Solid wood flooring, engineered wood flooring, laminate flooring: advantages & disadvantages

Each different type of wood flooring has its own advantages and disadvantages. The overriding factor governing your choice is the type of subfloor onto which you will be installing your wood flooring: battens, screed, underfloor heating, high humidity… you will need to take these aspects into account when making your decision.

Solid parquet flooring

Main features:
- Flooring made entirely from natural hardwood
- Inherits all the wood’s original properties: durability, dimensional stability, density, appearance…
- Nailed onto battens (thickness > 20 mm), glued-down onto an insulating under-floor, or full glue-down onto a suitable insulating underlay
- Compatible with underfloor heating, depending on the dimensions of the flooring strips
- Suitable for humid rooms (exotic woods)

Advantages:
- The authentic appearance, comfort and warmth of natural wood
- Excellent resistance to daily wear and tear
- Long lasting: can be renovated several times, depending on the thickness
- Excellent noise and heat insulation (even better when an underlay is used)
- Large choice of final appearances: wood species, finishes, strip widths, laying patterns

Disadvantages:
- Laying and finishing the floor may require the assistance of a professional.
- Suppliers’ prices vary according to market fluctuations.

The "floating" engineered wood flooring

Main features:
- Wood flooring composed of several wood layers glued together:

 A layer of real wood (of the chosen species)  A latticed, cross-ply core layer of 2 to 9-ply veneer  A stabilizing backing layer

- Floating installation onto an insulating underlay, full-glue down, or glue-down onto an insulating underlay
- Multi-layer core varieties are compatible with underfloor heating

Advantages:
- The authentic appearance, comfort and warmth of natural wood
- Can be installed by DIY enthusiasts
- Strips sometimes feature “clip system” interlocking joints (makes installation easier, with no gluing necessary between strips)
- Durable and hard wearing
- Large choice of final appearances: wood species, finishes, strip widths, laying patterns

Disadvantages:
- Wear layer generally thinner than with solid wood floors
- With floating installation, insulation of sound from the floor itself is slightly reduced
- Cannot be renovated as often as solid wood, depending on its natural wood layer

Laminate flooring

Main features:
- Laminate flooring, composed of:

A decorative layer simulating the chosen wood species, protected by a resin overlay A moisture resistant, HDF inner-core layer Stabilizing backing layer, to give the floor ground stability

- Floating installation onto an insulating sub floor
- Most types compatible with underfloor heating if suitable insulation is used

Advantages:
- Floating installation: any DIY enthusiast should be able to manage installation
- Strips sometimes feature “clip system” interlocking joints (makes installation easier, with no gluing necessary between strips)
- Easy to maintain
- Good heat insulation
- Large variety of simulated wood designs

Disadvantages:
- Limited range of laying patterns
- Floating installation results in average sound insulation
- Cannot be renovated
- Not as long lasting as solid wood flooring

PVC Floors

Key Features: Vinyl / PVC flooring has it all! Its large choice of decors and colors gives free rein to the imagination: wood or concrete look, decor or plain. Which one do you prefer? A Decoplus Parquets, discover a multitude of product references at the best price. Whether you have a classic, designer or authentic decoration, know that vinyl flooring naturally finds its place in all types of interiors. Several ranges of PVC floors are available: tiles, planks ... You are spoiled for choice!

Benefits:
Floating installation accessible to all DIY enthusiasts - Interlocking system sometimes offered as a "click system" (facilitates installation, without glue between the boards) - Economical, Easy to maintain - Good thermal insulation - Compatible with underfloor heating in floating installation. - Wide variety of decorations imitating wood. Ideal for rentals, small parts or renovation, for less experienced DIY enthusiasts.

Disadvantages:
Limited installation reasons - In floating installation, sound insulation is average - No renovation possible - Less lifespan than wooden parquet.