Floor coverings are exposed to enormous stress every day - be it from furniture, constant walking or temperature fluctuations. If you are looking for a long-term solution for heavily used rooms, you should consider hard-wearing floor coverings. These coverings not only offer a robust foundation, but also impress with their visual variety and ease of care. In this article, we will introduce you to the most popular floor coverings such as vinyl, PVC, terrazzo, naturofloor and parquet. We will also explain the advantages and disadvantages of each. Find out which covering is perfect for your project!
Vinyl flooring: easy to care for and robust
Vinyl floors have become extremely popular in recent years - and for good reason. These floor coverings impress with their enormous versatility and robustness. You can design vinyl in almost any look, whether wood, stone or tile look, and it is extremely resistant to everyday wear and tear. Vinyl flooring shows its strengths particularly in heavily frequented areas such as hallways, kitchens or offices. Thanks to the easy-care surface, cleaning and maintenance are not a big effort, which makes it an attractive choice for families and households with pets.
Advantages of vinyl flooring
- Water Resistant: Vinyl flooring is ideal for damp rooms such as bathrooms or kitchens because it is moisture-resistant and does not suffer any damage from moisture.
- Easy care: Dust and dirt can be easily wiped off, which is particularly beneficial in households with children or pets.
- Comfortable: The soft surface feels comfortable underfoot and offers better impact sound insulation than many other hard floor coverings.
- Diverse design: Thanks to modern printing techniques, vinyl can be produced in almost any design imaginable, offering maximum flexibility in interior design.
Disadvantages of vinyl flooring
- Sensitive to heat: Vinyl can be damaged by high temperatures or direct sunlight, which can cause warping.
- Not completely natural: Although many vinyl floors are now free of harmful plasticizers, it is still a synthetic material that is not biodegradable.
- Prone to scratches: Heavy furniture or sharp objects can leave scratches on the surface that cannot be easily repaired.
Vinyl flooring is therefore the perfect choice for anyone looking for a robust, easy-care floor covering that is available in many designs and can withstand the challenges of everyday life.
Epoxy floor: Versatile and durable
Epoxy flooring has established itself as a popular choice for high-traffic areas due to its exceptional resistance and durability. This flooring is particularly popular in commercial and industrial environments, as well as garages or workshops. Epoxy floors offer a wide variety of designs and colors due to their flexibility in design, allowing them to be adapted to different interior styles. Epoxy flooring is suitable for areas where robustness and an easy-care surface are required, as it is extremely resistant to chemical substances, abrasion and impact. Epoxy is also the preferred choice in demanding projects where durability and resistance play a major role.
Advantages of Epoxy Flooring
- High-quality resistance: Epoxy flooring offers a particularly robust and durable surface. It is resistant to chemical influences, abrasion and impact, making it an ideal choice for heavily used areas such as garages, workshops or industrial floors.
- Easy care: The seamless and sealed surface of the epoxy flooring is extremely easy to maintain. It can be cleaned quickly and easily, making it particularly suitable for rooms where hygiene and easy maintenance are important, such as medical facilities or production halls.
- Longevity: Compared to other floor coverings, epoxy flooring is very durable and resistant. It retains its appearance and function for many years, making it a long-term investment.
- Versatile design options: Epoxy coatings can be offered in a wide range of colours and surface textures, from matte to glossy finishes. They can even be provided with special designs or patterns, making them particularly attractive for individual requirements.
Disadvantages of epoxy coating
- High costs: Compared to simpler flooring, epoxy is more expensive to purchase and install. The higher material and labor costs make it less attractive for budget projects.
- Complex installation: Installing an epoxy floor requires expertise and experience, as the coating is applied in several layers and requires complete drying time to achieve its optimum strength.
For those looking for an extremely durable and long-lasting solution, epoxy flooring is an excellent choice. It offers an excellent combination of functionality and durability, especially for commercial and industrial applications. Although it initially involves higher investment costs and installation requires special expertise, its durability and easy-care surface pay off in the long term.
Terrazzo: durability and elegance combined
Terrazzo is a floor covering with a long history that was already used in ancient buildings and is still synonymous with elegance and durability today. It consists of a mixture of marble, granite or quartz pieces. These are embedded in a cement or resin base and then sanded to create a smooth, shiny surface. Due to its natural beauty and its almost unlimited design possibilities, terrazzo is once again in great demand not only in historical buildings, but also in modern architecture. Terrazzo shows off its aesthetic and long-lasting quality particularly in representative rooms such as entrance halls, large living areas or luxurious bathrooms.
Advantages of Terrazzo
- Longevity: Terrazzo is extremely robust and resistant to wear and tear, which is why it retains its quality for many decades. Even in heavily frequented areas, it hardly shows any signs of wear.
- Elegance and individuality: The combination of marble or granite pieces gives terrazzo a unique, elegant look. Since the composition is variable, you can adapt the floor to your personal taste.
- Sustainable: Because terrazzo is made from natural materials and often uses recycled stones, it is a more environmentally friendly option compared to synthetic flooring.
- Easy care: A well-sealed terrazzo floor is resistant to dirt and moisture, making it easy to clean.
Disadvantages of Terrazzo
- High acquisition costs: The production and installation of terrazzo is complex, which results in higher costs. This makes it particularly suitable for larger areas or projects with a higher budget.
- Complex installation: Laying terrazzo requires specialist knowledge and is a time-consuming process. In addition, the floor must be sanded and polished after installation to achieve its final look.
- Sensitive to chemicals: Certain cleaning agents or aggressive chemicals can damage the surface or leave stains, which is why special care products are recommended.
Terrace combines durability and timeless elegance in a unique way. It is the perfect choice for anyone looking for an exclusive, individually designed floor covering. Even after many years, Terrazzo still retains its charm and quality. Despite the higher purchase costs, the investment is worthwhile, especially for representative areas and people who rely on a sustainable, high-quality solution.
Jointless mineral floor filling: Modern, jointless floor coverings
The mineral floor filler is a modern floor covering that impresses above all with its seamless, smooth appearance. It is made from natural raw materials such as mineral materials and is particularly suitable for minimalist and elegantly designed rooms. The seamless mineral filler is extremely versatile and can be used not only on floors but also on walls, which allows for a continuous, harmonious room design. This floor covering is particularly popular in bathrooms and kitchens, as its seamless structure prevents the formation of mold and enables easy cleaning. With its modern aesthetics and natural material composition, the mineral seamless floor filler is the perfect choice for anyone looking for a contemporary, easy-care and stylish solution.
Advantages of seamless mineral floor fillers
- Seamless and easy to maintain: The continuous, seamless surface prevents the penetration of dirt and moisture, which makes cleaning easier and minimizes the risk of mold formation.
- Modern, minimalist design: gives rooms a modern, elegant look that fits perfectly with a puristic interior design style. The seamless surface also makes the room appear larger and calmer.
- Versatile: In addition to floors, the seamless mineral filler can also be used on walls and even in wet areas such as showers. This creates a consistent design that visually connects rooms.
- Durable and robust: The mineral floor covering is resistant to everyday wear and tear and retains its high-quality look even after many years.
Disadvantages of seamless mineral floor fillers
- High costs: The installation of seamless mineral filler is complex and requires special expertise, which leads to higher costs. This makes it more interesting for projects with a larger budget.
- Complex installation: Installation must be carried out by professionals and is time-consuming because the floor is applied in several layers.
The seamless mineral filler is an ideal choice for anyone who values modern design and an easy-care, seamless surface. Despite the higher costs, this floor covering offers a high-quality, long-lasting solution that impresses with its aesthetic and functional flexibility. It is an eye-catcher, particularly in modern living and wet areas, perfectly combining elegance and functionality.
Parquet: Timeless and natural
Parquet is one of the most popular and traditional floor coverings and has always stood for elegance, naturalness and durability. Made from real wood, parquet brings a warm and inviting atmosphere to any room. The different types of wood, grains and laying patterns such as herringbone or ship's deck make parquet an extremely versatile floor covering. It fits perfectly into both classic and modern living styles. Parquet is not only aesthetically pleasing. It is also durable and hard-wearing, making it an investment that will last for decades.
Advantages of parquet
- Natural elegance: Parquet gives rooms a timeless elegance thanks to its warm and natural appearance. Each piece of wood is unique, giving each room an individual touch.
- Longevity: With proper care, a parquet floor can last for decades and can be sanded and resealed several times, making it particularly durable.
- Sustainability: Wood is a renewable raw material, and choosing certified wood contributes to sustainable building and living.
- increase in value: High-quality parquet can increase the value of a house or apartment because it is valued as a durable and stylish floor covering.
Disadvantages of parquet
- Maintenance effort: Compared to other floor coverings, parquet requires regular care, such as oiling or sealing, to maintain its beauty and durability.
- Sensitive to moisture: Parquet is sensitive to moisture, which is why it is less suitable for wet rooms such as bathrooms. Too much moisture can cause the wood to swell and become damaged.
- Prone to scratches: Although parquet is robust, it can easily get scratches or dents from heavy furniture or sharp objects. However, these can often be removed by sanding and re-treating.
- High price: Compared to synthetic flooring, engineered wood flooring is more expensive, both to purchase and to install, making it a more costly option.
Parquet is the perfect choice for anyone who wants a natural, high-quality and timeless floor covering. Despite the slightly higher maintenance effort and the initial investment, parquet offers an incomparable look and feel that gives every room a warm and elegant appearance. With the right care, parquet remains a stylish companion for many years. It increases both the living experience and the value of the property.
Find the perfect floor covering for your home with MVM AG
Hard-wearing floor coverings offer a variety of options for combining both aesthetics and functionality in your rooms. Whether easy-care vinyl, cost-effective PVC, durable terrazzo, modern Naturofloor or timeless parquet - each of these floor coverings has its own advantages and is tailored to different needs. The choice of the right floor covering depends on your personal taste, intended use and budget.
If you are looking for professional advice and professional installation, MVM AG is at your side with years of experience in the field of floor coverings. Contact us today to find the ideal floor covering for your project. Let your living or working space shine in new splendor!