Hello,
I need help choosing the right flooring.
We are looking for the right flooring for our new build, for the upper floor and attic.
We will have underfloor heating installed throughout the ground floor, upper floor, and attic.
On the ground floor, we will have tiles laid everywhere.
What flooring would you recommend for the upper floor and attic?
We definitely want to install the flooring ourselves (to save costs).
Our budget is around 35€/m² (approximately $37/m²).
I have researched but got overwhelmed by the wide range of flooring types available.
Laminate and vinyl are the classic options for affordable flooring.
Hardwood flooring is probably too expensive for us; we won’t manage with a maximum of 35€/m².
What are bio-based floors, luxury vinyl tiles/planks (LVT), or cork flooring?
Which wear rating should we choose if the floor needs to be as durable as possible?
Should you always go for the highest wear rating?
We also have a dog (in case that’s relevant for the selection).
I hope you can help me.
I need help choosing the right flooring.
We are looking for the right flooring for our new build, for the upper floor and attic.
We will have underfloor heating installed throughout the ground floor, upper floor, and attic.
On the ground floor, we will have tiles laid everywhere.
What flooring would you recommend for the upper floor and attic?
We definitely want to install the flooring ourselves (to save costs).
Our budget is around 35€/m² (approximately $37/m²).
I have researched but got overwhelmed by the wide range of flooring types available.
Laminate and vinyl are the classic options for affordable flooring.
Hardwood flooring is probably too expensive for us; we won’t manage with a maximum of 35€/m².
What are bio-based floors, luxury vinyl tiles/planks (LVT), or cork flooring?
Which wear rating should we choose if the floor needs to be as durable as possible?
Should you always go for the highest wear rating?
We also have a dog (in case that’s relevant for the selection).
I hope you can help me.
I can share some thoughts on cork :-)
We installed cork flooring in the bedrooms and children's rooms (the entire upper floor, excluding the bathroom).
We glued cork tiles with a thickness of 4mm (about 0.16 inches) from KWG, sized 30x60cm (12x24 inches), directly onto the screed. We chose 4mm (0.16 inches) because we were renovating, and this installation height matched the staircase perfectly. Although in hindsight, 6mm (0.24 inches) would have also worked.
Even though 4mm (0.16 inches) is quite thin, the walking comfort is excellent. The floor feels pleasantly soft and nicely warm. It is also completely quiet—no noise at all. Especially in the children's room, where there is a lot of activity, I find the floor perfect for us. The child lounges on the floor, and it always stays nice and warm.
We actually oiled the surface according to the manufacturer’s instructions and have been satisfied so far. Oiling gave the floor a rich, saturated color and a great feel.
An important point with cork is that it will fade over time, but this does not bother us in the upper rooms at all.
Our family has a dog, but it does not live with us permanently (as that sounds 😀). I’m not sure how the floor would respond to constant drooling. But as long as the dog only sleeps upstairs, I would have no concerns about oiled cork.
We installed cork flooring in the bedrooms and children's rooms (the entire upper floor, excluding the bathroom).
We glued cork tiles with a thickness of 4mm (about 0.16 inches) from KWG, sized 30x60cm (12x24 inches), directly onto the screed. We chose 4mm (0.16 inches) because we were renovating, and this installation height matched the staircase perfectly. Although in hindsight, 6mm (0.24 inches) would have also worked.
Even though 4mm (0.16 inches) is quite thin, the walking comfort is excellent. The floor feels pleasantly soft and nicely warm. It is also completely quiet—no noise at all. Especially in the children's room, where there is a lot of activity, I find the floor perfect for us. The child lounges on the floor, and it always stays nice and warm.
We actually oiled the surface according to the manufacturer’s instructions and have been satisfied so far. Oiling gave the floor a rich, saturated color and a great feel.
An important point with cork is that it will fade over time, but this does not bother us in the upper rooms at all.
Our family has a dog, but it does not live with us permanently (as that sounds 😀). I’m not sure how the floor would respond to constant drooling. But as long as the dog only sleeps upstairs, I would have no concerns about oiled cork.
ateliersiegel9 Nov 2022 11:45Cork is especially environmentally friendly 😀 *clap-clap*
😉
One disadvantage is that cork does not last as long as many other mentioned materials and that it provides insulation, but its benefits are unmatched by anything else: very quiet and very pleasant to walk on
😉
One disadvantage is that cork does not last as long as many other mentioned materials and that it provides insulation, but its benefits are unmatched by anything else: very quiet and very pleasant to walk on
Tolentino schrieb:
I would have gone for cork right away if the look hadn’t been so unusual.That’s true. The appearance isn’t for everyone. For us, it was clear that if we chose cork, we wanted the cork look. We didn’t go for the fine grading but opted for larger pieces.
It’s a big favorite here with us :-)
I just noticed there are also options with a wood look (which were probably ruled out before due to the price) starting at $29.99 per m² (10.76 sq ft). So still within budget for the original poster. I’m changing my recommendation to cork flooring!
@Taitv789 Check out Wicanders wood START Green Design. It can apparently be installed as a floating floor with a click system.
I’m not sure if it still provides such great sound insulation, though. But you could order a sample pack and try letting your dog walk on it... 😀
@Taitv789 Check out Wicanders wood START Green Design. It can apparently be installed as a floating floor with a click system.
I’m not sure if it still provides such great sound insulation, though. But you could order a sample pack and try letting your dog walk on it... 😀
Taitv789 schrieb:
@DeepRed Yes, rigid vinyl is also an option.
If vinyl is the better choice for us, I wanted to see which vinyl is best—standard vinyl with underlay for impact sound insulation or rigid vinyl.
The impact sound insulation can possibly even out unevenness in the screed (dents or bumps) better than the rigid vinyl, right?
Yes, of course, the impact sound insulation can compensate for that better. I will also install an underlay, even though I could skip it.