Advice with choosing flooring please

I've had both laminate flooring (never again) and the Karndean planks and have never had any problems with paw prints or foot prints showing up on it. My friend did have engineered wood and initially it looked amazing, really rich and warm. But after a while, it became pitted with dents and knocks from keys, cutlery, toys etc being dropped on It. She had to have it sanded down and repolished periodically to remove the damage. A bit too labour intensive for me.

Look at this, my daughter swears by it, she got a sample and abused it for a fortnight before committing.
www.polyflor.com/jh/products.nsf/products!open&prodcode=4

Thanks both, thanks for the link MSL, yes the luxury vinyl flooring can take a lot of abuse! It’s probably the type we had had quite a sheen on it so showed up everything, though was very tough.
Am keen to try different flooring after having the vinyl planks if can. Not had wood except old stripped floorboards many years ago.

Hi Moll. Take a look at this - our “wooden floor.
Only it isn’t, it’s porcelain plank tiles from Tile Choice.
Didn’t require previous floor surface to be screeded. Laid in 2 days.
No one can tell by looking.
They are fabulous with pets - just spray with a diluted cleaning agent and buff with a Lakeland wide floor mop.
It’s the best hard flooring we’ve ever had in 40 years and several houses.

Thanks Puzzler61 that’s a good idea, I’ll look into that ?

Puzzler61 - looks lovely. A few questions.

1. how hard is the surface and do things smash into smithereeens if dropped on it?

2. if I get tiny stones caught in the soles of my trainers (as often happens after walking outdoors) will they scratch it?

3. Will stiletto heels pierce or indent it?

4. Do red wine spills sink in or remain on top for wiping off?

5. Is the surface matt or glossy?

Thanks for your help.

We have engineered wood in hall and kitchen/diner. Previous owners laid it but with our dogs it's taken quite a hammerin with claw marks.
I know it can be sanded down 3 times but with the upheaval and hairy animals to keep out of the way, seems like hassle. Am thinking of hard tiles for a clean look.

Hi Ramblingrose.

It is a very hard surface, it’s not in the kitchen and I’ve not dropped anything delicate on it yet. I think a china cup or a glass bottle would break on contact.

I get tiny pebbles caught in the bottom of my trainers and I can’t see scratches from them (though I do try to take trainers off pretty soon after coming in the house).

Porcelain is tougher than ceramic tiles and the beauty is if the top is scratched the colour remains the same throughout the “tile” (or plank in the case of my wooden look ones).
Ceramic tiles have colour only in the top ‘layer’, like a veneer and so any chip will reveal an alabaster sort of colour underneath.

Yes spillages stay on top to be completely wiped off.

We chose a matt surface as it looked more authentically ‘wooden’ , but there are other choices available.

Hope this helps ?

* Sorry, don’t know about stiletto heels

PS it still looks like brand new after 2 years

PPS It’s quiet to walk on, not clippy, cloppy like laminate wooden floors can be.

Thanks for these answers, Puzzler61.

Definitely sounds worth considering.

Must say the Amtico flooring I had laid in my old house in the living room took everything that could be thrown or dropped on it. So easy to clean and looked as wonderful as when it was laid when I moved out 16 years later. Cost a lot, but so worth every penny. Wish I could have brought it with me. It looked exactly like parquet flooring and even had a border around it. Brilliant flooring - and always got very complimentary comments on it by everyone (visitors and tradesmen), who came in.

I like sheet vinyl . The hardest wearing sheet vinyl is more expensiv, which makes it me as it has the thicker actual vinyl layer, which makes it harder wearing than a sort that is mainly cushioning.

Wood flooring is possibly better for the environment. However if you keep your vinyl until it wears out (after about seventy years) that is not too bad either.