black by now.
If you find yourself needing to sand your hardwood floors after just three years, you would have been better off installing click vinyl or tiles. Because after three years, it will look like that again. How thick is the wear layer supposed to be? 10mm (0.4 inches)?
On top of that, sanding is a huge effort. You have to remove all the furniture, take off the baseboards, sand, seal, and then put everything back.
At that point, I would simply install new flooring...
PS:
By the way, the thicker the hardwood, the worse the heat conduction is for underfloor heating. Anything over 12mm (0.5 inches) is basically inefficient from an energy standpoint.
C
claubiblau24 May 2024 06:59Ok, you have been very helpful. The point about the 12mm is also a good tip. And with a 2.5mm wear layer, you could at least sand it once, although you probably wouldn’t do it more often anyway. Regarding parquet in the kitchen: I have two acquaintances who have been living in their house for over 5 years and would always install parquet in the kitchen again. But maybe you have to accept some stains here and there. That’s just how it is. I prefer to install parquet and live with a bit of “patina” rather than vinyl. But of course, that’s a matter of personal taste.
Thanks again for all the opinions.
Thanks again for all the opinions.
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nordanney24 May 2024 07:53MachsSelbst schrieb:
If you choose to install hardwood flooring in the kitchen, there’s really no helping you anymore.
You can only do that if you consider the kitchen purely a showroom or if you are extremely meticulous about wiping every single spot immediately. That’s nonsense. I would do it again anytime – I had it in my last apartment and now in my house. Of course, vinyl or tiles are easier to maintain, but hardwood flooring is definitely not a problem.
MachsSelbst schrieb:
The thicker the hardwood flooring, by the way, the worse the heat conductivity for underfloor heating. Anything over 12mm (0.5 inches) is basically inefficient from an energy standpoint. Anything under 12mm (0.5 inches) is low-quality nonsense. No, seriously. Whether it’s 11.5 or 13.5mm (0.45 or 0.53 inches) basically doesn’t matter. It’s not a noticeable difference. At 20mm (0.8 inches) or more, I would also say “no” and recommend a different floor covering.
MachsSelbst schrieb:
If you find yourself needing to sand your hardwood flooring after just three years, you should rather install luxury vinyl tiles or ceramic tiles. That’s true.
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