ᐅ Which types of flooring are recommended for single-family homes? What does the building expert community suggest?
Created on: 14 Sep 2020 07:43
E
exto1791
Hello everyone,
We are slowly starting to consider the flooring for our planned single-family house and are still completely undecided.
We have an open-plan living-dining area with a kitchen. We believe that a seamless floor transition looks nicer than separating the kitchen from the living/dining area. For this reason, we want to have a uniform floor covering throughout.
Now the question: vinyl or tiles? We have already read about the pros and cons, but maybe we can get some first-hand tips or tricks here that might put some of the disadvantages into a more positive perspective?
1. Question: Is vinyl really safe to use in the kitchen? Is vinyl fully waterproof? How does vinyl flooring react if, for example, a knife slips from my hand and falls on the floor? Will I get immediate dents or marks? Are there vinyl floors that are significantly more resistant?
2. Question: How does vinyl respond to sunlight? Since we will have several large glass fronts in our living-dining area, vinyl "technically" seems to be excluded... Does vinyl actually deform? Is it true that vinyl, like parquet, fades significantly in sunlight?
3. Question: Is vinyl really only suitable for 10-20 years? What happens afterward? Do I have to replace the vinyl, or can it be refurbished or maintained?
--> We are considering tiling the entire area because then we would be "done," have a robust floor that works perfectly with underfloor heating, is simple, and very resistant to sun/fading/stains/impacts. We think generally that you can’t go wrong with tiles.
However, I see the problem that the tiles will likely stay in place for a lifetime, and I may not want or be able to replace them later due to the high effort involved. Also, any chip or damage to a tile will be visible for life since I can’t quickly repair it (true, vinyl also can’t be easily repaired, but I could replace the floor after 15-20 years). Another downside is cost. Tiles are generally more expensive, and I wouldn’t be able to install them myself (I don’t feel confident with tiles but feel okay with vinyl), so we are wondering what is best for us.
What flooring have you installed in your living/dining areas? What good or bad experiences have you had?
Now about the upper rooms:
1 bedroom and 2 kids’ rooms: vinyl/parquet/cork/laminate?
We are familiar with the pros and cons here as well. Parquet is "technically" out of the question because it is very expensive (is there good parquet for around 30€ (about $33)?). Opinions on vinyl are divided... We also have clear concerns (especially in the kids’ rooms) regarding plastic flooring... Are they really completely safe and non-toxic nowadays? If I pay attention to this, can I safely choose vinyl for the kids’ rooms? The kids’ rooms should be "good and affordable" above all. Cork might be an option? Laminate is somehow excluded because it is very noisy and offers no advantages over cork or vinyl.
Is parquet sensible for the bedroom? Here there is no fading, parquet is durable, and sunlight is limited. Very durable and might make the bedroom more visually appealing. What do you think?
We are open to any suggestions.
Where did you buy your flooring? From a hardware store? A specialist dealer? Are there recommendations, including manufacturers or models?
We are slowly starting to consider the flooring for our planned single-family house and are still completely undecided.
We have an open-plan living-dining area with a kitchen. We believe that a seamless floor transition looks nicer than separating the kitchen from the living/dining area. For this reason, we want to have a uniform floor covering throughout.
Now the question: vinyl or tiles? We have already read about the pros and cons, but maybe we can get some first-hand tips or tricks here that might put some of the disadvantages into a more positive perspective?
1. Question: Is vinyl really safe to use in the kitchen? Is vinyl fully waterproof? How does vinyl flooring react if, for example, a knife slips from my hand and falls on the floor? Will I get immediate dents or marks? Are there vinyl floors that are significantly more resistant?
2. Question: How does vinyl respond to sunlight? Since we will have several large glass fronts in our living-dining area, vinyl "technically" seems to be excluded... Does vinyl actually deform? Is it true that vinyl, like parquet, fades significantly in sunlight?
3. Question: Is vinyl really only suitable for 10-20 years? What happens afterward? Do I have to replace the vinyl, or can it be refurbished or maintained?
--> We are considering tiling the entire area because then we would be "done," have a robust floor that works perfectly with underfloor heating, is simple, and very resistant to sun/fading/stains/impacts. We think generally that you can’t go wrong with tiles.
However, I see the problem that the tiles will likely stay in place for a lifetime, and I may not want or be able to replace them later due to the high effort involved. Also, any chip or damage to a tile will be visible for life since I can’t quickly repair it (true, vinyl also can’t be easily repaired, but I could replace the floor after 15-20 years). Another downside is cost. Tiles are generally more expensive, and I wouldn’t be able to install them myself (I don’t feel confident with tiles but feel okay with vinyl), so we are wondering what is best for us.
What flooring have you installed in your living/dining areas? What good or bad experiences have you had?
Now about the upper rooms:
1 bedroom and 2 kids’ rooms: vinyl/parquet/cork/laminate?
We are familiar with the pros and cons here as well. Parquet is "technically" out of the question because it is very expensive (is there good parquet for around 30€ (about $33)?). Opinions on vinyl are divided... We also have clear concerns (especially in the kids’ rooms) regarding plastic flooring... Are they really completely safe and non-toxic nowadays? If I pay attention to this, can I safely choose vinyl for the kids’ rooms? The kids’ rooms should be "good and affordable" above all. Cork might be an option? Laminate is somehow excluded because it is very noisy and offers no advantages over cork or vinyl.
Is parquet sensible for the bedroom? Here there is no fading, parquet is durable, and sunlight is limited. Very durable and might make the bedroom more visually appealing. What do you think?
We are open to any suggestions.
Where did you buy your flooring? From a hardware store? A specialist dealer? Are there recommendations, including manufacturers or models?
[A somewhat older question, but since there was no answer yet:
We have exposed screed in the "public areas" (entrance hall, living room/kitchen/hallway) and tiles in the rest of the house. Looking back, I would have preferred to have exposed screed everywhere. It’s very comfortable to walk on barefoot and, in my opinion, simply looks beautiful. We chose it in “white.”
Advantages:
- Durable and long-lasting
- Easy to maintain
- Ideal for underfloor heating due to high thermal conductivity
- Customizable
- “Modern” appearance
- Few joints, and the few that exist are concealed with silicone in a matching color
Disadvantages:
- Not exactly inexpensive
- Repairs or touch-ups without visible traces are only possible to a limited extent
- The final appearance is only seen once the job is complete; you can’t precisely define the exact shade or pattern. The skill of the installer, especially during grinding/polishing, makes a big difference.
- Echo can be an issue if there is little sound-absorbing furniture present.
Long-term experience I cannot share yet, as we are just moving in.]
The most important thing is that you like it... maybe you have to get used to it, but looking at the last picture, as a layperson, I would think the floor installer hadn’t finished and you had to move in anyway :-)
We have exposed screed in the "public areas" (entrance hall, living room/kitchen/hallway) and tiles in the rest of the house. Looking back, I would have preferred to have exposed screed everywhere. It’s very comfortable to walk on barefoot and, in my opinion, simply looks beautiful. We chose it in “white.”
Advantages:
- Durable and long-lasting
- Easy to maintain
- Ideal for underfloor heating due to high thermal conductivity
- Customizable
- “Modern” appearance
- Few joints, and the few that exist are concealed with silicone in a matching color
Disadvantages:
- Not exactly inexpensive
- Repairs or touch-ups without visible traces are only possible to a limited extent
- The final appearance is only seen once the job is complete; you can’t precisely define the exact shade or pattern. The skill of the installer, especially during grinding/polishing, makes a big difference.
- Echo can be an issue if there is little sound-absorbing furniture present.
Long-term experience I cannot share yet, as we are just moving in.]
The most important thing is that you like it... maybe you have to get used to it, but looking at the last picture, as a layperson, I would think the floor installer hadn’t finished and you had to move in anyway :-)
Schimi1791 schrieb:
Is the floor porous? What happens if a bottle of wine falls on it? There are different types of finishes; ours is sanded and sealed. For red wine, for example, it’s best to clean it up promptly to avoid stains, but there’s no need to panic or rush frantically. Since there are no joints, the liquid won’t seep anywhere underneath.
In our case, the floor already has some natural variation because we didn’t want it to be completely uniform. The white has slight beige tones running through it, so new stains don’t stand out immediately.
tumaa schrieb:
The most important thing is that you like it… maybe you have to get used to it, but looking at the last picture, as a layperson I would think the floor installer wasn’t finished and you had to move in anyway 🙂 Yes, I’m aware that it’s not everyone’s taste. However, photos don’t do it justice; in person, the subtle pattern makes it feel much less sterile.
Obermuh schrieb:
There are different types of finishing; ours is polished and sealed. For example, red wine should be wiped up promptly to avoid stains, but there’s no need to panic or rush. Since there are no joints, it won’t seep into any gaps.
In our case, the surface does have some natural mottling because we didn’t want it completely uniform. The white has slight beige tones throughout, so new stains don’t become noticeable as quickly. I can imagine it looks different or warmer that way... do you have a photo?
S
Sparfuchs7726 Jan 2021 11:15As the saying goes: There's no accounting for taste 😀 I wouldn't want it myself, but it only has to please you 🙂
We are currently making a last-minute switch from a luxury vinyl plank to hardwood flooring. Does anyone have a recommendation for a good and at least relatively affordable wide-plank oak hardwood floor? The selection is almost endless, but maybe someone has already found a good floor and supplier?