Need help for a hall floor.

6 years ago

I have a largish hall with a laminate floor. I want to replace it with something special. I am thinking of marble with underfloor heating. Other option is parquet flooring.
Which looks the best?

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Misha M

6 years ago

A pic if helpful....

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Comments (8)

PRO
User
6 years ago
It would completely depend on the style of the rest of the house, have you got pictures? What flooring is in the rooms off the hallway? It's always nice if the floors match really.
minnie101
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
They are both beautiful. What's the style/age of the house? What floors are off the hall? Personally I'd opt for parquet, wood adds warmth to a room and is timeless. Marble is cold to the touch, it can also be slippery and as it's porous is prone to staining (probably more pertinent to a kitchen where anything acidic can permanently stain it) and can scratch easily. I'd also want to add warmth with the decor if opting for marble. Solid wood however can be noisy and a little cold. It's also susceptible to changes in humidity (we had a slight bit of movement in our hall floor in our old house). Wood isn't bullet proof though as it can also scratch or dent. Do you have pets or children? Are you also looking to install UFH with wood?
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Without looking under the carpet its hard to say. That said its also the last job you should do in the house. You don't want tradesmen (or yourself) trucking muck onto a nice new runner whilst plastering/painting/sanding is still ongoing upstairs elsewhere. Any house built before 1940 is more likely to have nicer wooden treads. Often they are painted white just down the sides precisely because they would have had a runner previously. Newer homes can be hit or miss - worst case would be if they're ply or similar in which case you're pretty much restricted to just re-carpeting. Are you able to check the stair underside if you have a cupboard under the stairs? At least that'll confirm if they're solid wood. I stripped my stair carpet a while ago, taking it up is pretty easy - you just need a little patience. A flathead screwdriver is best for digging out staples whilst I found wedging a metal scraper between the gripper strip tacks and the floor, and then again using a flathead under the scraper to lever the strips up worked best (see pic). Give the stairs a good hoovering and wipe down, then use some wood filler (sometimes referred to as spackle) to fill in the holes left. Finally sand if needed (and if you want a perfect finish) and paint as desired - leave the middle as it won't be seen and so you can walk up and down when its drying. It took me an afternoon to remove the carpet, staples and gripper rods. Then another couple of hours to fill in the holes. I used Dulux Once Satinwood on the edges after priming which is very forgiving as it only needs one coat and levels itself so you don't get brushstrokes. Only downside is that its oil based so you need white spirit to clean the brushes. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ronseal-HPWFN550G-550g-Performance-Filler/dp/B001GU2H6S/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1506440774&sr=8-3&keywords=ronseal+wood+filler
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Misha M
6 years ago
Two very different styles nh
As MATH says depends on style and what leading off the hall rooms are like.
Personally I adore parquet and have it in my hallway and ground floor but it's very much a personal decision.
PRO
Woodpecker Flooring
6 years ago
Hi, we think parquet is beautiful for a hallway - it really makes a statement. It's not cold underfoot either so you can slip those shoes off as soon as you get in. What sort of theme and colours do you have in mind? There are lots of options to choose from. Some inspiration for you below. These have a matt lacquered finish and this is a better option than an oiled finish for a hallway as it has a higher scratch resistance and is easier to maintain.

Goodrich Coffee Oak - https://woodpeckerflooring.co.uk/product/goodrich-coffee-oak/

Goodrich Whitened Oak - https://woodpeckerflooring.co.uk/product/goodrich-whitened-oak/

Goodrich Natural Oak - https://woodpeckerflooring.co.uk/product/goodrich-natural-oak-2/

Let us know if we can help any further. All the best with your project!
PRO
User
6 years ago
Hi,

As per previous comments the style of the house to a certain extent dictates the material / look.

Here are a few practical tips to consider:

MARBLE / LIMESTONE

Stone looks great but you must remember all stone / marble / limestone is porous and wet feet coming in through the front door "will" mark the floor.

Ensure you allow for a large door matt, not ideal from a looks point of view but it will save the floor in the long run.

Also consider the floor substrate, I'm assuming you have a wood floor on wood joists ? If so, the floor will move creating cracks in your new stone floor. I would advise spending a little on preparation. Take the boards up, cross brace the beams, apply a good quality ply on them then add an anti crack matting. This will give a good and stable surface to lay stone.

Also consider floor heights, if other rooms are carpet there may be a height difference.

WOOD FLOOR

As with the stone you need a matt area to protect it as you enter.

My preference is for an engineered board, i.e.. plywood with a layer of solid wood bonded to it. This gives you a more stable material less susceptible to moving, splitting, shrinking etc.

When you use a wood floor try to store it in the room for a few days to allow it to get used to the temperature / humidity before fixing it.

You will never stop a wood floor expanding and contracting, anyone that tells you differently is badly informed. My suggestion is to remove your skirting, lay the floor within 10mm of the wall and add a silicon or foam filler then put the skirting back on. This looks really neat and avoids those horrible beads you see on a badly fitted floor.

PORCELAIN FLOOR

Have you considered a fully vitrified porcelain ?

You can buy these tiles in any size from 300mm sq up to 1700 x 800mm

The new ranges from Italy mimics almost exactly the look of marble / limestone / wood......

A fully vitrified porcelain is the hardest wearing material you can buy, it will allow you to use strong chemicals to clean it and you can mop it.

You can also choose matt or gloss..... slip rating may be important in a hall...

If you really wanted to push the boat out you can have it flow cut with a water to inlay a design...

GENERAL TIP FOR HALLS

My favourite trick with a hall is to put a narrow border of a contrasting material around the outer edge then infill with the main material.

Example 1

Use a brown marble around the border and infill with a light cream limestone.

Example 2

Use a black marble around the border and infill with Carrera marble

Example 3

Use a dark timber to the border and infill with a natural oak

etc.

Hope that helps...

Martin

www.angel-martin.com

www.3dinteriorillustration.co.uk
PRO
Floor Monster
6 years ago
Hi there,

We have a wide range of Herringbone floors.

The flooring would be down to personal preference. However, we may have a few option in the Herringbone that might be of interest.

This is a picture of our Smooth Herringbone , which comes with a 5mm veneer. It is also been finished with 8 coats of lacquer.

We also have a smoked oak Herringbone called Pyrenees this has a brushed texture and come with 8 coats of Matte lacquer.

We now also stock Walnut Herringbone, this has also been finished in a smooth finish.

If any of these products are of interest, we would be more than happy to send you a FREE sample and answer any queries you may have.

You can email us at info@floormonster.co.uk or you can call us directly on 0141 887 5698.

Kind Regards,

Jack
PRO
Floors of Stone
6 years ago
Two beautiful choices! As a lot of others have mentioned, it's very much dictated by the age and style of the house and the other rooms that lead off from the hall.

With regards to marble, there are several options. You can have a polished finish, which is great for reflecting light around a space and gives a really contemporary look. It may not be the most practical option if you have children or pets though, as it can be slippy, especially when wet. The other options are a honed finish, which again gives a contemporary look, but has a more matt finish so more suitable for a hallway. Finally, marble also comes in a tumbled finish, which gives a more rustic look but it probably the most practical for a busy hallway. Our Botticino Tumbled Marble is one of our most popular stones, and is beautiful and light.

We would always recommend sealing natural stone with a coat before and after grouting. This protects both the tiles and the grout and makes it easier in terms of cleaning.

With regards to parquet, it can be a stunning, timeless choice. You can get such a range of colours nowadays so something rich and dark in colour could give an elegant entrance to the home or something with a very natural oak finish looks good against most colours and furniture. We have parquet that comes with a vintage/reclaimed look or parquet that comes unfinished so is finished in situ to give an 'ice rink' look.

If you are able to post a picture of your hallway as it is, I'm sure all these clever people on Houzz will be able to give you more advice as to what will suit your home.

If you do want a free sample of any of our products, please don't hesitate to get in touch on enquiries@floorsofstone.com or 01509 234000.

Best of luck with your project!

Sophie // Floors of Stone

Need help for a hall floor.

Misha M

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minnie101

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