If you love hardwood floors but their price is too high for you to afford or justify, chances are you have looked into alternatives like laminate flooring or vinyl flooring. Both can be made to look like hardwood flooring, but they are more cost-effective and perform better in moist environments. They have many similarities, which can sometimes make it difficult to choose the option that is right for you. To make an informed decision, you need to know how they differ from one another.
Laminate flooring and vinyl flooring have the following differences:
- Composite vs. Synthetic – Laminate and vinyl flooring are made from different materials and constructed quite differently. Laminate is a composite product that includes synthetic layers and a wood-chip fiberboard core, while vinyl flooring is entirely synthetic and made of PVC.
- Installation Options – Where laminate flooring is only available in click-and-lock planks, vinyl flooring comes in click-and-lock, peel-and-stick, and loose-lay options. Laminate generally takes more time to install than vinyl, which makes labor more expensive.
- Water Resistance – Both laminate and vinyl flooring are appropriate for bathrooms and kitchens, but vinyl is more water resistant than laminate. Because laminate contains organic material, it can warp.
- Appearance – Laminate tends to do a better job of mimicking hardwood than vinyl does.
If you are interested in laminate flooring or vinyl flooring for your space, contact our team at KPI to install it.