Vinyl in floor-level shower

Price range up to €60 p/m².

We are a household with 4 animals. 3 cats and 1 Bernese Mountain Dog mix.
That means a lot of hair and rather more dirt, which means daily cleaning.
Cats that chase each other and can’t make the corner use their claws.
...
Everyone can have different priorities and opinions, which are also not wrong.

Alright. Just because of the price range alone, vinyl would be out for me, as I would use parquet and, in parts, large-format tiles.
Parquet type: oak – if you take beech or similar, don’t be upset about scratches. I can also recommend wenge.

We had a Bernese ourselves, who didn’t really damage the parquet. Daily cleaning is due to the animals, not the flooring. Just vacuum over it and that’s fine.

P.S. Anyone who spends more than €40-50 for parquet has fallen for many advertising promises and brand names. Even cheap two-layer parquet for €30 is qualitatively good and, in my opinion, superior to a "plastic floor."

Drive to Denmark,

A good tip to see what is done elsewhere. Sometimes it can be inspiring, sometimes less so. In the case of vinyl in the bathroom – I am not enthusiastic about that.
In England and the USA I have seen permanently glued fluffy carpet on many guest toilets. That’s not my thing either.

In England and the USA, I have seen firmly glued fluffy carpet on many guest toilets. Not my thing either.

That reminds me of my UK road trip with the first sweetheart of my life (my mother) and our guinea pig, which we smuggled in illegally.
At our first overnight stop (always Bed and Breakfast) on the island, it must have been in/near Reading, we were lodged in a room of a Victorian townhouse and had a shower, washbasin (typical UK with two separate taps for hot and cold water) and bed all in one room. Only the toilet was separated in a former closet. But everywhere was that awful high-pile aubergine-colored carpet – yes, even in the toilet closet. My guinea pig liked it quite a bit (more grip than parquet), but gathering the bedding out before departure was a pain.

On topic:
I don't think the idea is good. Several forum members have already provided arguments.
Agreements with:

[*]In this price range, better parquet or tiles, depending on room usage and preferences. ( )
[*]Warmth comes from the colors ( )
[*]Vinyl scratches more quickly from pet claws than other materials ( )
[*]It becomes even more expensive in the shower than alternatives (various)

Suggestion: As an alternative, there is epoxy resin ( mentioned it). Regarding the durability/cost ratio, it could be better than other seamless coatings (requires a bit less skill due to self-leveling, but somewhat more demanding handling – 2-component, uniform and correct curing). The appearances are somewhat limited (no parquet imitation possible), but it also allows special effects by embedding "foreign" objects – see stone carpet, but also glitter, wood slices, coins, etc., although the price can get absurd eventually.

By the way, I have also heard and read a lot about discoloration in the sun with many vinyl floors, with the drawback that it is accompanied by embrittlement, which really damages the floor.

What mainly fuels my aversion to vinyl is that it is waaaay too expensive.
It is marketed as something special, but it is the same material that also comes on rolls, PVC = Polyvinyl chloride, which was displaced by laminate in the 90s.
It should actually be cheaper than laminate (fewer different layers), but it is more expensive in minimum, maximum, and average price. Only as solid vinyl (without carrier layer) is it more moisture-resistant than laminate but then has to be glued, as far as I know. You yourselves have already found that laminate is more scratch-resistant; the only argument is the noise level. But that is also the flipside of the scratch-resistance medal.

So, about the only reason I can think of to choose vinyl, namely price, especially in connection with the option of self-installation, laminate is much better in the first point; in the second, it's not much different (cutting is a bit easier with vinyl because a utility knife is enough), and parquet is also still quite easy to install yourself.

So, this now sounds like my recommendation is laminate, but that's only for absolute penny-pinchers and do-it-yourselfers.
So in this price category and with a basic idea of wood patterns, I would lean more towards parquet, like .
Especially with regard to aging/wear, damage, or the change from UV light. With parquet, it is a natural process that gives the floor its own genuine character.
Vinyl ages, parquet matures.
Vinyl wears out, parquet lives.
Dents in vinyl are there and always visible. Dents in parquet can either be repaired (up to complete renovation by full sanding) or they are memories of shared experiences.
Vinyl is like fast fashion, after one season you want something new. Parquet is like a tweed jacket or the leather jacket inherited from your father, something you have and love over years (decades), if not your entire life.

Solid wood parquet can also be laid in the bathroom (well-oiled, it can take a few splashes if you don't wipe it dry too long afterward); yes, and in the shower, tiles (e.g., large format) or still something seamless. Contrasts, used sparingly and fittingly, also make something special.

Sorry for the wall of text, I hope I helped with a change of perspective and provided some arguments for the discussion with the government... (at least I managed to convince my wife for our transition terrace 2.0 to take real wood instead of OSB with covering despite the extra effort, that already says something)...

Solid wood parquet can also be laid in the bathroom (well-oiled it can withstand a few splashes if you don't wipe it dry for too long afterwards); yes, and in the shower tiles (e.g. large format) or something seamless. Contrasts, used sparingly and appropriately, also make an impact.

We once stayed in a very nice holiday apartment where the same parquet was laid in the living area and bathroom. At first glance, even in the walk-in shower. Since I couldn't believe it, I took a closer look. Only on the second or third glance was it apparent that tiles with an exact parquet look were laid in the shower area. I thought that was amazing – but probably not feasible within the targeted budget.

If anyone is interested, they can google "Wastleicherhof" and then look at the pictures of the holiday apartment "Kornkammer."

There is also bamboo parquet. Because it is not wood, but fiber, very hard on the surface. To my knowledge, it is cheaper than wood parquet. We have bamboo parquet in the sports room.

We still want to be open. I heard from [Parkett] that they have problems with the floor cooling. What is the status?