Vinyl stands up the best against excess moisture and spills, and it can be less expensive than laminate. However, laminate gives a more realistic wood look to enhance the design aesthetic in your home.
Durability. Both vinyl and laminate flooring are extremely durable. Laminate usually lasts for up to 20 years, while vinyl flooring typically comes with a 15+ year warranty. However, you can't refinish or reseal laminate, while you can add extra layers of urethane to vinyl flooring to extend its life.
While costs are similar, the value of premium vinyl far exceeds that of laminate based on quality and value. Unlike laminate, premium vinyl is durable and stable, resistant to moisture and climate, and is easy to install and maintain. Laminate is restricted to light traffic and low moisture applications.
Laminate and LVT/LVP flooring are both extremely durable, but they have their weaknesses. Laminate is prone to scratches and chipped corners over time, so vinyl is probably a better choice for your home if you have pets. LVT/LVP is scratch-resistant, but it's more vulnerable to denting and tearing.
Laminate flooring is slightly more expensive than vinyl. It sells for anywhere from $1 to $6 per square foot, although most varieties fall closer to the $2 to $4 price range. Occasionally, you'll see high-quality laminates priced up to $7 per square foot. Installation costs an extra $1 to $5 per square foot.
Concrete is the most durable floor you can have in your home. Concrete floors are typically stained to order and can look quite lovely.
When comparing vinyl plank to laminate, it's a close race as to which is easier to install. However, the installation of vinyl plank requires fewer tools and steps, so it's the superior choice in this category.
Vinyl flooring is a popular choice for kitchens and bathrooms due to its high resistance to moisture. However, it has several characteristics, which make it an equally great flooring choice for bedrooms.
Vinyl flooring is highly durable. If installed and maintained correctly, it can last upwards of 10-20 years. That said, vinyl is a great choice for the rooms in your house that get the most foot traffic. Additionally, most vinyl flooring has a wear layer on its surface that resists scratches and stains.
In terms of practicality, vinyl is the best option. It's built to withstand a high level of wear and tear and any spills can quickly be wiped up without the worry of water damage. Waterproof laminate – If you want something a little more luxurious, waterproof laminate flooring is a great choice.
When it comes down to finding the best flooring to increase home value, it all boils down to your market. Hardwood will likely give you the highest return, but laminate and luxury vinyl plank flooring also offer plenty of perks to buyers.
Both flooring types are compatible with underfloor heating, although vinyl is slightly more efficient. Vinyl floors have the lowest thermal resistance of all Pergo flooring solutions and act as excellent thermal conductors.
Laminate flooring also wins out over vinyl when it comes to environmental sustainability. Vinyl is produced using petroleum, which isn't a renewable resource. Its production generates toxic chemicals.
1. Hardwood Continues to Dominate. Hardwood has remained at the top of the podium for decades now and continues to dominate the home flooring industry.
When it's installed with a suitable underlayment, laminate is more comfortable and quieter than vinyl. That's why it's great in bedrooms and living areas.
Laminate in bedrooms
Laminate has many of the same advantages that are offered by vinyl flooring – they're easy to maintain, highly resistant, nice looking, and long lasting. However, in terms of comfort underfoot, laminate is at a disadvantage because it's known for being quite hard, especially when compared to vinyl.
Vinyl does not get cold in the winter and it is generally softer beneath your feet than wood or ceramic tile floors. Some products also have a padded underlayer that can make walking on these floors even more comfortable.
Often referred to as luxury vinyl, vinyl plank flooring is a cost-effective and fashionable choice for the home or office but over time, it can get scratched from daily wear and tear. Fortunately, repairing simple scratches in vinyl plank flooring is fast, easy, and inexpensive.
Selecting a floor such as Hickory, Hard Maple or White Oak can protect your floor from damage, as these hardwoods are less susceptible to scratches than softer woods like Pine, Cherry or Black Walnut. Hardwoods with more dramatic grain patterns can help to hide scratches more easily.
Vinyl floors can last anywhere from 5 to 25 years, depending on their quality and how they're installed and maintained.
Tile. Tiles made from hard materials like ceramic or porcelain are among the most scratch-resistant flooring. The strength of tile is superior to many other household flooring materials. Tile flooring comes in a wide range of designs that can make a beautiful addition to almost any room.
Generally speaking, vinyl can cost as low as $1.00 or even $. 50 per square foot for glue-down vinyl flooring and $3.00 to $5.00 per square foot for LVT planks. Similarly, laminate ranges from $1.00 per square foot for thin planks and around $3.00 to $5.00 per square foot for lower-end 12 mm-thick planks.
To keep your laminate floors fresh, mop them every two months. Damp mops (a.k.a. microfiber mops) are gentle enough to use on laminate floors. If you're going to use a regular mop, just wring it out until it's almost completely dry.