Quick Step/Vitality Laminate - Any good?

mleonard79

Hi Everyone,

I've been looking at Quick Step Laminate and Vitality Laminate for my hallway. Does anyone have any experience with these brands - what are they like in terms or quality? Which is best? What should I be looking out for? Initially I wanted to get the original floorboards fixed but they are in too bad a way to repair so then I thought about real wood flooring as I wanted it to look as authentic as possible with this being an old house but I have now been put off this as I've been told it is very easily marked and laminate is more hard wearing. I didn't want laminate as I felt it would have that slippy feel to it and look fake but some of these two brands do look quite authentic. Any info, hints and tips gratefully received. Also is it best to buy from a shop or can you get it cheaper online - is so where's best? Thanks for any help.

Regards

Michelle

brownfrog

Don't have experience of Vitality, but Quick Step's a decent product for its type.

Wouldn't necessarily agree that laminate's more hardwearing than engineered wood flooring - it depends on the finish of the wood and on the quality of the laminate. A soft wood like pine will obviously mark far more easily than a hard one like oak. In any case, whether you have laminate or real wood, you'll have to get used to have (large) doormats and taking your shoes off when you get indoors, as wet and grit will damage laminate in exactly the same way. If laminate does get damaged, it's usually not possible to fix it, whereas with wood, you can usually sand off the varnish and revarnish, or if deeper damage, sand down into the wear layer of wood (how much you can do depends on how deep this layer is - usually between 7 and 30 mm). IMO, wear and tear on wood is all part of living with a natural product - you wouldn't expect the original wooden floors in a 1930s house to be absolutely pristine, and as with leather, wear can often increase the character of wood, whereas laminate just looks worn.

There are several threads on here about wood vs laminate, and including some other options for flooring.
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=223300&highlight=solid+wood+flooring
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=245960&highlight=solid+wood+flooring

mleonard79

Hi Brownfrog,

Thanks for the help and links - I'll read through them. I'm really quite confused about the whole issue now to be honest - before going to that store I was pretty determined that it had to be real wood but he really put me off it. I have the original floorboards in a bedroom and they do get marked ocassionally but apparently original floorboards are much harder wearing than the real wood flooring that you buy (well they'd have to be as this house is a good 100 years old!) What is the difference between the real hard wood and engineered hard wood? Is there much of one?

I've been looking aroud online and I see a lot of stuff about quick step laminate but nothing about Vitality - does anyone know anything about Vitality? Thanks.

Regards

Michelle

tawnyowls

mleonard79 wrote:

Hi Brownfrog,

Thanks for the help and links - I'll read through them. I'm really quite confused about the whole issue now to be honest - before going to that store I was pretty determined that it had to be real wood but he really put me off it. I have the original floorboards in a bedroom and they do get marked ocassionally but apparently original floorboards are much harder wearing than the real wood flooring that you buy (well they'd have to be as this house is a good 100 years old!) What is the difference between the real hard wood and engineered hard wood? Is there much of one?

I've been looking aroud online and I see a lot of stuff about quick step laminate but nothing about Vitality - does anyone know anything about Vitality? Thanks.

Regards

Michelle

First, apologies for accidentally logging in under sibling's username above, but it was me!

Well, as I said, how much marking occurs depends on the type of wood and the way it's treated (or abused). I've had wood floors for years, and have always used a tough hardwood like oak in areas that get a lot of wear, like the hallway, living room etc. The main things you have to watch out for are wet and grit, which apply every bit as much for laminate. I wouldn't recommend wood for a room that opens directly into a garden, for instance, because even with mats, it's very difficult not to carry a lot of water and mud inside, but just opening out onto a road/driveway is fine. I have doormats at every door, and when the weather is grotty, I put down runners so that shoes get properly cleaned and the floor's protected (this is for guests - the family take their shoes off, and TBH, a lot of guest will do this too the second they see the floor, but we don't insist). All furniture has protective pads underneath (again, you really should do this for laminate too) - felt ones are the most easily found, but they pick up a lot of dust, so if you can, try getting plastic ones (Teflon-coated are the best, but they're expensive; however, my local pound shop stocks 28-piece packs of plastic packs made by a company called Devinia Int Ltd), but make sure they haven't got any sort of pointy studding in them (a slight pattern is fine). If you are moving furniture, it's worth checking the legs just to make sure there isn't any grit caught under them, even if you've got the pads, as just a tiny piece of grit can make a very large scratch. We treated the floor after it was laid with a protective polish (made for Karndean floors, but works just as well on wood), and apart from that, I just sweep/vacuum, mop with an almost dry microfibre mop when necessary, and treat once a year with the protector (it's no more difficult than mopping the floor).

As for the differences, 'real' wood is solid wood, all the way through, cut either as indivdual planks of wood or as strips that are then joined together to make planks. Engineered (structured, composite) board is a sandwich of different woods - usually a plank of a cheap engineered wood, with a second layer of a similar cheap wood laid at right angles, and then the top layer being either a plank or strips of the 'proper' wood. Laminate is made in a similar way, with a plank of cheap engineered wood, then a photographic layer (literally a photograph of a wood plank), and then a top 'wear layer' that's made of melamine, similar to a kitchen worktop. There's a good site here with pics that explains all the terms: http://www.ukflooringdirect.co.uk/definitions-of-flooring-terms.htm

For looks, IMO laminate comes a long way behind the other two. In terms of wear, it depends, as detailed above, which one is the best. For installation, laminate or engineered wood are usually easier and cheaper to lay than solid, but again, that can depend. The difference in materials price is quite substantial - laminate is by far the cheapest (starting from about £5/sq m), and then the price starts to go up, really depending on how much real wood there is; a 7mm engineered board will be cheaper than a 20mm one, which will be cheaper than solid wood. You pays your money and takes your choice. If you can afford it, and especially as it's the first room you see going into your house, and it's a relatively small area, I would recommend going for engineered wood, in a hardwood finish, but probably a fairly light colour (eg light oak), as halls can be quite dark, but in the end, it's up to what you like.

Don't be put off by one salesman's attitude - take your time, have a good look round and as I said, maybe even consider alternatives to wood.

mleonard79

Hi Tawnyowls,

Wow -what an indepth reply! Thanks so much for taking the time. Before I got put off the real wood it was oak wood that I was looking at (I found some in a shop 15mm thick for £18 per m2 and I thought that was an amazing price, don't know the make though.)

As far as opening onto a garden or road/driveway goes - no problems there, it's a top floor flat! I guess you can still have some wetness coming in from shoes but I'd be careful about that.

especially as it's the first room you see going into your house, and it's a relatively small area

Unfortunately when you say small area our hall actually is quite large for a hall (it'll take a good 16m2 of wood to floor it.) So you would go for the engineered wood over the real wood then? I don't think I've seen too much of the engineered wood in the shops but I'll have a look the next time I go on a scouting mission. I'm all over the place with this - initially I wanted real wood and then decided I should just get really good laminate and now I'm veering back towards the real wood again! Oh the joys of decorating and decision-making eh?! As I say this is an old tenement flat (if you've ever been in a Glasgow tenement flat you'll know what I mean when I say it needs to look authentic as they have large rooms and very high ceilings so traditional is the watch word.) Thanks for all your tips and advice -much appreciated.

I'm still looking to find out anything about the Vitality laminate for my friend (she's going to buy it on Sunday and we're just looking for some opinions/info on it.)

Regards

Michelle

mleonard79

Hi Again,

Just to update - I went to have another look at the real wood I'd seen for £18 per m2 and the quick step. I really like the look of the quick step antique oak but I don't particularly like the feel - it does feel like it could be a little slippy and cold but I guess all laminate will be like that and perhaps it was just the shop was very cold too. The salesman told me that he didn't know who the manufacturer of the real wood is and that oak is just oak from an oak tree so it doesn't really matter who manufactures it. I was hoping to get some kind of brand name so I could check it out but no such luck. He also told me that I would need an extra 10% on top of what I had measured the room at so instead of 16m2 I would need to get 18m2 - is this true?

I nearly died off when he told me the price for the quick step - £26.99 per m2! I've found the same thing online at £14.99 so I think that's a bit excessive. I'm still havering to be honest but am going to have a look at another place tomorrow. Any other opinions, info or advice anyone can contribute gratefully received! Thanks.

Regards

Michelle

ABN

Personaly I hate Laminate flooring. I think not matter what brand you go for it looks/feels/sounds cheap and nasty.
The thing that lets it down the most, also applys to the multi strip engineered planks, is the perfect joints within the plank but then, with the right lighting conditions, you can clearly see the plank joints which totyaly ruin the effect.

Not sure what your DIY skills are but what I did in the end was to pull up all the old floorboards and replace with new ones.
Its not that difficult nor much more expensive but looks 100% better and will add value.

http://www.realoakfloors.co.uk/solid_unfinished_oak.php

Typical of what you can get and costs.

tawnyowls

mleonard79 wrote:

Wow -what an indepth reply! Thanks so much for taking the time.

No worries - you're welcome

Before I got put off the real wood it was oak wood that I was looking at (I found some in a shop 15mm thick for £18 per m2 and I thought that was an amazing price, don't know the make though.)

That is a very good price, especially that thickness - I'd normally expect £25-50 for oak. I woudn't worry too much about the make - ask the salesman how easy it is to sand; that'll be a good indication of the quality. If possible, get yourself a sample plank and try dropping some sharp things on it and see what happens. If it sort of splinters into tiny bits, like chipboard, then it might be a lower-quality wood; a decent quality one will usually break into large chips that can easily be repaired with a bit of glue.

As far as opening onto a garden or road/driveway goes - no problems there, it's a top floor flat! I guess you can still have some wetness coming in from shoes but I'd be careful about that.

Yes - like I said, get a doormat and get into the habit of leaving your slippers by the door and taking off your shoes.

Unfortunately when you say small area our hall actually is quite large for a hall (it'll take a good 16m2 of wood to floor it.) So you would go for the engineered wood over the real wood then?

I probably would - it's generally cheaper, easier to install, and more stable as regards expansion. Don't forget you will have to have an expansion gap around any type of wood/laminate floor. You can cover the gap with beading (the concave one looks best), but the neatest way is to have the skirting taken off and then replaced to cover the gap.

I don't think I've seen too much of the engineered wood in the shops but I'll have a look the next time I go on a scouting mission.


There are loads; you probably just haven't realised what it is - most flooring shops will have far more of it than solid wood. Junkers, Bruce, Tarkett are three names OTTOMH.

I'm still looking to find out anything about the Vitality laminate for my friend (she's going to buy it on Sunday and we're just looking for some opinions/info on it.)

Saw an old mate who's a fitter at the w/e and he reckons it's very similar to Quick Step.

I really like the look of the quick step antique oak but I don't particularly like the feel - it does feel like it could be a little slippy and cold but I guess all laminate will be like that and perhaps it was just the shop was very cold too.

Yes, it will, really, because it's an artificial product, without the insulating qualities of wood. You can get ones with a slight texture, and they're less slippy.

The salesman told me that he didn't know who the manufacturer of the real wood is and that oak is just oak from an oak tree so it doesn't really matter who manufactures it. I was hoping to get some kind of brand name so I could check it out but no such luck. He also told me that I would need an extra 10% on top of what I had measured the room at so instead of 16m2 I would need to get 18m2 - is this true?

Yes, possibly - most wood comes in packs, and you can only buy complete packs, so it might be possible you'll need to add in the extra couple of metres. It's always handy to have a few spare boards.

I nearly died off when he told me the price for the quick step - £26.99 per m2! I've found the same thing online at £14.99 so I think that's a bit excessive.

Very! TBH, if you really decide on laminate, you might be as well off, if you're going to put a runner down, to look at the cheaper versions in DIY stores.

HTH. As I said, take your time, and look in as many shops as you can. Don't need to be specifically flooring either - many carpet shops do a bit of flooring - and look in the big DIY shops too; you can always get a fitter to fit it if you need to.

misgrace

mleonard79 wrote:

Hi Again,

Just to update - I went to have another look at the real wood I'd seen for £18 per m2 and the quick step.

Michelle

Could you give me the link or details for this flooring, as I am on the hunt also, and if its £18 per m2, then I would definately be interested, as I know roughly how much I would be expected to pay, and this seems more than reasonable.
Are you sure its real wood, and not engineered wood?as that starts around £18 or so for a half decent one.

mleonard79

Hi misgrace,

No it's definitely real wood not engineered - unfortunately it's only in 2 small independent shops in Glasgow that I've seen it and not a large brand name store or online so I can't give you any links to it. Of course if you're in Glasgow I can tell you where it is but otherwise I can't be of much help. Sorry!

Regards

Michelle

mleonard79

Hi again Tawnyowls,

Thanks for your help yet again. I haven't had time to go look at the engineered wood yet but did see some more laminate when my friend went to buy hers at the carpet shop (they don't do wood) yesterday. She just got the vitality laminate - seems of a similar quality to the quickstep as you said. I've seem some v-groove (don't know if that's a make or not just a style?!) lamiante at £12.99 that's 8mm thick that looked quite good and didn't feel too cold or slippy to touch.

To be honest if I got wood put down I'd want really good quality and we can't really afford to go over the £18-20 per m2 at the moment with the size of the room so I might have to go with laminate that'll look reasonable for a few years and then think of going for wood then. Either that or maybe the engineered wood if it's a little cheaper - any good websites I could look at for this? I'll go into town to have a look at some shops when I've got a chance too. The £18 wood is a 3-striped plank if that makes any difference but I'm starting to think perhaps the plank is a little narrow looking for the room.

if you're going to put a runner down, to look at the cheaper versions in DIY stores.

Sorry if this seems dense but what do you mean by putting a runner down? Thanks again.

Regards

Michelle