LVT / laiminate flooring recommendations

[Nigel_O]

A couple of years ago, I gutted and re-modelled my tiny home office. It's a small 8 foot quare room in what was a makeshift garage. Flat roof, with as much insulation as I could get in the ceiling space. The walls are single skin but tanked to keep moisture out, and well insulated. For an ex-garage, its quite comfortable with just a 500 watt heater, although it gets pretty cold once the heating is off. The concrete floor isn't flat (it has a bit of a 'crest' in the middle of the room and the edges fall away slightly) and because of the clearance of the door, I can't have anything thick - 10mm max

After some pointers from this sub-forum at the time, I went for LVT. I bought the type with underlay already applied (about a 1mm later of some rubbery material). It looked really good when laid, but its has started crumbling at the joins, where the 'planks' flex and move as I move my office chair around on its castors. It's a shame, as the actualy surface of the planks has worn well - I'm in the office for 8-10 hours a day, so it gets a fair bit of use.

These are the latest bits to crumble - there's an even bigger bit that I've had to fill with epoxy resin to stop it falling apart even more:





Its all going to have to come up and be replaced, but I rather than toddle down to the nearest flooring outlet and get fleeced with cheap LVT again, I thought I'd ask the PH collective for recommendations.

Should I use some kind of adhesive on the floor? Would this have prevented the movement as I wheel my chair about?

All suggestions gratefully received

[illmonkey]

This has happened to my office floor, I think the issue is the tongue and grove, it's thinner, so weaker.

You could get glue down LVT (Karndean), but spending that much I'd not want the wheels to damage the floor, so when I had it I had one of those horrid solid plastic sheets under the chair.

Carpet tiles?

[troika]

You need to use self levelling compound so there’s no movement. I’m fitting a quickstep ‘alpha bloom vinyl’ at the moment, seems decent. Had amtico and karndean equivalents previously, think this is nicer.

[Dave_newcastle]

Curious - which brand did you put down?

[Nigel_O]

illmonkey said:

, I think the issue is the tongue and grove, it's thinner, so weaker.

Yup - that’s where it has failed - along the ‘click’ joins where it’s thinnest

[irc]

Given it is an office and not a showroom if the damage is localised to the area of the chair wheels- repair with epoxy then throw a rug down for future protection.

[Russet Grange]

I fitted Quick-Step in a dressing room/ensuite and I remain very impressed. Floor was already bang on level and it went down really easily. I took the skirting off, laid within about 5mm of the wall, and then fitted new skirting.

Not cheap, but no more expensive than good quality carpet, and of course you can fit it yourself.

[Simon_GH]

We’ve got a mix of Project and Karndean - 9 years in with two kids and no damage so far. Apparently Amtigo is even better but they didn’t have the colour we wanted. I would be tempted by a carpet off cut under the chair though just to be safe next time.

[paralla]

A set of rollerblade style wheels for your office chair will be less damaging than hard plastic standard wheels.

https://amzn.eu/d/0c6Bfbot

[Vanden Saab]

I use Karndean Korlock. I did the whole ground floor of my daughters place and it has survived 6 years of 3 teenage boys and a dog for 6 years without issue.
Dont buy direct though as it is very expensive you can find the same product at least £10 a metre cheaper online.
Buy cheap buy twice applies with this stuff.

[nwmlarge1]

paralla said:

A set of rollerblade style wheels for your office chair will be less damaging than hard plastic standard wheels.

https://amzn.eu/d/0c6Bfbot

do they do light up ones?

[Steve Campbell]

I’d patch repair then buy a proper chair mat for the desk space. I think you’re always likely to get wear / break up from the point loads of a chair unless the sub surface is perfect & flat which is likely to be cost prohibitive for what you want.

[Pheo]

Worth considering carpet tiles - have them in my home office. Admittedly that’s laid onto OSB sub deck as its timber frame.

Just a thought!

[crispian22]

Sounds like the problem is with the sub floor,it needs to be perfectly flat for any lvt flooring.

[Sway]

I had exactly the same issue in home office - with the rollerblade wheels installed.

Floor was dead level and flat (concrete subfloor).

I replaced with carpet. I just don't think floating lvt is suitable for moving point loads like chair wheels.

[Nigel_O]

crispian22 said:

Sounds like the problem is with the sub floor,it needs to be perfectly flat for any lvt flooring.

Yes - I think the slight ‘crest’ in the middle of the floor means the LVT flexes when weight is placed on it. If it’s foot traffic, it’s not too bad, as the load is spread, but when it’s a chair wheel, there’s a much more focused load point.

Carpet tiles have been mentioned twice now - I’ve done some Googling and it looks like thick, interlocking tiles are available which would be ideal.