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.
Vinyl flooring is a beautiful and cost-effective flooring option. But like any other flooring option, vinyl floors can be susceptible to damage. Vinyl floors can scratch. As flooring options go, vinyl floors are durable and don't require much maintenance to maintain.
Vinyl has a longer lifespan and better overall durability than laminate. Don't forget to factor in your budget, however. Vinyl flooring may be more expensive than laminate flooring, especially if you choose luxury vinyl flooring.
Vinyl floors can last anywhere from 5 to 25 years, depending on their quality and how they're installed and maintained.
A single vinyl plank can hold up to 500 pounds. Since most furniture will not go under just one plank, it is perfectly safe for bulky furniture and refrigerators to go on vinyl plank flooring. Vinyl plank flooring will not be damaged or cracked by home appliances' weight due to its strong durability.
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.
Vinyl and laminate flooring are similar in cost. They're both less expensive than other flooring materials like hardwood or porcelain tile. However, vinyl can get more expensive as you explore the luxury flooring options. Most laminate flooring can be purchased for about $1-5 per square foot.
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.
Luxury vinyl planks, or LVP, are built in layers, similar to hardwood laminate flooring planks, with a protective finish over multiple layers of pressed vinyl, sealed into a hardboard core, and finished with an underlayment backing.
One of the best vinyl plank flooring cleaners is a cup of apple cider or white vinegar in a gallon of hot water. Dampen your mop, and mop your vinyl plank flooring in the direction of the planks. The vinegar will tackle dirt, grime, and stains without leaving behind streaks or a sudsy mess.
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.
Both vinyl plank and ceramic tile are known to be durable flooring options. However, ceramic can chip and crack over time. Ceramic tile is more prone to damage (think dropping something heavy on the surface) than vinyl plank. Vinyl plank is also a better option if you have children or pets.
Vinyl floors are naturally slippery, so the best time to fix it is as soon as you install it. If you have older vinyl floors, they may be even sleeker with cleaning product and polish build up on the surface. So, the sooner you find a non-slip solution, the better.
Tile Flooring
Porcelain and ceramic are some of the longest lasting flooring materials available, and they require little maintenance. Tile flooring is also moisture resistant, making it the perfect choice for areas where spills are common like bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms.
Vinyl is the most popular form of resilient flooring (a category that also includes linoleum and cork) because it's low-maintenance, water-resistant, cost-effective, and long-lasting. It also has the perfect balance of firmness and “give,” meaning it springs a bit when you walk on it for a comfortable feel underfoot.
It is not necessary for your kitchen floor to be darker than the base cabinets or wall cabinets. The color of your kitchen floor can actually be a little lighter or darker than the cabinets. This creates a proper balance in the room.
It's possible to put vinyl over almost any hard flooring material, including tiles. Just make sure to repair any cracks or wide gaps in the existing tile flooring because, as these issues can affect the smoothness of the vinyl's surface when installed.
Use a damp mop to apply to the floor, rinsing the mop frequently with clean, hot water from another bucket or your sink. For extra cleaning power, add a few drops of liquid dishwashing soap to the water and vinegar mixture. Mop first with the soap mixture and then mop a second time with the water and vinegar mixture.
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.
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.
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.
Although vinyl plank flooring is well-known to be waterproof, it does not mean that liquids can seep through the cracks, grooves, or edges and become trapped under the planks, allowing mold to grow underneath your floors.
Most vinyl flooring or luxury vinyl tiles do not require underlay. Vinyl floors are designed with a base layer, making the addition of underlay pointless. This baselayer makes the vinyl flooring incredibly durable and comfortable to walk on.
Cost to Install Laminate Floors: Labor Cost
The average labor cost to install laminate flooring is $1,500. Installing laminate flooring for a 1,000 sq. ft. floor costs $800 to $2,800 per square foot on average.