Flooring.. parquet v laminate etc

C

Corktodublin

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hi folks.. first post, starting an extension in a few weeks!

im a bit bamboozled by flooring options- we definitely want wood in the downstairs, but people keep telling me laminates are better than any wood nowadays. Then others say if you can afford parquet to go for that- and then there seem to be 'fake' parquet floors too? and of course the ultimate seems to be 'ebony and co', does anyone know what the rough cost per sq yard is of those? Rang them but they said they'd get a sales guy to call me and never did!!

While I wouldn't say money is no option, we have agreed to spend a fair bit of the floors with a view to having them for a long time. Views?
 
Our house was built in 1953. All floors downstairs, with the exception of the kitchen, are wood blocks (steamed beech). we have never had a problem with them.
 
We put good quality laminate in kitchen and dining room but it has suffered terribly from hi-heel marks. Have had Junkers solid wood elsewhere (20 yrs almost) and not a mark on it.... overtime all wood will darken from sunlight though.
 
We put solid maple wood floor in in our home 15 years ago. It is wearing very well, some indentations but of little significance.
We have a large boxer on the floor and it is survives her weight and skating across it.
It has darkened slightly but very little and I love the beautiful colour.
Good luck with your decision. Browtal
 
If I had the money I would definitely go for real parquet. I currently have (very lifelike) herringbone parquet lino and absolutely love the look. Also, parquet is very hardwearing, which is why you see it so often in high-traffic areas like school halls.
 
Dubgem, where did you get the parquet lino? And, for the real stuff, what is the average per sq ft cost roughly? 80e?

I called Ebony & Co a week ago and still waiting for a call back from their sales guys.. okaaaaaaaay
 
If you're waiting for a call back when trying to spend money, just imagine what the experience will be like if you have issues down the line???
 
Leo said:
If you're waiting for a call back when trying to spend money, just imagine what the experience will be like if you have issues down the line???
Click to expand...
I know, seriously!!!!!!!
I've since heard that Trunk Floors or Oscar Ono do the same quality at 30% less cost, so might try them this weekend. The more I think of it the more I think we will bite the bullet and suck up the cost of hardwood. They last forever... right?
 
Another Question.. how bad an idea is it to use hardwood floors in a kitchen?? I'm getting the impression it's not ideal, but we really want the same flooring throughout the downstairs. I HATE tiles.
 
Wood is fine in the Kitchen... another plus over tiles is, it is relatively easy to lift if you decide to change at a later time.... tiles have to be hacked out or tiled over... another tip... lay your wood floor before installing your kitchen units...... makes for a nicer finish with the units sitting on top of the floor .....
 
Proper hard wood floors need room to expand/ contract with the varying humidity levels, the swings will be amplified in a high humidity environment such as a kitchen. So that means you can't have a waterproof joint between each board, so spills will make their way through, where they can lead to warping or rotting of the substructure. There are membrane products like elastilion that you can use to limit the potential for damage. The density of the wood will be very important in a kitchen as well, as more dense wood will be less susceptible to expansion/ warping.
 
Tks Leo- will take wood density into account then given that we intend to do the kitchen.

So my findings today are, from a cost POV, that:
- laminate costs per sq yrd are anything from 10-50
- semi sold 30-60
- solid, 50-200+ (upper end being ebony & co and Oscar Ono).
That sound about right?
 
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