Engineered Wood Parquet or Cement style tikes for flooring -PLEASE help me choose?!

[Multitudes]

Hello.

I posted in Property/DIY but hoping I’ll get more traffic here!

I’m having underfloor heating laid in my hall and living area.

It’s a small house, front room is 12’by 16’ which looks onto a small patio.

It’s technically a new build but it was built in the shell of a Victorian factory so the exterior is old IYSWIM.

I love both looks, the tiles would make it look very Scandi-contemporary.

The wood would be traditional but so lovely too.

Bonus for the tiling is that, eventually I could tile the kitchen and the patio in the same tiles but that would be in the next 2-3 years.

I think that would add the illusion of space and make the house feel more coordinated.

Also it would contrast with the wooden stairs.

The wood wouldn’t match the stairs which isn’t a good look but I could put a carpet runner on them anyway.

I won’t sell or move anytime soon, if ever so resale value isn’t a concern tbh.

I’m stuck in a loop and the builders need to know v soon!

Can anyone help me break the cycle?

I can’t even choose between times either!

Links to the tiles:

www.stonesuperstore.co.uk/cement-urbano-porcelain-tiles

or these ones! www.wallsandfloors.co.uk/opus-concrete-effect-tiles-cinereous-grey-tiles

This is a link to the wood www.woodfloorwarehouse.co.uk/diamond-walnut-herringbone

Oh, I love dark flooring too!

Thanks so much!

Go for the wood. Those concrete type tiles look like old slabs you would use to lay a patio. They will date horribly and will be a nightmare to replace/update. The wood is more classic and also more Scandi in my opinion. I've never seen concrete type floors in any Scandi decor.

Oh Jesus I love that wood.

Thank you so much for sorting my flooring nightmare!

Absolutely love the wood.

I love the concrete look generally but not keen on those tiles.

What wood is the stairs? Will it clash?

And thanks for coming up with the Home Dec topic. Who knew???

Thanks so much for all of your replies!

It feels so important to get this right as it’s an insurance job for which they’ve let me jiggle the budget as I had stupidly expensive handmade bathroom tiles (poor decision making when deep in grief)

I’ll never have this budget or the top quality building firm again!

Funnily enough, all the women I’ve asked have said Wood.

The three men I asked said tiles!

I don’t think that’s a big enough sample group to draw any conclusions though.

And those same me told me the engineered wood isn’t durable and hard to repair as you can’t sand and revarnish, but there shouldn’t be any heavy usage anyway (no child age children running around!)

I think I was aiming for an ‘urban/industrial’ ‘modern/contemporary’ look with the tiles and all the blogs talk about extending the space into the patio...so maybe Scandi was the wrong word.

Anyway, the tiles should be more durable? Or not as they’re porcelain?

I agree that a classic look will never date though.

If it helps

I’m having the walls in both the front room and hallway in Little Green Intelligent Emulsion (it’s a Matt finish) in China Clay Deep

Having all the woodwork including doors in Little Green Intelligent Emulsion (you can use it on wood too) Lamp Black

Very similar to this

www.google.com/search?q=little+greene+china+clay+deep&safe=strict&rlz=1CDGOYI_enGB783GB783&hl=en-GB&prmd=isnv&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiZo77luorkAhWSXRUIHdmUD8IQ_AUoAXoECA4QAQ&biw=375&bih=638#imgrc=s63pdFbCu8S23M

www.homesandantiques.com/antiques/display-ideas/how-to-decorate-with-dreamy-neutrals/

Furnishings v mid century I’m afraid!

I’ve a 1960s modern chaise longue in grey fabric

A blonde Ercol dining table and chairs and a mirrored sideboard.

Have one non “designer” small armchair in mustard.
@NoNoNoOohmaybe You are most welcome! I’m so glad the weeks and weeks I’ve spent obsessively researching has paid off for more than one person!

Really REALLY appreciate your input and advice, thanks so much.

Clicky Links to the tiles:

www.stonesuperstore.co.uk/cement-urbano-porcelain-tiles

or these ones! www.wallsandfloors.co.uk/opus-concrete-effect-tiles-cinereous-grey-tiles

This is a link to the wood www.woodfloorwarehouse.co.uk/diamond-walnut-herringbone

Sorry @PETRONELLAS

The wood won’t match the stairs at all, but I can put a runner on the stairs, or see how much it would be to do the stairs as well.

The cement are awful. Try to find a wood that matches the stairs even a wood tile or just find a different tile.

I don't like the squareness of the tile. If it had been a plank shaped tile I'd have liked it more. I'd go with wood, but don't understand why it can't be resurfaced if necessary. I don't think wood has to match when it is on different planes. Floor is floor, stairs is not.

Thanks so much.

Feeling very little love for the cement! Ah, so much for being cool...

I was told that engineered floor get dented and scratched more easily than laminate but can’t be sanded down and restored as it’s only a veneer if wood. They were described as a poor investment.

I’m now think of getting this

www.woodfloorwarehouse.co.uk/rustic-oak-solid-parquet-unfinished

and getting it sanded and stained???

Would sanding and staining cost big bucks?

Will my builders clench?!

That shouldn't be too hard a job- and there are loads of floor companies that specialise in the treatment- it's often found in older public buildings, school halls etc, and is fabulous.

Thanks pickle.

I think the solid wood has edged it!

I think the solid wood looks much nicer than the engineered wood. It just looked a bit fake tbh.

Sanding and staining won't be much work. We've had it done recently. Big sanding machine, then two coats of stain/varnish. Looks beautiful but natural.

Oh no!
Just read that underfloor heating is not compatible with solid wood floors!

I just looked at that solid parquet what a bargain. It's gorgeous and I hadn't seen this website before so thanks for your post, op.

My pleasure flirtygirl

Looks like I’ll have a choice of underfloor heating or solid wood so I’m very glad someone else gets the benefit.

So new question, underfloor heating or solid wood floors?

Or there’s this tile (but is a tile pretending to be wood tacky?)

www.tilemountain.co.uk/p/nordic-wood-dark-brown-wall-and-floor-tile.html

Another porcelain tile pretending to be wood but in a different and very pretty parquet design

totaltiles.co.uk/heritage-parquet-wood-effect-floor-tile.html

Yes pinkcardi I have engineered wood on the stairs and my bedroom and it’s exactly as you describe, I regret it tbh.

So now my options are:

No underfloor heating and solid wood parquet.

Underfloor heating and a porcelain tile

Underfloor heating and maybe the engineered wood.

Engineered wood isn't necessarily a big maintenance problem but you need to look for ones which have thicker layers of the wood on top so they can be sanded. The one you posted only has 0.6mm which is nothing- but that'll also be why it's so inexpensive- it's not far off being a laminate. If you can stretch to a few more £/m2 you could get a much more durable engineered wood option which would have scope for sanding if needed.

The concrete option is one you'd have to look at in the flesh- IMHO, fake versions of actual materials can really cheapen a look. Polished concrete floor- Lovely. Tiles which look like a printed and stuck on version of a concrete floor- not so lovely. Is similar with stone vs porcelain tiles trying to pretend to be stone. If you pay enough then the imitations can be fine, but you do have to be careful at lower end prices that you don't end up with something that looks as though you were too skint to afford the real thing.

Tiles are also harder to remove so you really need to get it right or will devalue the property when you come to sell if they are naff/dated/not to everyone's taste etc by then.

I'm current having a similar debate on a simailar budget. Think we'll end up with an enginered wood with a thicker 'real wood' layer. Or possibly tiles which are pretty plain and not pretending to be anything (maybe hexagon shaped). (Or real slate can be quite cheap, but possibly not to your taste).

Thanks so so much @Canyousewcushions

That’s amazing advice, I really appreciate it.

I’m going to look for thicker engineered floors right now.

Haven’t looked at slate tiles so will investigate those too.

You're welcome- hope you find something you like.

I'm still umming and ahhing a lot- if I could stretch to £35/m2 there is suddenly a lot more choice and less risk of it looking a bit rubbish, but I can't really afford that as it's for a fairly big area.

Slate is obviously a totally different look from the kind of links you were posting- more potential for it be a bit 'rustic' rather than on the trendy/urban side. However it is less faddy- am trying to work out whether I could do something I like with it. Think was "Mrs Stone store" I'd been looking at.

I've got a month or two before is need to make a final choice but have spent far too much time looking at it so far- getting a nice finish for under £25 is doable I'm sure, just more legwork required than if I could afford fired earth!!

I’ve got slate in a bathroom. Shows up everything and has never looked clean. Think we got a rustic type...

Thanks again @Canyousewcushions your advice was a game changer, I’ve completely changed my search criteria now.

So I’m now looking at this one, which has a 3mm wood layer. Not as dark as I’d like but still v attractive.

www.woodfloorwarehouse.co.uk/125mm-school-house-oak-herringbone

Or this one which has a 5mm wood layer and is dark but pricey!

www.saleflooringdirect.co.uk/item/792/Oak/Engineered-Wenge-Oak-Herringbone.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI19iYjp-M5AIV1YjVCh3dFwOIEAQYAyABEgJO5fD_BwE

If I dropped the herringbone obsession it would be a lot easier, but I love it sooooo much.

I’m still not sure about Slate. I live in a very very urban area, and if it’s difficult to clean I’d resent it quickly so thanks @PETRONELLAS But ultimately it’s not sparking any joy!

Oh, there’s this one which is the same as the dark 5mm but in a light oak.

It’s got a bigger discount though

www.saleflooringdirect.co.uk/item/794/EngineeredHardwoodFlooring/Engineered-Marrone-Brown-Herringbone.html

I've got porcelain tiles in a wood plank effect. Love them. They look brilliant, are a joy to maintain- I just vacuum, and have never needed to mop.

I would go with engineered wood herringbone in oiled not laquered finish. Any scratches can be oiled over and they blend back in, easy peasy.