ᐅ Engineered flooring as an alternative to hardwood - buying guide and manufacturers
Created on: 3 Nov 2021 07:26
J
jaenno1
Good morning everyone,
There has already been a lot of discussion about different types of design flooring. We saw the Modular One from Parador at friends’ houses and were very impressed. However, there are very mixed opinions about this flooring, so I wanted to check if there are also more “premium” floors from other manufacturers? What are your experiences, and which brands would you recommend?
Since many criticize the use of “plastic,” here are our reasons for choosing this type of flooring: We currently live in an apartment with prefinished parquet. The apartment is 5 years old and we are very careful to avoid dents and scratches. Still, the floor is quite delicate and soft, so we want to find an alternative because of our very young children. Tiles are not an option due to the lack of “warmth underfoot.” Maybe when the kids are older, we can switch back to parquet, at least in the living room. I actually found that idea quite appealing.
We imagine a slightly lightened oak tone, but not a whitewashed color.
I would appreciate your opinions, tips, criticism, and suggestions.
Best regards
jaenno1
There has already been a lot of discussion about different types of design flooring. We saw the Modular One from Parador at friends’ houses and were very impressed. However, there are very mixed opinions about this flooring, so I wanted to check if there are also more “premium” floors from other manufacturers? What are your experiences, and which brands would you recommend?
Since many criticize the use of “plastic,” here are our reasons for choosing this type of flooring: We currently live in an apartment with prefinished parquet. The apartment is 5 years old and we are very careful to avoid dents and scratches. Still, the floor is quite delicate and soft, so we want to find an alternative because of our very young children. Tiles are not an option due to the lack of “warmth underfoot.” Maybe when the kids are older, we can switch back to parquet, at least in the living room. I actually found that idea quite appealing.
We imagine a slightly lightened oak tone, but not a whitewashed color.
I would appreciate your opinions, tips, criticism, and suggestions.
Best regards
jaenno1
B
Bertram1004 Nov 2021 08:50hampshire schrieb:
Nothing can guarantee you absolute harmlessness. The direction is right, and that already matters to some extent. No, probably not. But relying on a certification that is not very meaningful is also pointless. There are materials that do not require, or only need for a few components, any certification at all. That would be the right approach. However, engineered flooring is not one of those.
H
Hutchinson1234 Nov 2021 08:56Are we environmental polluters now just because we’re installing vinyl flooring?
I have to admit, I didn’t give it that much thought at first.
In the end, we made sure to buy from a reputable manufacturer rather than going for the $10 per square meter (about $1 per square foot) stuff from the big-box store, which might not even be worse.
In the end, “unfortunately,” it had to be that one because no other floor appealed to us visually.
That was really a challenge.
Well, on the bright side, we don’t use disposable cups, keep our electrical appliances until they actually break, and drive cars with relatively high mileage 🙂
Year of manufacture 1992, 373,000 km (232,000 miles)
Year of manufacture 2009, 185,000 km (115,000 miles) (had a new timing chain installed two weeks ago)
I have to admit, I didn’t give it that much thought at first.
In the end, we made sure to buy from a reputable manufacturer rather than going for the $10 per square meter (about $1 per square foot) stuff from the big-box store, which might not even be worse.
In the end, “unfortunately,” it had to be that one because no other floor appealed to us visually.
That was really a challenge.
Well, on the bright side, we don’t use disposable cups, keep our electrical appliances until they actually break, and drive cars with relatively high mileage 🙂
Year of manufacture 1992, 373,000 km (232,000 miles)
Year of manufacture 2009, 185,000 km (115,000 miles) (had a new timing chain installed two weeks ago)
B
Bertram1004 Nov 2021 09:02Hutchinson123 schrieb:
Are we environmental villains now if we install plastic flooring?Yes. Because there are alternatives. Plastic is harmful to us and the planet, even though there have been improvements in recent years. And apparently, there is enough money in the household to buy or build a property.H
Hutchinson1234 Nov 2021 09:45Bertram100 schrieb:
Yes. Because there are alternatives. Plastic is terrible for us and the planet, even though there have been many improvements in recent years. And apparently, there is enough money available in the household to buy or build property. Okay, well noted.
I promise to do better.
But I will keep my car (3 L diesel, Euro 2)
H
hampshire4 Nov 2021 10:08Hutchinson123 schrieb:
Are we environmental offenders now if we install plastic flooring?No, objectively speaking, we are, simply because we are building single-family homes. I’m included in that. 😉It would be helpful to see things less in black and white and stop pointing fingers at others. If we constantly demand 100% consistency from each other and report supposed “misbehavior,” we create a social atmosphere of hostility. Having a personal opinion about something does not necessarily mean we have to judge others. We need a bit more tolerance for the differences among people. Please don’t confuse this with indifference.
hampshire schrieb:
I am not familiar with the energy balance involved in the manufacturing process.I’m just bringing this up again because it might be of interest to others, even though it’s not the main topic. There is the Ökobaudat database. In this database, you can find data for all kinds of materials and building products regarding their manufacturing, transportation, and recycling values, as well as various environmental impact factors (ozone depletion potential, acidification potential, etc.).
However, I am not yet able to interpret the data myself, as I am currently dealing with sustainability certifications for the first time...