What are the different wood floor options? And how do they compare performance-wise? Needing to choose a flooring for my own new house under construction, and not finding the kind of information I wanted, I proceeded to do my own tests and shared the results here: Wood Floor Options and my assessment. Check this article for more thorough discussions on the materials, the tests and how they were done.
And because a number of people have read this blog entry, I am sharing this follow-up article. Here are the additional materials I tested:
10. Hornitex laminated wood. I mentioned this brand in my previous blog but didn't get samples to test. When I shared to a distributor that I couldn't consider this brand since I had no idea how it would perform, and that I had tested nine (9) other floor materials and knew how radically different the performances could be, I was promptly given a sample! The material boasts being manufactured using German technology. Price point is less than P800 per sqm.
11. Kronotex laminated wood. I was really curious about Kronotex, but couldn't get a sample previously. Now I had!
Kronotex is manufactured in Germany, and to me had the "feel" and impression of the Parador brand, but at a significantly lower price point. (See my previous blog for more info and positive comments on Parador laminated wood.) Quite impressively, I discovered that only Kronotex had a click system for connecting the ends of the planks, aside from the click system along the sides of the planks.
Kronotex has a unique click system for connecting the ends of the planks - see the blue rubberized insert. This is in addition to the click system along the sides of the planks, and is impressive as it is not seen on other laminated wood brands.
Very importantly, Kronotex has a line of products that have a v-cut on the edges. This gives the added look and "feel" of real solid wood planks, and also serves the purpose of giving some allowance for expansion due to minor water absorption while still maintaining a good appearance. You can note this on laminated wood installations in public places where the slightest edge expansion results to an unsightly "bunching" and lifting at the edges. This won't be the same concern when v-cuts are present. Small chipping at the edges are similarly addressed by the v-cuts. For comparison, the lowest priced Parador brand of Germany with v-cuts is about P1,700 per sqm, and for Pergo of Sweden it is about P3k per sqm. Steiger with v-cuts is about P1k per sqm, though my test results for Steiger were not so impressive. (I should add for info that I saw there are Steiger models thinner than what I had tested that are at the P500 to P600 range.)
Back to Kronotex, the model with v-cuts has few colors (as compared to other Kronotex ranges and ranges of other brands), and this limited range is shown in the previous pic. But there is enough of a range to offer a good choice. Notice also in the pic that the wood pattern is random versus a fixed, repeating pattern. This is desirable as it creates a more natural look. The mix of polished and matt patterns with deep grooves are also appealing. It was shown to me that the thickness of the laminated layer on the model with the v-cut is noticeably thicker, and thus more scratch resistant.
The Kronotex sample I was provided was without a v-cut, but my position was that if I like how that sample performs, then the Kronotex with v-cut would be even better. So at the Kronotex price of about P800 per sqm, this looked very promising indeed! It is still significantly cheaper than the Parador without v-cut which is at about P1,200 per sqm. The Kronotex plank size is 193 mm x 1380 mm x 8 mm. Kronotex is available from Wilcon and the various Home Depots locally (and available globally). I was excited to test my new samples!
12. Vohringer laminated wood. Made in Germany. Marketed in the Philippines by Trendway Builders, Inc. under Hans flooring. The price range is about the same as Hornitex. The distributor said they use a thicker-than-usual PE foam when installing. I thought it would be worth checking this material since it is also made in Germany.
13. Allure Locking. Plank size is 190 mm x 1200 mm x 5 mm. The size is good, but the material is notably thinner than most, at 5 mm verses the typical 8 to 9 mm for laminated wood, and up to 18 mm for typical engineered wood or solid wood floors. The brochure handed out at the recent WorldBex 2014 doesn't actually state "laminated wood", and it looks more like a thick heavy-duty vinyl tile, but it does have a classy wood appearance to rival laminated wood. The reps at WorldBex boasts the Allure floor is 100% waterproof (actually to be expected given it's composition doesn't contain wood!), that it is silent to walk on or drop objects on (surprise, surprise - this was one of my tests even from the first round), that it's tough and resilient material compensates for uneven floor finishes to produce a great look, that it has a ceramic top coat that makes it impervious to scratches, and that it is fire resistant.
Look of the Matimco Luxe HD Wood Plastic Composite vis-a-vis the Allure Locking floor. Though similar in this view, the Allure Locking floor is more matte. Both floors are claimed to have highly technical performance characteristics. Get more info on the Matimco Luxe HD from my previous blog.
The Allure Locking flooring has 10 different wood colors and patterns to choose from. It is supplied by a sister company of FourlinQ, an established supplier of high quality uPVC windows in the Philippines. Initial price was stated at about P1,500 per sqm, but this is yet to be confirmed.
More comparative comments. More floor options.
Warranties. The Allure flooring claims a 25 year warranty for residential applications. Same with the Parador brand that has a warranty against color fading. Other laminates have similar but shorter warranties, though very importantly, none cover warranties against water damage which is the Achilles heel of laminated floors. Matwood Luxe HD Flooring has a warranty of 10 years against termite, fungal decay and wood borers. They will also replace any de-lamination, so this is comforting to know to back-up your significant investment.
New floor option - the Matimco Ultra Wood Plastic Composite, unveiled at the recent WorldBex Exhibit 2014. This is very similar to the Matwood Luxe HD, but with a 5 mm thickness, and doesn't have the 10-year warranty. According to Matimco, the WPC material is very strong so a 5 mm thickness is sufficient. This gives credence to the 5 mm thickness of the Allure Locking floor, and is good info. Unfortunately the Matimco Ultra WPC didn't have a sample for testing. Availability is in July, and price is about P1,450 per sqm. This is a nice material to keep watch on.
Other suppliers for bamboo wood. I've also seen a lot more Bamboo Wood options including various " strandwoven" bamboo. Prices ranged significantly. If you are interested in one, you'd be well advised to do your own tests. Or stick with Matimco Muzu and be guided by my previous results, and so have more predictability in what you're getting.
Fire resistance. The Matimco Luxe HD and Allure Locking are openly stated as fire resistant. However as I was searching more info on the web, I was very pleased to also learn that Kronotex wood laminates are fire retardant! And it was impressive to see all the websites of Kronotex, like this one that provides the strong points for their products.
The top lines on performance testing.
Hornitex and Kronotex performed comparably and had good results, with Hornitex having a distinct advantage in resistance to denting with the drop test and Kronotex had the advantage in the water immersion test. The. Vohringer did not fare well particularly in having visual bulges and expansion after the water immersion test. The Allure flooring appeared impervious to the various tests and looked rather fresh!
So overall my top picks worth considering for floor options are now the following: the Matimco Luxe HD, the Kronotex with v-cuts, and the Allure flooring. I'm still impressed with the Parador brand and like it, but one needs to cough up the price. The Matimco Muzu Strandwoven Bamboo is my choice for premium flooring with good environmental considerations while not going off the walls on cost!
Here are details for my tests:
So that's it for now!
If you have actual experiences or info to add, please leave a comment as I would love to get more real world feedback. Once I apply my own new flooring, I will give an update on my experiences also.
Happy building!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
And because a number of people have read this blog entry, I am sharing this follow-up article. Here are the additional materials I tested:
10. Hornitex laminated wood. I mentioned this brand in my previous blog but didn't get samples to test. When I shared to a distributor that I couldn't consider this brand since I had no idea how it would perform, and that I had tested nine (9) other floor materials and knew how radically different the performances could be, I was promptly given a sample! The material boasts being manufactured using German technology. Price point is less than P800 per sqm.
11. Kronotex laminated wood. I was really curious about Kronotex, but couldn't get a sample previously. Now I had!
Kronotex is manufactured in Germany, and to me had the "feel" and impression of the Parador brand, but at a significantly lower price point. (See my previous blog for more info and positive comments on Parador laminated wood.) Quite impressively, I discovered that only Kronotex had a click system for connecting the ends of the planks, aside from the click system along the sides of the planks.
Kronotex has a unique click system for connecting the ends of the planks - see the blue rubberized insert. This is in addition to the click system along the sides of the planks, and is impressive as it is not seen on other laminated wood brands.
Very importantly, Kronotex has a line of products that have a v-cut on the edges. This gives the added look and "feel" of real solid wood planks, and also serves the purpose of giving some allowance for expansion due to minor water absorption while still maintaining a good appearance. You can note this on laminated wood installations in public places where the slightest edge expansion results to an unsightly "bunching" and lifting at the edges. This won't be the same concern when v-cuts are present. Small chipping at the edges are similarly addressed by the v-cuts. For comparison, the lowest priced Parador brand of Germany with v-cuts is about P1,700 per sqm, and for Pergo of Sweden it is about P3k per sqm. Steiger with v-cuts is about P1k per sqm, though my test results for Steiger were not so impressive. (I should add for info that I saw there are Steiger models thinner than what I had tested that are at the P500 to P600 range.)
Back to Kronotex, the model with v-cuts has few colors (as compared to other Kronotex ranges and ranges of other brands), and this limited range is shown in the previous pic. But there is enough of a range to offer a good choice. Notice also in the pic that the wood pattern is random versus a fixed, repeating pattern. This is desirable as it creates a more natural look. The mix of polished and matt patterns with deep grooves are also appealing. It was shown to me that the thickness of the laminated layer on the model with the v-cut is noticeably thicker, and thus more scratch resistant.
The Kronotex sample I was provided was without a v-cut, but my position was that if I like how that sample performs, then the Kronotex with v-cut would be even better. So at the Kronotex price of about P800 per sqm, this looked very promising indeed! It is still significantly cheaper than the Parador without v-cut which is at about P1,200 per sqm. The Kronotex plank size is 193 mm x 1380 mm x 8 mm. Kronotex is available from Wilcon and the various Home Depots locally (and available globally). I was excited to test my new samples!
12. Vohringer laminated wood. Made in Germany. Marketed in the Philippines by Trendway Builders, Inc. under Hans flooring. The price range is about the same as Hornitex. The distributor said they use a thicker-than-usual PE foam when installing. I thought it would be worth checking this material since it is also made in Germany.
13. Allure Locking. Plank size is 190 mm x 1200 mm x 5 mm. The size is good, but the material is notably thinner than most, at 5 mm verses the typical 8 to 9 mm for laminated wood, and up to 18 mm for typical engineered wood or solid wood floors. The brochure handed out at the recent WorldBex 2014 doesn't actually state "laminated wood", and it looks more like a thick heavy-duty vinyl tile, but it does have a classy wood appearance to rival laminated wood. The reps at WorldBex boasts the Allure floor is 100% waterproof (actually to be expected given it's composition doesn't contain wood!), that it is silent to walk on or drop objects on (surprise, surprise - this was one of my tests even from the first round), that it's tough and resilient material compensates for uneven floor finishes to produce a great look, that it has a ceramic top coat that makes it impervious to scratches, and that it is fire resistant.
Look of the Matimco Luxe HD Wood Plastic Composite vis-a-vis the Allure Locking floor. Though similar in this view, the Allure Locking floor is more matte. Both floors are claimed to have highly technical performance characteristics. Get more info on the Matimco Luxe HD from my previous blog.
The Allure Locking flooring has 10 different wood colors and patterns to choose from. It is supplied by a sister company of FourlinQ, an established supplier of high quality uPVC windows in the Philippines. Initial price was stated at about P1,500 per sqm, but this is yet to be confirmed.
More comparative comments. More floor options.
Warranties. The Allure flooring claims a 25 year warranty for residential applications. Same with the Parador brand that has a warranty against color fading. Other laminates have similar but shorter warranties, though very importantly, none cover warranties against water damage which is the Achilles heel of laminated floors. Matwood Luxe HD Flooring has a warranty of 10 years against termite, fungal decay and wood borers. They will also replace any de-lamination, so this is comforting to know to back-up your significant investment.
New floor option - the Matimco Ultra Wood Plastic Composite, unveiled at the recent WorldBex Exhibit 2014. This is very similar to the Matwood Luxe HD, but with a 5 mm thickness, and doesn't have the 10-year warranty. According to Matimco, the WPC material is very strong so a 5 mm thickness is sufficient. This gives credence to the 5 mm thickness of the Allure Locking floor, and is good info. Unfortunately the Matimco Ultra WPC didn't have a sample for testing. Availability is in July, and price is about P1,450 per sqm. This is a nice material to keep watch on.
Other suppliers for bamboo wood. I've also seen a lot more Bamboo Wood options including various " strandwoven" bamboo. Prices ranged significantly. If you are interested in one, you'd be well advised to do your own tests. Or stick with Matimco Muzu and be guided by my previous results, and so have more predictability in what you're getting.
Fire resistance. The Matimco Luxe HD and Allure Locking are openly stated as fire resistant. However as I was searching more info on the web, I was very pleased to also learn that Kronotex wood laminates are fire retardant! And it was impressive to see all the websites of Kronotex, like this one that provides the strong points for their products.
The top lines on performance testing.
Hornitex and Kronotex performed comparably and had good results, with Hornitex having a distinct advantage in resistance to denting with the drop test and Kronotex had the advantage in the water immersion test. The. Vohringer did not fare well particularly in having visual bulges and expansion after the water immersion test. The Allure flooring appeared impervious to the various tests and looked rather fresh!
So overall my top picks worth considering for floor options are now the following: the Matimco Luxe HD, the Kronotex with v-cuts, and the Allure flooring. I'm still impressed with the Parador brand and like it, but one needs to cough up the price. The Matimco Muzu Strandwoven Bamboo is my choice for premium flooring with good environmental considerations while not going off the walls on cost!
Here are details for my tests:
So that's it for now!
If you have actual experiences or info to add, please leave a comment as I would love to get more real world feedback. Once I apply my own new flooring, I will give an update on my experiences also.
Happy building!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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