Best flooring for family home?

[LV0210]

Hi,

I have been going back and forth about what flooring to use for my family home; laminate (Quickstep or Pergo) or engineered wood?

I currently have laminate which after 10 years still looks great so had planned on using laminate again but a number of people (without children) have advised me against doing this, engineered wood looks better and feels better and ?a cheap floor cost the same to lay as an expensive floor?. I am concerned that my children (4yrs and 3mths) will damage the wooden floor and I know you can sand down them down but I think it is highly unlikely I will do this. The flooring will go in the ground floor open plan living room, dining area and kitchen. It will also go in the hallway and utility room. I thought it is not a good idea to have engineered wood in the kitchen or utility room but maybe I am wrong.

Has anyone lived with both? Grateful to hear which one you preferred and why.

Thanks!

[tutorse22]

We put in solid oak floors in our kitchen/diner and I have to say I love it. Love it!! We did a lot of work on our house, and this is the thing I love the most about all the changes we made. We treated it with a sort of a wax protector thing called "Treatex" and it's been fabulous, really hardwearing and 6 years later, after wear and tear with young kids (and renting out to strangers/tenants), the floor still looks great. We've been living/renting in a place with laminate floors recently and I agree with those who say that real wood "feels" better.

[ACBP]

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?20,1380813,1414667#msg-1414667

Hope that link works? Not directly on point but you might find some useful comments on it...

[LV0210]

That's good to hear TutorSE22 that the floor still looks great despite young kids and renting the place out. I wonder if it is to do with having solid oak floors rather than engineered wood floors?

Thanks ACBP for the link. I will check out Mifkildea mentioned in the link. I am planning to visit Flooring Supplies in Croydon tomorrow.

Any other good flooring shops worth visiting?

[DaveR]

I'd recommend bamboo flooring - very hardwearing and stable, comparatively cheap and environmentally friendly.

[mooncake]

We had same dilemma as I wasn't really keen on karndean/amtico given their cost and kitchen living area was too large to use tile. Ended up with quickstep engineered wood everywhere downstairs except WC and utility room, which are tiled. I figured washing machine is the most likely source of a leak. We love it but am still feeling precious about trying not to scratch it! It's a lovely matt texture with lots of variation so I'm hoping it will wear well and can eventually can still be sanded when it all gets out of hand.. We have a 3 year old who seems to relish pushing chairs across the whole room. I have a friend who used a shiny lacquered even coloured wood and the scratches really show, so it depends on your taste as well.

Ours is this one here:

http://www.quick-step.co.uk/hardwood/castello/CAS1354_havana-smoked-oak-matt-planks

We have about 5-6m2 left as well which I've been meaning to put up for sale.

I've heard quickstep is pretty much the best laminate you can get and that was one of reasons for going for their wood since it uses the same locking system, is quick to lay and fits tightly together. The disadvantage with laminate is that you can't repair when it gets damaged whereas at least you can try with wood. Either of them will get damaged if you have a leak.

Ps - An oiled finish is actually best for ease of repair if you can be bothered with the regular maintenance, but I know we'd never keep it up...

[LV0210]

Thanks Mooncake.

I will check it out. Where did you purchase your one from? Will see if there is a showroom that I can go to.