Floor covering in your conservatory

[evrybuddy]

What's your conservatory floor like? Carpet/tiles/vinyl/rubber?

Our planned conservatory will be finished with a 'screed finish' floor - which I think just means smooth cement type finish.

We don't really know what to put on the floor after that - maybe we should just polish it?

It's a big area - about 30 square metres - so cost will be a big issue - tiles might be too pricey.

We wondered about coir carpeting www.johnlewis.com/coir-herringbone-natural-carpet/p1913868

It will be our main living room with TV and sofas so we want a 'warm' feel but it is also the only route to the back garden from the house so there may be dirty feet sometimes.

Is carpet in a conservatory naff?

What about polishing the cement and using big rugs?

What did you do and how much did it cost?

The screed will be cold. I wouldn't polish it.

I don't have a conservatory but I'd probably do karndean on the floor if I were you. Warm, easy to clean, hard wearing and practical as well as looking nice.

Carpet could be an issue due to sunlight damage as well as dirt issues, I wouldn't put it in a conservatory.

We've just had a vinyl floor put down in our conservatory, it's like kardean but I don't think as expensive - although it wasn't cheap! It looks like walnut floor boards and is stuck down.

We have underfloor heating in ours, but even before the circuit was filled the room felt warmer with the new floor.

Absolutely love it! just mop over with microfibre mop and it's as new again - I have a mucky dog!

Just to add Won't coir carpeting be hard to clean coming direct from the garden?
I would think you would quickly get a 'path' from the garden on the carpet which would drive me nuts

Thanks - that's good info.

I had been worried about the carpet becoming a track and then thought maybe have that area in vinyl or with extra mats but that always looks a bit iffy and reminds me of aged relatives.

Vinyl and rubber are both appealing - I think they're cheaper than tiles!!!

We haven't got underfloor heating - so cold on feet is a concern.

I suppose there is always the option for rugs with tiles/rubber/vinyl!

It all adds up - perhaps we'll just have mattresses in a row!

Have you considered engineered wood (or is that too expensive?) - it is apparently a possibility for conservatories - thinking of replacing the old granny tiles in ours with engineered wood - this:
www.decortiles.co.uk/tiles-flooring/wooden-flooring-in-a-conservatory/
suggests it would be OK but I wonder if anyone has first-hand experience?

The base is concrete and then we have tiles. I like a nice cold floor for the dogs but not everyone does.

I would be wary of carpet. But I am not a huge fan of carpet full stop, just harbours dirt/germs and, naturally, conservatories open right out into the garden usually. I would probably opt for some kind of vinyl, if you get proper underlay it shouldn't be cold, our kitchen has no underlay!

Wooden floor in a conservatory? Isn't that just asking for trouble especially if it is south facing - all that sun is bound to warp the wood eventually isn't it - not to mention the fading. Although that might look nice.
And vinyl - what about the effects of the heat on the adhesive over time? Isn't the only choice proper tiles...

I think the engineered wood would be too pricey for us - even without sun/warping issues.

I'm tending towards vinyl or rubber - although I've read the rubber can crack over time.

I didn't realise you had underlay with vinyl - that's interesting.

Is modern vinyl a very different product from old-time lino?

Surely tiles are the cheapest option?! Shop around, they are not expensive.

We have tiles and I wouldn't consider anything else, especially if the sun comes in as it fades everything. Our conservatory gets hot (I love it that it does) and rubber would crack I am sure, as would lino.

Agree with Rousette - if you shop around you can get porcelain tiles for around £20/sq.m. Then there is no worry about how long they will last, fading, cracking etc

They didn't lay any underlay under our vinyl, you don't need it. Just self level, adhesive then the vinyl. Ours is rated for conservatories so the adhesive should be fine fingerscrossedotherwisei'mcomplaining

I would probably have tiles if it was just the purchase expense but the fitting cost on 30Msq might be a bit prohibitive compared to vinyl - it's a lot of adhesive and man-hours - but I'm still open to tiles - depending on appearance - which can be a problem at the bargain end of things.

The thing I worry about with tiles is how tiled conservatories look like Garden Centre coffee shops - all a bit beige and elderly and health and safety conscious - or railway platform buffet bars...

What colour tiles have you got if you've overcome that appearnace thing?

Also, with tiles, and no underfloor heating, we're bound to end up having to buy a big rig for the sofa/tv end of the room.

I know tiles are the 'default', the 'expected', but I'm just curious to see what alternatives people have come up with, how they work and whether people are happy with them.