LVT or engineered wood

3 years ago

Hello, I am in a dilemma again. We would really like engineered wood floor in the downstairs of our house as we are replacing solid wood floors due to an extension - every room in the house downstairs is or can be open to each other so we need something that flows through. The house isn't that large so don't want to zone of the kitchen with a different floor especially as we are just making it an open plan room. Every time I speak to a flooring specialist I get different advice but today I have been told that the wood will fade and it will mark and that insurance companies won't cover it in the kitchen if it gets water damaged. We were going to get a UV finish in satin so dirt doesn't get trapped in the floor and we thought this was more hard wearing and being partly in a south facing kitchen with lots of glass we thought it would have UV protection and thought that would help reduce fading. We have also been told now, however, that we are better off getting oiled as you can patch that up where this can't be done with lacquered without doing the whole floor.

We don't want laminate as it just doesn't have the same texture or warm feeling that wood has but now I don't think wood is a good option either.

Would love to hear from any of your experiences to help us make a decision. Every time we make a decision at the moment we seem to be put off after finding out the product isn't as good as we thought.

Featured Answer

gemm_thomas

3 years ago

We went with LVT (Quickstep Livyn range) all through our ground floor ad extension. Really happy with it and seemed quite a bit cheaper than Karndean/amtico.

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Comments (11)

A S
3 years ago
Hi,

If you won't be having underfloor heating I strongly recommend wood effect LVT such as karndean or amtico. It gives you the wood effect without the maintenance of treating / staining the wood.

Additionally, it's warm to the touch and extremely durable; it can take high amounts of traffic and is water resistant if fitted correctly.

If you have underfloor heating, you may also want to consider wood effect porcelain tile. They are highly durable and often come in large format, minimising the amount of grout lines.

I don't have much experience with engineered wood flooring personally - so can't comment on that.
vicholls
Original Author
3 years ago
Thank you. We aren't having under floor heating so that isn't an issue for us.
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You should have a professional installer in your area take a look at your home so you can discuss what end result you are wanting. You may need to use an engineered wood. This is still an all wood product and is much more dimensionally stable than solid wood. This is a huge advantage if you are in an older home or in the midwest where humidity levels can drastically change from season to season. A solid wood will cup or curl if humidity and moisture levels are not managed. Your installer should do a moisture test before installation to make sure the installation does not fail. All warranties will be voided if this step is not taken. Also, your transitions will need to be considered. Is the new wood floor going to butt up to tile, carpet, or vinyl? The height difference in the two products will need to be taken into consideration. You will have a greater selection of thicknesses in the engineered woods. Engineered wood should be several plys, all wood. If you choose a solid wood, the hand scraped versions are fantastic for a high traffic area with children. Hickory, Red Oak, most Brazilian Species, and even Bamboo are hard enough to take everyday traffic and still look terrific. Good luck!
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Kitchen's suffer from extreme humidity variation, so you should fully adhere the solid or engineered flooring to avoid a bowing/warping floor in a few months time However, here's another viable option; luxury vinyl tiles (LVT). Generally, LVTs are 2.5mm thick, made from 100% pvc (therefore waterproof), come with a thick polyurethane wear layer that normally is backed up with a manufacturers warranty, with a wood or stone effect finish. LVTs are great with underfloor heating and unlike ceramics, they don't break when heavy objects are dropped on them and unlike wooden floors, once laid, LVTs need no further maintenance other than regular vacuuming and washing. LVTs are almost indestructible! There are many options available but us Flooring Gurus recommend going for a recognised brand. The whole idea about an LVT is for it to look authentic. They need to genuinely look like the wood or stone flooring they are mimicking. Cheap alternatives, when installed, look ... well ... awful! Try looking at Polyflor's Colonia and Camaro. We sell these products online at www.flooringmegastore.co.uk and if you made contact with us, we'd be happy to despatch a few free of charge samples to you, plus a glossy catalogue, to help you research the products a bit more. We're the Flooring Gurus!
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You mentioned 12mm laminated floor yet you are asking about 'wood'. These are often two different floors. Are you asking about an engineered HARDWOOD that is 12mm thick or are you talking about a 12mm LAMINATED floor (fibre board with a pretty picture of wood on the top)? Engineered hardwood works well in a kitchen (just like Oak & Broad points out). Laminated flooring normally DOES NOT do well in a kitchen. That means the answer to your question could be "yes" or "no"....depending on which floor you are talking about. Please clarify.
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PRO
Woodpecker Flooring
3 years ago
We understand your concerns about maintaining wood flooring throughout so many rooms. And enjoying a beautiful wood floor in your home can mean taking a little extra care. However, there are some easy ways you can look after your floor to improve its longevity.

Here's a guide that covers the key things which can help to keep your wood floor in tip-top condition. The main things to be aware of are cleaning up spills quickly and and taking care with how much the floor is exposed to sunlight.

Simple things like rugs/runners can help to protect wood in high-traffic areas and placing furniture strategically can help to shade.

We'd agree that oiled is easier to touch-up. Although, you may want to consider that lacquered floors are more hardwearing. Here's a video guide to the benefits of each floor finish.

I hope that helps but please feel free to get in touch with us at Woodpecker if you'd like any further advice.

Best wishes, Hannah

02920 888223 | info@woodpeckerflooring.co.uk
sarah67534
3 years ago
Hi Hannah, I also don´t think you should go with wood, LVT is way better. I recently got Gerflor put in, and it´s amazing. I got it from this shop called Bricoflor, and they told me that it´s not cold, it´s like second to carpet when it comes to warmth. They were totally right, it´s not cold at all. I love it because it looks just like wood but without the maintenance. It´s also waterproof, so it would look great in a bathroom as well.
Catherine Rivas
7 months ago
Hi, Why you don't recommend LVT with underfloor heating? We went to a karndean store provider and they said it does not matter.... they provide the experience people to install the tiles as well... please, let me know your thoughts
Minnie von Mallinckrodt-Grant
2 months ago
Doesn’t LVT feel hard and sticky underfoot?
Daisy England
2 months ago
last modified: 2 months ago
Definitely not. My son has it in his ensuite. Warm to walk on, easy to clean and smooth. I wonder why you think it’s hard and sticky.
Minnie von Mallinckrodt-Grant
2 months ago
Thanks Daisy, I had amtico or Karndean at a property and whilst it’s hard wearing and easy to maintain it was hard underfoot. I prefer wood. I also had experience of vinyl feeling sticky. Maybe that is lino?
Daisy England
2 months ago
last modified: 2 months ago
I don’t know Minnie other than to say I have cushionfloor in my holiday home in the kitchen. We’ve not long had it down (perhaps 2-3 months ago) and it’s lovely. I was amazed at how soft, warm and thick it felt to walk on. Totally different to the lino I remember as a child.
Minnie von Mallinckrodt-Grant
2 months ago
Thanks I will do more research then. I have a sample from Westex. It certainly feels nice and looks the part, but maybe I’m just set on wood? I will have part of it in a hallway which has a suspended floor and the rest in a new extension with underfloor heating. My concern was it feeling cold in the hallway and warm in the extension

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LVT or engineered wood

Comments (11)

vichollsOriginal Author

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vicholls
Original Author