Construction of a 144 sqm bungalow in Fichtenwalde (near Potsdam)

Now a new/old topic is coming up for us, which we are still in the decision-making phase about. The floors. At the beginning, we went with parquet (except for the bathroom and utility room). Then with wood-look tiles (favorite flooring of ). After discussing the topic with the building supervisor, he recommended vinyl to us. One should consider that tiles are quite cold, despite the underfloor heating. What are your experiences? What do you have, what would you choose again or not at all?

Vinyl would be the last thing I would put in an apartment or a house. It is simply a PVC floor dressed up to look chic. Not repairable. Not durable.

Vinyl would be the last thing I would put in an apartment or a house. It is simply a PVC floor dressed up to look chic. Not repairable. Not durable.

And yet the last developers we visited and also the CEO of the BU are enthusiastic about it. What about tiles and the feeling of cold?

Can be very pleasant in summer and in winter you have underfloor heating on? It is simply plastic and from the problematic kind.

I believe the statement about the cold tiles is very subjective. First of all, outside the heating season, the tile should have room temperature. Whether one already perceives that as cold or not could be tested in a hardware store (just touch it). It's a different matter during the heating season. It is true that with very efficient designs for heat pumps, it doesn't get as cozy warm as it used to. The supply temperature is far too low for that. But the surface of the tile still has to be higher than room temperature; otherwise, heating wouldn't work. With supply temperatures averaging 27-30°C, the tile might still be around 24-25°C (estimated). That's definitely well below body temperature. And the tile conducts heat better than plastic. That much is clear. I haven't experienced it live yet, but maybe one could simply buy a tile, warm it to 25°C with a hairdryer, and place it on the stomach. The ultimate tile test.

What about tiles and the feeling of cold?

Yes, subjectively. As a woman, I generally have cold feet, but not when the underfloor heating is on. The tiles are pleasant. In summer, they are warmed by the sun through the windows. Or they are in the shade – then they are cool, but that is also pleasant. The problem is the weeks (October/April) when the underfloor heating is not yet running. With socks, though, no problem. Vinyl… Vinyl is plastic, but it's mainstream. It does not have only advantages, at least according to this forum. I would recommend tiles.