ᐅ Floating solid hardwood flooring installation—any experiences?

netuser schrieb:

I’m always amazed at how closely our tastes and preferences align.
Although the 8163/8166 models are a bit too dark and lively for us (more precisely, for my wife), I’m keeping an eye on the same "source." I’ll also get some second-grade material and am confident that no one will notice the difference compared to first grade.
In the past, I’ve had very good experiences buying second-grade products (Meister) multiple times and never regretted it. Often these were high-quality laminate floors, but every time the condition was excellent while saving substantially on purchase price.
So thanks for your confirmation!
By the way, what are your experiences with parquet flooring in the kitchen? Possibly also in the hallway or entrance area?

Maybe we’re related without knowing it. Although if that were the case, it might be the other way around.
We also considered all kinds of samples but ultimately it came down to availability. We needed 180 square meters (1937 square feet), and only that quantity was available, so we went with it. The overall room always looks different than a single plank, but you know that. Actually, I don’t find it too lively here; I even think it shouldn’t be less lively to avoid looking boring.
He himself swears by the Lindura floor, which in my opinion offers great plank widths and even a nice texture. They have launched a new series now, but there’s hardly any information online—just a few comments, which were not very favorable... strange. Still, I can’t imagine Meister selling junk over the years, so I find it interesting in principle.
In our new house, we can now decide everything ourselves, and we chose screwed solid wood planks; in our opinion, we’ve already found a good source for those.
I really don’t see why I should buy the expensive first-grade Meister flooring with this quality.
In our kitchen, the floor is wood with zero issues. The floor is “matte lacquered,” so it’s UV-oiled or something similar, which is completely trouble-free and durable. If you want to install tiles there, you’ll have a tricky transition and usually need an unsightly transition strip, especially if you install the floor as a floating floor, which I generally prefer.

pagoni2020 schrieb:

Actually, I don’t find it too lively here at all; I even think it shouldn’t be any less lively so it doesn’t look boring.

There is definitely some truth to that. The key is to find the right balance between too lively and boring, while we want to avoid the floor visually dominating the room.

pagoni2020 schrieb:

I really don’t see why I should buy the premium-grade floor at a high price given this quality. In our kitchen, we have wooden flooring and zero issues. The floor is “matte lacquered,” so either UV-oiled or similar, which is completely hassle-free and durable. If you want to install tiles there, you’ll have a difficult transition and usually need an often unattractive transition strip.

That exactly confirms my previous assumption and plan for next year, thanks. Let’s see if I end up choosing a floating installation or possibly glue it down for the first time.

Wishing you lots of enjoyment in advance with the upcoming decision on solid wood planks!

pagoni2020 schrieb:

For us, the kitchen has a wooden floor, and we have had zero problems. The floor is "matte lacquered," meaning UV-oiled or something similar, which is completely trouble-free and durable. If you want to lay tiles there, for example, you’ll end up with a tricky transition and usually need an unsightly transition strip, especially if you install the floor as a floating floor, which I generally like.

Hello again,
hi Pagoni,

I am currently in the process of deciding on a specific type of parquet (to determine the screed height) and have finally settled on the PD400 and PD450 series from Meister. Actually, I prefer the latter, since its 255 mm (10 inches) width looks nicer and the price is comparable and reasonable. BUT, unfortunately, this one is only available with a "matte lacquer" finish and not "oiled," which I would prefer.
Since you already mentioned the lacquer finish above and described it as trouble-free and durable, I would appreciate hearing more about that.

Based on my research and other experiences, the matte lacquered finish is indeed more durable, but not necessarily more "long-lasting," as it is difficult or nearly impossible to repair. Scratches don’t occur as easily, but when they do, they are more noticeable than on oiled flooring and not something you can simply touch up. Also, for example, hot grease splashes in the kitchen would hardly be visible on an oiled floor since they penetrate the wood and darken slightly without damaging the surface, unlike lacquered floors.

Can someone confirm or contradict these statements?
I’m struggling to decide between all the pros and cons.

Yes, I can confirm that.
😎
A finish on the surface makes the wood "glow" nicely and keeps it looking good for a long time... it’s also easier to clean.
However, scratches that inevitably appear sooner or later start to look bad quickly because the bare wood is exposed and dirt collects there. These scratches darken over time and become very noticeable. In practice, they cannot really be repaired and usually require refinishing the entire surface.

Oiled surfaces have fewer issues with scratches since you can "re-oil" without needing to redo everything. (Applying varnish over varnish doesn’t work well and is much more complex – oil on oil is straightforward.) In the worst case, you can even sand out stains and re-oil just the affected area (depending on the situation, a lighter spot might be visible for a while). This is a practical and proper way to handle it.
Oiled wood generally looks less new faster, depending on how much effort you put into cleaning.
I think wood feels much more like real wood when it is only oiled.

Thank you!
Unfortunately, that doesn’t make things any easier 😉

My wife is already having a hard time deciding “for hardwood flooring.” I want it installed everywhere except the utility room and bathrooms.
If I pick the wrong option here, I’ll never be happy again 🙂
I can already see that in the end, we’ll make a last-minute decision and end up with the tried-and-tested laminate flooring 🙂
As always, the agony of choice.

Laminate flooring is basically made of plastic – it has its pros and cons.
I believe it stays "in style" longer than painted wood and, of course, is cheaper.
However, it is not environmentally friendly. I am convinced that all the plastic humans use will eventually end up in the oceans, with all the toxic consequences.
I consider recycling to be misleading because it only delays the problem somewhat.
Also, the emissions in indoor spaces are not an advantage.
(Another benefit of oil finish compared to paint: the ecological balance of the latter is far better.)
Personally, I also think you can feel the difference... but I admit... I am an "eco" 😳