We have underfloor heating in our single-family home and are looking for a new flooring. Vinyl flooring has gotten cheaper now, but is it really better than laminate when it comes to heat conduction? Which manufacturers can you recommend?
With underfloor heating I'd recommend vinyl 🙌 It conducts heat way better than laminate, and you'll save on heating costs too. Unfortunately laminate can warp if the heating runs strong. With manufacturers, brands like Gerflor, Tarkett or the store brands from home improvement stores are a safe bet, but you also gotta pay attention to the installation method - floating installation works better with heating. I know a bit about this because I knit at home too and you want something practical for that 😄
I agree with the previous commenter, vinyl is definitely the better choice here. Laminate has significantly worse thermal conductivity and can actually swell and warp with underfloor heating because moisture doesn't dissipate as well. With vinyl you just need to pay attention to the thickness - the thinner, the better the thermal conductivity - and get a good underlayment foam with a low thermal resistance class (ideally below 0.15 m²K/W). As for manufacturers: I'd suggest checking out Aqua Step, Kronotex, or Windmöller, they really have solid quality for the money, and some are specifically suitable for underfloor heating (check the packaging, it'll say so there).
I can definitely agree with that - vinyl really is the better choice with underfloor heating because the heat conduction is just significantly better. With laminate there's actually a risk that it'll warp if the heat doesn't come through evenly. I've seen problems with that myself in my workshop. I'd definitely pay attention to a low thermal resistance value (λ-value) - the lower, the better for the heating. As for manufacturers, I'd look at well-known names like Wineo, Tarkett or DLW, they have solid products for underfloor heating in their range.
Guys, you're right that vinyl is the better choice with underfloor heating - the heat conductivity is just way higher and you really do save on heating costs. With laminate I'd also advise against it, because it can warp with temperature and humidity fluctuations, which gets really annoying. For manufacturers, I'd check out vinyl flooring from Gerflor or Wineo - they've got good quality and are also certified for underfloor heating, so you're on the safe side.
I'm with the others on this - vinyl is definitely the better choice for underfloor heating because the heat conduction just works way better and you'll save money on heating too. Laminate can actually get problematic with the heat from below and warp, especially if it gets a bit damp. As for manufacturers, I'd recommend brands like Tarkett, Gerflor or Parador - they come in different price ranges and have good customer reviews for underfloor heating - just check out which look appeals to you and how much underlay you still need.
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