ᐅ Tiles, vinyl, or other types of flooring with underfloor heating?

Created on: 4 Dec 2014 22:29
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SebastianSE
SebastianSE4 Dec 2014 22:29
Hello fellow home builders,

We are facing the big question of which flooring to choose for our living room, as well as for the bedroom and children’s rooms.
We have underfloor heating throughout, so that already rules out parquet and cork.
We don’t want a fully tiled floor either, since we already have tiles in the entrance area, kitchen, and bathrooms.
Vinyl is completely synthetic and apparently full of plasticizers. We’re running out of ideas—do you have any suggestions?
This is mainly about the dining and living rooms, bedrooms, and children's rooms.
I’m very happy to receive your suggestions and experiences.
One004 Dec 2014 22:42
1. It looks like only laminate flooring is left as an option.
2. Why is hardwood flooring ruled out because of the underfloor heating?
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nordanney
4 Dec 2014 22:43
Wood flooring everywhere – I find it the warmest and most comfortable. Especially during the transitional seasons (when the heating is still off or already off), it’s great for feet and children sitting on the floor. However, choose a durable wood like oak, as softer woods can get damaged quickly by children (although that can also add character since wood is a natural material).

Cork flooring is an option too, but I don’t like it as much. Carpet feels too dirty for me.

With underfloor heating, almost any floor covering works, including cork and wood flooring, as long as it is properly installed or the individual manufacturer does not prohibit it.
SebastianSE4 Dec 2014 22:48
I have been told that parquet and cork have very good thermal insulation properties, which causes a lot of energy loss. Laminate, on the other hand, is quite noisy when walking on it and feels rather cool. I recently came across linoleum, a natural product that is very durable. Have you had any experience with it?
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nordanney
4 Dec 2014 22:52
The statement about parquet and cork is simply incorrect!
If it were true, the parquet and cork industries would soon have to give up, since the majority of new buildings and newer existing properties are equipped with underfloor heating.
The flooring just needs to be suitable and installed correctly (generally glued down).
I have no experience with linoleum.
One004 Dec 2014 23:04
Proper laminate flooring installed over adequate impact sound insulation does not produce loud noise when walked on.