Full vinyl vs vinyl with HDF board

Hello andreasonair,
the vinyls you mentioned are all of good quality. As I already mentioned in my previous posts, it then comes down to taste and budget.

whether the integrated impact sound insulation (and then an increased installation height of 7 to 7.5 mm) compared to the other systems with separate and "softer" insulation mats is an advantage or disadvantage for laying on our fresh heated screed?

I have written a response to Grym on this.

Regarding flatness tolerances:
DIN 18202 Table 3 allows a tolerance of up to 4mm/m and 6mm/2m. Only for "higher requirements" are 3mm/m or 5mm/2m permitted.
However, this requirement would have to have been agreed upon separately with the screed installer (€€€!).
Most installation instructions are naturally based on this DIN standard. As I have mentioned before, it is very important for solid vinyl that the subfloor is as flat as possible. Especially with underfloor heating! The fewer irregularities, the better the heat transfer (heating costs!) and also the walking comfort.

Best regards
Wieli

Regarding the flatness tolerances:
DIN 18202 Table 3 allows a tolerance of even 4mm/m and 6mm/2m. Only with "increased requirements" are it 3mm/m or 5mm/2m.
However, this requirement would have to have been specially agreed with the screed layer (€€€!).

We have not agreed on increased requirements with us and hope that the then relevant tolerance "4mm/m" will, with some luck, meet the common vinyl installation requirement of "3mm/m" (the drying/heating program is still ongoing).

However, the Sly installation instructions demand "3mm / 1.8 m," and we will probably not manage this without further elaborate measures, which is why we are skeptical about Sly in our case.

Best regards, Andreas

we probably won't manage that without further elaborate measures

So, from experience, compliance is not a problem with the usual flowing screeds if the usual care is taken. The 3mm/1.8m will also be achieved without extra effort. I wouldn't worry about that.

Thank you very much for the information!

So, from experience, compliance with the usual flowing screeds is not a problem if the usual care is observed. ...

Initially, normal cement screed was planned with us, but for scheduling reasons, the construction company switched to Retanol cement screed. This is supposed to work well, we will see ...

Hello Farilo, the price difference is not due to the word "design flooring" but of course because of the significant advantages compared to laminate (quieter, warmer underfoot, easier to maintain, more resistant, more durable, more areas of use,...). The ecological aspect is also of course a factor. I personally also prefer natural products made of real wood like parquet. The HDF board of laminate is only about 85% wood. The rest are binders and additives. But certainly ecologically better than vinyl, no question at all!! Best regards Wieli

Hello Wieli,

thanks for the information!

Just a quick follow-up question (because I still need to buy a floor covering and I am a bit undecided whether vinyl or laminate):

- More resistant: Is vinyl really more resistant than laminate? How do you figure? What about scratches (for example if you have dogs)? Vinyl is a bit softer and therefore somewhat more prone to scratches, isn’t it?

- Easier to maintain: Do I have to maintain laminate differently than click vinyl? I had laminate in my previous apartment and I honestly didn’t really "maintain" it at all.

- More durable: Even if this point is relatively unimportant to me, how much longer does vinyl last compared to laminate? (Assuming the same thickness). I will install my floor as a floating floor. I just want to be able to change the floor easily without much fuss. I don’t want to commit myself visually for the next 20 years.

- Quieter: Is that really a big difference? Because that is quite important to me. But if the difference is only marginal, then it doesn’t matter. Could I somehow make laminate "quieter" (e.g. by using different underlays)?

Regarding the price... Well, at the end of the day it is PVC... That has always been very cheap! I somehow have the feeling that a marketing person really paid attention and now sells the cheap floors on boards (instead of rolls) for many times their actual value. (Clever move!). But in the end of the day it is still PVC (and accordingly hazardous waste...)

Thank you for your support!

Best regards Farilo

: Please move the laminate-vinyl discussion to a new thread.

Here is my contribution to it, please move along:
Our vinyl has a 25-year warranty and is absolutely moisture-resistant, it can even be wiped damp. When I once spilled a bit on a laminate floor at a friend's place, the immediate reaction was help, wipe it up immediately. Otherwise, it swells right away...

Vinyl is absolutely resistant and only high-quality tiles can compete. We would have to really scratch with keys and apply pressure with sharp edges for anything to become visible at all. We have been explicitly advised against parquet with children from several sides. Laminate is probably even more sensitive.

And the price differences are not that big. Good laminate starts at 25 EUR per square meter.