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
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nordanney8 Mar 2026 12:34Boden321 schrieb:
We were not recommended oiled hardwood flooring because it requires a lot of maintenance. Nonsense. I’ve been using it for almost 30 years. Glued down and oiled. At least it’s natural.
You can always re-oil it. That’s difficult with lacquered floors.
It has always been installed everywhere except the bathrooms. Even in the kitchen. With three children and a Bernese Mountain Dog. No problem.
MachsSelbst schrieb:
Keep in mind, you’re in a forum where flooring under 50 EUR/m² (about $54/yd²) is generally considered low-end… No. Hardwood (floorboards) start at 30 EUR/m² (about $32/yd²). Some luxury vinyl flooring is actually more expensive.
The budget even covers hardwood for the entire house.
P.S. Laminate always feels cold and sounds cheap when installed as a floating floor, because it’s hard and therefore hard-sounding (when wearing shoes, it’s like tapping on plastic).
Laminate is suitable for rentals. In a high-end home, I actually find it lacking in quality.
We walk barefoot, so without shoes, inside the house. Therefore, it is more important for us that laminate flooring does not feel cold underfoot. However, with underfloor heating, it shouldn’t be cold, right?
How is the maintenance of oiled hardwood flooring in the kitchen and dining area? We have an oiled solid wood dining table, and cleaning it can be challenging depending on the residues. We have had to re-oil it a few times.
How is the maintenance of oiled hardwood flooring in the kitchen and dining area? We have an oiled solid wood dining table, and cleaning it can be challenging depending on the residues. We have had to re-oil it a few times.
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nordanney8 Mar 2026 13:25Boden321 schrieb:
However, with underfloor heating, it shouldn’t be cold, right? At least not between the end of October and early March. At other times, it can be, unless you want to heat then as well ;-)
Boden321 schrieb:
How is the maintenance of oiled parquet flooring in the kitchen and dining area? Vacuum twice a week / of course, clean up any dirt on the floor as soon as possible – for that, you can use cloths / mop once every six months using a care product mixed with the cleaning water.
That was basically all. I have only ever oiled parquet once. At that time, it was already almost 10 years old.
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Gerddieter8 Mar 2026 14:57Hi – that’s a reasonable budget at 70 per square meter (70 per square yard) and is enough for glued wooden floorboards.
For the living room, wood is fine, but I would never use laminate or vinyl in the bedrooms or children's rooms, since we spend too much time sleeping there...
What you can do to match the look downstairs on the upper floor is to use the same boards but choose smaller ones with a bit more character knots in the rooms upstairs.
Gerddieter
For the living room, wood is fine, but I would never use laminate or vinyl in the bedrooms or children's rooms, since we spend too much time sleeping there...
What you can do to match the look downstairs on the upper floor is to use the same boards but choose smaller ones with a bit more character knots in the rooms upstairs.
Gerddieter
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nordanney8 Mar 2026 15:16Boden321 schrieb:
Is laminate really bad for health? At least with laminate, I feel better than with vinyl. Nowadays, every type of flooring is considered "dangerous." In reality, none are (except maybe moldy carpet...). Feelings are unnecessary. Stick to facts like the Blue Angel or similar certifications.
Then worries are unnecessary.
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