Does hardwood flooring have advantages over designer vinyl?
We originally considered designer flooring for the living rooms in our new building. I work in an office and there is a designer floor, which I find visually appealing and very practical. But a friend of ours is leaning toward hardwood flooring:
— Natural product.
— Parquet is barely more expensive than designer flooring.
— If defects occur, parquet can be repaired, while designer floors cannot.
— Maintenance is presumably not higher
Now we're a little confused. What's the opinion here?
Answers
I also find the presentation a bit one-sided.
The tactile feel is a matter of taste, but many people prefer natural wood. Designer flooring sounds fancy, but at the end of the day it is plastic.
The price comparison is lame. I'm sure I could find a mid-range designer floor that would cost as much as a cheap hardwood floor. But, as with anything, there are big differences in price and quality. It's an apples and oranges comparison. I think parquet is still more expensive than vinyl with a comparable level of quality.
"Almost as easy to maintain" is complete nonsense.
In our new house, we chose all-glued designer flooring, and I can practically treat it like tile, even wipe it down with a damp cloth, and so far it's very hard-wearing.
Parquet is much less gentle. As far as I know, it can't be cleaned with a damp mop, it scratches more easily, and it needs to be sanded to keep it looking nice for years to come.
Depending on the thickness of the wood layer, parquet can be a more durable option if you take into account regular renewal cycles (every 8 to 10 years in residential areas) and the associated removal of material (about 1 mm to 1.5 mm). If you don't do these repairs so that the hardwood flooring is not renewed for decades, it will look just as shabby as a PVC floor that is never thoroughly cleaned.
You will get about 40 years of use. PVC floors will have a hard time withstanding that kind of stress.
Pros of parquet: the feel and look of real wood. Looks stylish, expensive and at the same time cozy.
Pros of vinyl: price, suitability for underfloor heating, withstands both water and rough handling, New Year's Eve pas with dancing in high heels.
I would definitely lean toward designer flooring. We have vinyl flooring and it looks very chic and very hard-wearing, so far with two young children.
Our old rental apartment had parquet, and the constant new scratches and marks were very annoying – if that doesn't bother you, you can use parquet.
It always depends on what you want: a natural product that acquires its own patina over time, or a very durable floor.
There are huge differences in price, quality, and all the other properties of both engineered wood and vinyl.
Depending on the type, vinyl can also get scratched quickly, while hardwood flooring can be very resistant. You can't generalize.
The floor has to be reliable. If parquet can only be wiped down with a damp cloth, what about a knocked over glass of red wine? I suppose vinyl won't take it badly. A friend of mine even has it in his kitchen. He has it in the office and in the bathroom.
I've had a parquet for years and will have it again in my next house. Even in the kitchen. Even with three kids. Even with a dog. Works with no problems, no stains or special quirks yet. But I don't leave water/grease/red wine on the parquet for hours.
We also use vinyl in our work environment: it's very durable – after 2 years and a lot of shoe wear, it still looks good. Designer floors are also easy to repair.
However, I wouldn't want to use vinyl as my main floor in a new building because of the artificial material, but I would like to have it as an alternative when renovating an apartment.
I find your list too one sided. What about the tactile feel? At the end of the day, what matters is what YOU want.
I know nothing about designer flooring. What I can say about parquet is that it is too delicate for us. It gets scratched very quickly. Proper maintenance with a damp mop can also be difficult. I also thought the designer floors were cheaper. Both products have a wide price range.
The problem with new construction, unfortunately, is that thick parquet and warm flooring don't mix. The parquet you put on a warm flooring system is usually so thin that it can't be sanded more than once.
My parents had their parquet sanded once after 35 years of use. Maybe it depends on the original quality, but it looked great until last.
My opinion: parquet is superior to vinyl flooring in everything. The only reason for vinyl is the variety of designs. In terms of price they are about on par, vinyl tends to be a little cheaper.
