Luxury Vinyl Flooring Versus Laminate Flooring
In many people’s perceptions, laminate and vinyl floors are interchangeable. While this may have been true 20 years ago, the variations in the flooring options over the last two decades have separated them into various camps—especially with the arrival of LVT.
Let us divide flooring down into four measurable qualities:
- Look & Style
- Durability & Stability
- Applications
- Cost
These categories will help you better understand the comparative attributes of premium vinyl vs. laminate flooring, and help you make the best decision for what you might use on your project.
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Look & Style
When it comes to design integrity, vinyl and laminate are quite comparable. Due to the fact that both are created utilizing 3D printing technology, they can imitate the appearance and feel of real materials such as wood and stone for a fraction of the price. Both vinyl and laminate are infinitely adaptable and designable, providing the versatility necessary to finish any interior customization project.
Durability & Stability
To start, let’s define these terms, to ensure that we are talking about the same thing:
- Durability: The flooring’s hardness, particularly in its uppermost wear layer. The more durable a flooring option, the greater the amount of wear it can withstand.
- Stability: Determined by the thickness of the entire structure and/or the composition of layers, as well as the material quality. Stable flooring materials maintain their form and size in the face of moisture and/or temperature fluctuations.
Both vinyl and laminate are made in the same way, with a wear layer, photographic image, and backing system. However, the makeup varies.
Typically, laminate is constructed from HDF, or high-density fiberboard, which is composed of reclaimed hardwood. Because laminate is not waterproof, it is not suggested for use in high-moisture or humid locations or in areas prone to spillages, such as supermarkets or restaurants. Laminate flooring is ideal for climate-controlled rooms.
Vinyl, on the other hand, is a completely different story. Parterre vinyl, in particular, is a dense, closed-cell vinyl that increases the product’s resistance to water and makes it excellent for high-moisture regions. While a sealer is not necessary for vinyl, it is advised for areas prone to moisture for extra protection.
Laminate is a dense material that is also hollow. It is critical that the subfloor be smooth and level. Due to its flexibility to expand and contract, vinyl is perfect for high-traffic areas. Additionally, both are quite easy to clean.
Applications
According to your evaluation of Durability & Stabiliy, the application of laminate does not quite match the multi-faceted, cross-purpose usefulness of premium vinyl flooring. Laminate is inferior to vinyl in many commercial flooring installations due to its vulnerability to moisture, temperature, and physical damage (and lack of means to repair said damage), particularly in locations prone to high wetness and humidity.
Vinyl flooring may be beneficial to all businesses. Laminate, on the other hand, is not appropriate for businesses that have high moisture and humidity levels and are prone to spills and water exposure.
Cost
Cost is where you will see a marked difference in comparing these two flooring types. . At between $.50 and $5 per square foot, laminate is comparable to and even cheaper than quality vinyl, which may cost between $2 and $5 per square foot for commercial items. With such comparable costs and qualitative differences, the option appears to be a no-brainer. When considering design and application versatility, premium vinyl wins out.
