Perfect bedroom wood flooring

[JessieAndRoss]

Hey, folks.

Recently I bought a nice little house for my daughter and her husband. Now, we agreed that I'd let them plan and execute the entire renovation process. However, I just can not sit by idly while they are doing it. So I offered to help them with choosing a flooring for their bedroom. Now, my wife and I have a wonderful hardwood flooring in our house ( a beautiful oak in a warm tone ), but I am really debating over whether or not this is the best choice. I mean, it looks good, but is it really the perfect bedroom flooring ? 

Some advice on whether I should propose the same to them, or offer them a different flooring, will be much appreciated.

[Crofter]

Hi and welcome to the forum!

Hard to answer your query without understanding what your priorities/requirements are... cost, longevity, ease of cleaning, aesthetics, sound transmission, comfort underfoot?

 

If the look you are after is wood, then there's not much better than good quality oak, as I'm sure you already know. But it's not necessarily that durable- it can scratch easily enough if you move a piece of furniture, or get a bit of grit caught under a door. It may not be compatible with your heating system, if underfloor. It may be too noisy for the rooms downstairs. And if it's good quality, then it won't be cheap- probably £40/m2 or more. You can find oak at half that price but it will have a 2mm wear layer which won't stand up to sanding out damage.

 

Another option would be bamboo- similar appearance, can be much cheaper (starts at about £22/m2) and far better durability. I've opted for this, although have yet to lay it, and @JSHarris has done his whole house in it. Compared side by side, oak does look better IMHO- but you can't have your cake and eat it.

 

If noise transmission is an issue, you'll need to consider a good quality underlay, or abandon hard flooring altogether and go for carpet.

[Tennentslager]

Carpet for a bedroom or you will soon cover it in rugs?

Or they will?

Edited September 1, 2017 by Tennentslager

[Jeremy Harris]

We're very happy with bonded-down bamboo, plus a big rug under the bed.  I hate fitted carpets with a vengeance, and the combination of very hard bamboo, that makes cleaning easy around the edge of the room, plus a rug to give a nice bit of comfort, seems a good compromise.

 

I'd go with bonded, over floating, installation every time, BTW, because it makes the floor quieter and much more solid feeling.

[oldkettle]

One option which is not as hard wearing as bamboo but feels very comfortable is cork. Warm to touch, don't think a rug would be required. And it is quiet. 

[JessieAndRoss]

On 01/09/2017 at 18:48, Tennentslager said:

Carpet for a bedroom or you will soon cover it in rugs?

Or they will?

I guess it's inevitable that they will put some sort of a cover under the bed, but the general idea for the hardwood floor is still there. The cost doesn't matter that much, but something along the lines of 60£ per sqm should be within the budget. 

[Ferdinand]

On 01/09/2017 at 20:15, oldkettle said:

One option which is not as hard wearing as bamboo but feels very comfortable is cork. Warm to touch, don't think a rug would be required. And it is quiet. 

 

I would argue against cork, on the basis that - unless there is some new miraculous variety around - it will look the worse or wear after around 8-10 years, and then if it has been stuck down properly it is an absolute b*gger to take up if not sodden. So you have to go over the top or apply yourself with a scraper and hammer to take it up in postcard-sized pieces. I hope others had a better experience(?).

 

If @JessieAndRoss are putting something down which is difficult to take up, imo make sure that:

 

1 - It will last long enough so that you will never need to do so.

2 - You can go over the top with the next layer (think doors to be trimmed, skirtings etc).

3 - Or SEP applies (c) Hitchhikers' Guide. You will be moving on so it is Somebody Else's Problem and you will not have a twinge of conscience.

 

I would hate to be the person who takes up @JSHarris's bamboo floor in 30 years time :-). I bet it is stuck down a little firmly.

 

I grew up with a cork kitchen floor, and parents also used cork in the following house and put Flotex Tiles pver the top after about 10 years. The Flotex was still fine 20 years laterm and I used commercial quality pre-sealed then post-sealed by me cork in my own house which became a rental. I agree it is comfortable 

 

Wood or engineered wood floor can be sanded and repaired, and can be supplemented with rugs.

 

The other option I am starting to like for bedrooms is a full room-sized rug over whatever, because the not-too-expensive Ikea Persian-style rugs we have from years ago (perhaps £12-13 per sqm in about 2000) are still going strong, to the extent that the 2 spares spare are still wrapped up in its original packaging. That is in a lounge and hallway not a bedroom.

 

But I perhaps have extreme views on long-term durability and maintainability ..

 

Ferdinand

 

 

Edited September 7, 2017 by Ferdinand

[oldkettle]

3 hours ago, Ferdinand said:

 

I would argue against cork, on the basis that - unless there is some new miraculous variety around - it will look the worse or wear after around 8-10 years, and then if it has been stuck down properly it is an absolute b*gger to take up if not sodden. So you have to go over the top or apply yourself with a scraper and hammer to take it up in postcard-sized pieces. I hope others had a better experience(?).

 

I am sure you are right about it. I have only seen it laid down as simple click lock in apartments in Germany. It did not last more than 10 years. It didn't feel unstable or moving under my feet though. I wouldn't use it in high traffic areas but a bedroom is rarely one of those. 

[Ferdinand]

Just now, oldkettle said:

I am sure you are right about it. I have only seen it laid down as simple click lock in apartments in Germany. It did not last more than 10 years. It didn't feel unstable or moving under my feet though. I wouldn't use it in high traffic areas but a bedroom is rarely one of those. 

 

Cheers.

 

I have memories of taking half a day to remove about 3sqm of it.

 

In kids' bedrooms I love cork on a whole wall for art, though.

[JessieAndRoss]

18 minutes ago, Ferdinand said:

In kids' bedrooms I love cork on a whole wall for art, though.

1

 

I think I will 'steal' that idea from you and suggest that they do it once my little grandchild will be on the way. (Nothing so far, fingers crossed it will happen some day)

@Ferdinand I don't think the S.O.P. will apply here, as I will still ultimately be doing this for my child. No way I can proceed with it without a tinge of conscience.  
I also hold the same type of grudge against the cork floors, as a close friend of mine had one and it was a real pain to remove it. It took him a couple of days for a rather large room (and he even ended up dragging me along in the process). 

In the end, I think I'll settle for an engineered flooring, as there is an underfloor heating and that type of floor will likely endure the added heat stress. 

Do you guys have any thoughts on these two options? Whether it's about the floor itself, the manufacturer that's making them, or the company selling them? 
http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Prussian-White-Real-Wood-Top-Layer-Engineered-Wood-Flooring/p/225317

https://www.flooringsuppliescentre.co.uk/products/real_wood_flooring/engineered_flooring/boen_flooring/1409/boen_coral_oak_engineered_flooring_brushed_oiled_215x3x14_mm.html