Vinyl vs. Laminate Flooring: Major Differences
The ability of each type of flooring to stand up against moisture hinges on its materials. Vinyl flooring is all synthetic, so it can go anywhere. Limited moisture resistance dictates selective areas where laminate flooring may or may not be installed.
Vinyl Flooring
With vinyl plank flooring, the core layer is a thicker, multi-layer PVC vinyl. Luxury vinyl flooring comes in planks or tiles that interlock side-to-side to form a floating floor.
Laminate flooring is similar to luxury vinyl planks in its look and method of installation. The critical difference is that its core is made from wood byproducts bonded with resins.
Appearance
Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring allows for deep, realistic three-dimensional embossing on its surfaces, with accurate images of the material being portrayed—wood, ceramic, or stone.
Vinyl Flooring
Many types of vinyl flooring can look realistic, especially luxury vinyl plank flooring.
Best for Appearance: Laminate Flooring
While laminate flooring and luxury vinyl flooring are generally comparable in appearance, laminate flooring generally will more closely mimic hand-scraped hardwood, stone, ceramics, and other materials.
Virtually all laminate flooring uses a fiberboard core. Because this core is a wood product, it will soften and swell if it is exposed to water.
Properly installed laminate flooring, with tight seams and good baseboards or moldings, can tolerate pooled water, but only a short period of time.
Vinyl Flooring
Older forms of vinyl flooring may have a fabric or felt backing that is not waterproof. Luxury vinyl flooring can be fully immersed in water for long periods, dried out, then reused, completely unaffected.
Best for Water and Heat Resistance: Vinyl Flooring
All types of vinyl flooring are not just water-resistant but are waterproof. Sheet vinyl, vinyl tile, and luxury vinyl flooring are usually made with materials that are 100-percent waterproof.
Laminate flooring is best cleaned first with dry methods, such as with a dry mop or broom.
Vinyl flooring’s strongest feature is that it is so easy to care for and clean. Vinyl flooring in good condition can be wet-mopped and, if necessary, it can be vigorously scrubbed with safe cleaning products.
Best for Care and Cleaning: Vinyl Flooring
While both laminate flooring and vinyl flooring are easy to keep clean, only vinyl flooring allows the entire span of cleaning methods, from sweeping with a dry broom to wet mopping.
Laminate flooring is durable and low-maintenance. However, laminate flooring’s many layers may eventually delaminate over time or if it is exposed to water for too long.
Vinyl Flooring
Lower quality vinyl flooring may delaminate. Also, self-stick vinyl flooring tiles can loosen over time. On the whole, though, vinyl flooring is a tough flooring material that will stand up to high traffic demands.
Best for Durability and Maintenance: Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl flooring is a supremely durable, low-maintenance flooring, thus the industry term resilient flooring.
Cost
Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring ranges from about $1.00 per square foot for 7 mm-thick planks to about $5.00 per square foot for 12 mm-thick planks.
Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl flooring can cost as little as $1.00 per square foot for thin, glue-down vinyl flooring. Vinyl costs rise to around $5.00 per square foot for luxury vinyl planks, and premium brands will cost more.
Best for Cost: Tied
Laminate flooring and luxury vinyl flooring are roughly comparable in price, although sheet vinyl does hold a slight edge. Both laminate flooring and vinyl flooring are usually less expensive than natural hardwood, engineered wood, and many types of ceramic or porcelain tile.
Lifespan
Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring warranties typically range from 10 to 25 years, but this is dependent on a rigorous maintenance schedule.
Vinyl Flooring
Warranties on luxury vinyl flooring often range up to 20 years.
Best for Lifespan: Tied
As long as laminate flooring is kept reasonably dry and is regularly cleaned, buyers may expect lifespans close to that of vinyl flooring.
Environmental Impact
Laminate Flooring
Some laminate flooring manufacturers offer products that qualify for LEED MR4 (Recycled Content) status. But laminate flooring still uses a plastic surface layer, and the melamine resins used in the creation of the core level are by no means green materials since they may off-gas chemicals.
Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl is a synthetic material that is known to produce toxic chemicals when burned.
Best for Environmental Impact: Laminate Flooring
If using green building materials is important to you, laminate flooring has a small advantage, thanks to the natural wood content of the fiberboard core. Still, neither of these materials is especially environmentally friendly in the way that natural wood, linoleum, or bamboo floor coverings are.
Stain Resistance
Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring is pressure-laminated with several layers, the top being a clear aluminum oxide layer that is superior for stain resistance.
Vinyl Flooring
Quality vinyl flooring is coated with a transparent urethane layer that provides excellent stain-resistance.
Best for Stain Resistance: Tied
Good quality, modern vinyl flooring and laminate flooring both receive wear layers treated with properties do an excellent job of resisting stains.
Comfort and Sound
Laminate Flooring
Though laminate flooring does not feel like wood, it does have a warm feeling.
Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl floors of all types can feel cold or hard on the feet, especially when they are installed over concrete or existing ceramic tile floors.
Best for Comfort and Sound: Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring products can feel somewhat hollow underfoot when compared to the wood floors they are supposed to mimic. But when combined with either foam or felt underlayment, laminate flooring will be quieter, softer, and more comfortable to walk on.
Resale Value
Laminate Flooring
Premium laminate flooring can lend extra resale value to a home, as long as it is relatively new and in good condition.
Vinyl Flooring
Major brand luxury vinyl plank flooring will bring decent resale value to a home. Inferior quality vinyl flooring will often be seen by buyers as a project-in-waiting once the house has closed sale.
Best for Resale Value: Tied
Quality laminate flooring and vinyl flooring lend a comparable amount of value to a home.
OCD, Organize Create Design LLC 