Natural floors are fashionable again today as floor coverings. Cork and wood offer invaluable advantages and contribute to a healthy living environment.
Natural Floors In The House: Criteria For Selection
Natural floors are trendy again today as alternatives to long-common floor coverings, such as PVC or carpeting. The focus is not only on the desire for healthy living but also on a durable floor that can withstand even harder loads with the least possible abrasion. Aesthetic, robust, healthy, and good for the indoor climate: floors made of wood and cork can easily meet all these requirements. However, it is important to pay attention to some points when choosing.
Three Important Aspects For The Selection of Suitable Natural Floors
The question is whether high-quality Solid wood flooring, parquet, laminate, or a floor with cork covering should be installed in your home.
When choosing the right natural floors, there are some points to consider, such as these:
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Abrasion class
The abrasion class indicates how resilient the natural floors are. From this, conclusions can be drawn about which areas the individual floor coverings are intended for. The following applies: the higher the abrasion class, the more resilient the floor is. The abrasion class 21 is suitable for bedrooms and storage rooms and, thus, for less frequented rooms. The abrasion class 23 is different, suitable for all heavily stressed floors, and ideal in corridors and kitchens. At least the abrasion class 22 should be installed in living rooms and children’s rooms.
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Heated
Underfloor heating is standard in many new buildings but not always in old buildings. However, not all natural floors are suitable for underfloor heating. So, if you want to lay floorboards, for example, you should inquire in advance whether the targeted floorboards are ideal for use with underfloor heating.
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Room
Not every room is suitable for natural floors. For example, natural wood flooring is not a good option to equip a utility room; tiles are usually the better choice here. Even though wooden floors are now moisture-resistant, they are not suitable for actual wetness, as occurs regularly, for example, from dripping laundry.
Of course, in addition to the selection criteria mentioned, the appearance is also the focus of a planned purchase of floor coverings. In addition, the floor must match the building: a half-timbered house that has been extensively restored does not need a break in style due to floor coverings made of plastic. Even old buildings with high walls and stucco on the ceilings need a wooden floor that underlines the overall look and ensures that the residents feel as if they have been transported back to another time.
In new buildings, on the other hand, the builders have a completely free hand and can decide whether to opt for classic or modern floor coverings. However, in the sense of a healthy living climate, the decision should always be made in favor of natural floor coverings.
Natural Floors at a Glance: Advantages And Disadvantages
Natural floor coverings enjoy the most incredible popularity and are represented, first of all, by parquet. It radiates a certain comfort in living and is made of wood from a renewable raw material.
In addition, the parquet is very durable and adds value to the property. Other floor coverings, such as floorboards or laminate, also have advantages. Floorboards were laid in houses centuries ago, and even today, many people still live in old buildings that still have the classic solid wood floorboards.
A unique feature is the so-called castle floorboards, which were previously installed in the houses of the nobles. They are robust and can even be sanded down several times, making them always seem like new.
Advantages And Disadvantages of Various Natural Floor Coverings
Almost all natural floors now have a significant disadvantage: the prices for the raw material wood have exploded, and thus, although very high-quality, expensive wooden floors can still be installed.
There are certainly price differences between the individual types of wood and cork floor coverings, but today’s prices can no longer be compared with those of two or three years ago. Nevertheless, natural floors are a worthwhile investment.
Here are the advantages and disadvantages of the various natural floors at a glance:
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Parquet (e.g. made of oak wood)
Pros: Parquet is easy to lay and remains dimensionally stable after laying. Its natural look makes living pleasant.
Cons: Parquet requires extensive care, and partial repair is not possible. Grinding down is just as cost-intensive as the acquisition. -
Plank
Pros: Floorboards are ideal for any living area, are durable, and have a high value.
The cons are that the laying of floorboards is not very easy, and a partial repair in case of damage is not possible. Not all floorboards are suitable for underfloor heating. -
Cork flooring
Pros: Cork provides good sound insulation, looks warm, and is suitable for cozy living. In addition, various optics can be produced with it.
The cons are that heavy furniture can create imprints, and cork is also not resistant to constant sunlight. In addition, this floor covering is only conditionally suitable for use with underfloor heating.
A few more words about cork as a floor covering: Cork is usually laid in the form of classic tiles and glued and sealed to the substrate here. An expansion joint is important because the material works. However, this expansion joint is often perceived as a disadvantage because it disturbs the floor’s appearance.
At the same time, cork is wonderfully suitable for everyone who likes to walk barefoot in the home because the material insulates optimally against floor cold. Cork flooring is even available as prefabricated parquet and can be laid by yourself thanks to simple click systems. However, the substrate must be flat for this.
Living With Wood: Natural Floors in Every Room?
Many builders or those who want to furnish an apartment dream of a natural floor covering. But is Cork flooring, as an alternative to real wood flooring, really suitable for every room? And isn’t laminate the better choice because it is easier to care for and less expensive?
Many questions arise when choosing the right floor coverings, and at the same time, numerous prejudices are revealed. In some cases, for example, it is assumed that wooden floors are not suitable for the kitchen and bathroom because they could be damaged by constant moisture and possible wetness. In principle, this is true, but not always.
With a modern surface treatment, for example, it is possible to lay a wooden floor even in damp rooms. However, if you have to expect real floods because, for example, the washing machine is in the room, you should think carefully about the flooring choice. Constant wetness can penetrate well and seemingly sufficiently treated surfaces and gradually destroy the wood.
Therefore, it is important (and this, no matter in which room) that puddles on wooden floors should be wiped away directly. As soon as a stagnant pool of water appears, the entrance gate for moisture can form, destroying the floor.
Also important: varnish is very sensitive to scratches. If these are very deep, moisture can penetrate remarkably quickly, and unsightly stains may occur. Deep scratches can not be repaired; grinding the entire surface with subsequent repainting will help. In a heavily frequented room or a room where the floor is heavily loaded, an appropriate abrasion or usage class should, therefore, be selected, and the surface of the natural floor should be kept well in view.
If the risk of water damage to the natural floor is too high, vinyl can be an alternative. Some optics look confusingly similar to the original wooden floor but are much more water-resistant.
