When it’s time to consider flooring options for your project, innovative products like laminate and vinyl flooring easily top the list. They are both modern, durable, easy to install, and effortlessly provide the realistic feel of a traditional wooden floor. And besides their names, it may not be easy to tell them apart.
Yet, laminate and vinyl floors have crucial differences that set them apart. We’ve listed their differences to help you choose the perfect flooring for your space.
Material
Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring is made of several layers of wood materials that are compacted together by resins. The top surface is a high-quality wear layer that is often created to look like wood or stone, but it can be colored or textured to look like a variety of flooring materials.
Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl flooring is made from a 100% synthetic material. Its ability to take on different shades and tones makes it a versatile material that’s customizable to create unique and authentic designs.
Appearance
Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring offers a more superior realistic feel with its top layer containing deep embossing and accurate imagery that perfectly mimics natural wood or stone. And it’s possible to give it more character by choosing from a wide range of colors, thicknesses, special color effects, and plank arrangements.
Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl floors have come of age. It’s possible to find a realistic vinyl floor that mimics wood, tile, and stone, especially thicker solid-core vinyl products. But compared to laminate, the quality may still lag behind.
Water Resistance
Laminate Flooring
While laminate flooring may be highly water-resistant, it’s not waterproof. Since its core is made of wood, exposing the fiberboard to excessive moisture makes it swell or soften and even after drying, it does not regain its shape.
Vinyl Flooring
Modern vinyl floors are waterproof. Made from 100% polymer materials, these vinyl flooring products have high water resistance which means they can get exposed to large amounts of water, dry out, and remain unaffected.
Comfort
Laminate Flooring
If you like the feeling of putting your bare feet on the floor, laminate is your best option. Its thick wood composition makes it warmer, softer, and more comfortable for bare feet.
Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl floors are made from plastic and PVCs and may feel cold and hard but they also provide a confident grip for bare feet.
Maintenance
Laminate Flooring
It requires cautious cleaning to avoid exposing it to excess moisture. Other than that, you can easily clean it with a broom or a damp mop that is almost dry to the touch as needed.
Vinyl Flooring
One of its strongest features is that it’s so easy to clean. You can wet-mop and scrub stubborn messes with safe cleaning products.
Get Superior Flooring With Classic Flooring LLC
If you need superior vinyl flooring that’s more affordable and durable, luxury vinyl tile (LVT) ticks all the boxes. At Classic Flooring LLC, we offer high-quality LVT flooring and installation services to fit any design and style. Contact us today for a free flooring quote.
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