Luxury Vinyl Plank vs. Laminate Flooring: A Comprehensive Comparison
Although Classic Flooring Center has been Brevard’s No. 1 hardwood flooring resource since 1971, we offer more than just hardwood floors in our Rockledge, FL showroom: You can find many stunningly realistic laminate and luxury vinyl plank styles that may serve as the perfect alternative to solid wood in key spaces throughout your home!
Easier to purchase and install than genuine hardwood flooring, both luxury vinyl planks and laminate planks are made from layered constructions with reinforced finishes and innovative technologies that provide a multitude of benefits for homeowners. As you explore which options may be best for specific rooms, here’s a helpful breakdown of the advantages of both exceptional categories.
How are Luxury Vinyl Planks Constructed?
Luxury vinyl plank is a versatile, resilient flooring type, constructed of a vinyl core with a printed film and rigid wear layer. As a result, it’s a more flexible plank with a realistic texture that’s still softer underfoot than most hard surface flooring products and offers inherent moisture resistance. For completely waterproof protection, rigid core LVP products are ideal for moisture-prone areas like bathrooms, kitchens, mudrooms, laundry rooms, and even unfinished basements with concrete subfloors.
Affordable to purchase and extremely quick to install, luxury vinyl plank floors are highly scratch- and stain-resistant, easy to clean and maintain, and resist swelling and buckling in extreme climate change. It’s also never been easier to match flooring throughout the home than with luxury vinyl plank flooring.
How are Laminate Planks Constructed?
Laminate planks are constructed similarly to engineered hardwood with a bottom layer to provide stability and moisture resistance, middle fiberboard layers for strength and durability, and completed with a finished aluminum oxide top layer that is coated and sealed to protect the printed design and image. With authentic wood visuals, texture, and character, laminate flooring is an excellent, affordable option for homeowners who want a specific wood visual without worrying about damage or maintenance.
Although laminate cannot be refinished like wood can, it’s a great fit for busy households with kids and pets that can withstand stains, fading, and indentations. Many laminate products are warranted for enhanced water resistance or high-performance, scratch-resistant finishes to better suit your household conditions, and laminate floors offer easy cleanability, low maintenance, and easier installation than wood.
Which is More Durable: Laminate or Luxury Vinyl Plank?
Under normal household conditions, quality laminate flooring should easily last from 15 years up to 25 years with proper maintenance. For best results, use your household activity level to determine the thickness, water resistance, and AC rating of the laminate you need to ensure longer-lasting performance. Thanks to premium durability, laminate is a solid choice for high-traffic areas like hallways and family rooms.
Your luxury vinyl plank surfaces can last from 10 years up to 25 years in normal household conditions, but LVP product warranties can vary widely among products. If it’s premium durability that you are after in a floor, make sure to explore dense, glue-down SPC vinyl planks and invest in high-quality underlayment to help your floors resist wear longer and enhance performance.
Which Offers More Moisture Protection: Laminate or Luxury Vinyl Plank?
Although most laminate products offer greater moisture protection than actual wood, most are not entirely waterproof. It’s important to thoroughly research and purchase warranted waterproof laminate for areas like kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, or mudrooms. Generally speaking, you will need to clean up spills on laminate as soon as possible to prevent damage, dry any standing water as promptly as possible, and avoid using wet mops to clean.
On the other hand, vinyl is an inherently waterproof material and the vast majority of LVP products boast complete waterproof performance! With waterproof luxury vinyl plank, common spills and everyday messes can simply be wiped up and spot-cleaned if needed. Puddles, pet accidents, wet towels, and standing water will not damage your luxury vinyl floors, and you will have the option to wet-mop your floors for an efficient deep cleaning whenever you choose!
Ultimately, both laminate and luxury vinyl plank are incredible, attractive flooring solutions for a home that needs versatile performance without compromising style options. You will be amazed at the wide range of eye-catching looks we carry to match your preferred aesthetic! Our Classic Flooring Center experts can help you weigh numerous household factors to narrow down the perfect fit for any room.
