Laminate flooring vs vinyl flooring is a common comparison consumers make prior to making a flooring decision. Both laminate flooring and vinyl flooring are outstanding and affordable options for busy homes looking for a luxurious and finished look. Just like with any product, laminate flooring and vinyl flooring each have their advantages and disadvantages. Keep reading to learn more about each type of flooring!
| Laminate Flooring | Vinyl Plank Flooring | |
| Fading | Fade Resistant | Fade Resistant |
| Wear | Will not wear through. Cannot be refinished | Will not wear through. Cannot be refinished |
| Stains | Will not stain | Will not stain |
| Dent/Scratch Resistance | Dent, scratch and chip resistant | Dent, scratch and chip resistant. Use caution with sharp objects as they can puncture the surface |
| Moisture | Moisture resistant | 100% waterproof |
| Care | Easy care, surface does not hold dirt and no polish or refinishing is ever needed | Easy care, surface does not hold dirt and no polish or refinishing is ever needed |
| Installation | DIY Friendly – Click locking system | DIY Friendly – Click locking system, loose lay, or glue-down |
| Price | $-$$$ | $-$$$ |
Both flooring options are very good choices. The biggest difference between the two is the waterproof feature of vinyl plank flooring. Laminate flooring can and will be damages with access moisture, where as vinyl plank flooring is 100% waterproof. In the case of minor flooding, vinyl flooring can typically be uninstalled, dried and reinstalled like new. As for price, both products can range from under a dollar to over $5 per square foot.
Both products are ideal options for busy homes with children or pets. Vinyl flooring is recommended over laminate flooring for moisture prone applications such as bathrooms or kitchens as there is no risk of moisture damage. As far as looks, they both can offer an extremely realistic design. You may even question if it’s real hardwood or not!
Vinyl Flooring
Laminate Flooring
As you can see, there is really no visible aesthetic difference between laminate and vinyl! Both types offer various styles of wood-looks. The chocie is up to you.
If you are still deciding on which flooring will be best in your home, order some free samples from Bestlaminate and compare the differences for yourself!
More Comparison Guides:
- What is the difference between laminate flooring vs hardwood flooring?
- Vinyl Plank Flooring vs Vinyl Sheet Flooring
27 comments
what is the difference between regular vinyl flooring and Vinyl planks? You mentioned that regular vinyl requires gluing on installation but not for vinyl planks. Is there a lot of regular maintenance involved with vinyl? I really like everything about laminate except I am concerned about spills and water. Plus it is not for my kitchen but the rest of the apartment. Looking for a good wood ‘look’ thats less expensive than real wood and yet easy to care for. I am only a renter not an owner.
Hi Dana, thank you for your questions. Vinyl flooring and vinyl plank flooring are different in some ways. Vinyl flooring can usually mean a roll which will have to be glued or nailed down. 4mm Click Lock Vinyl plank flooring is an easy click lock vinyl that is installed like laminate there are no glue or nails necessary.Also there is Vinyl Plank flooring that can be glued down that comes in planks instead of a roll. You can use laminate flooring in your whole house, if water spills as long as it is not sitting there for a while your laminate will be fine. I hope this helps! Best of luck with your project – Brittany
We are putting new flooring in our house, & we have 2 inside male dogs, & sometimes they miss the pads when we can’t let them out. Which would be a better choice for this condition, Thanks.
Jacob, we suggest you to use click vinyl floor since this is a waterproof solution. Laminate flooring can buckle and can be destroyed by moisture if you have repeatable incidents with your dogs.
Click Vinyl planks have the same locking system as the laminate, installation is glueless and flooring looks like a real wood floor. You will be amazed with the results and functionality.
Is one flooring (laminate or vinyl) colder than the other? We have a home in cold country and need a flooring for our new kitchen.
Mary, due to laminate and vinyl both being hard surfaces it really does not matter as much as to which floor that you choose as far as temperature is concerned. Laminate may be slightly warmer due to the fact that there is an underlayment between the subfloor and the laminate which can act as insulation. The underlayment is typically only 2 to 3 mm thick so it is not made to be insulation but it will provide a little insulation for you. I would have to give the slight edge to laminate overall for temperature concerns. Thanks for your question. Fred
Vinyl plays an important role in the house. I really want to choose the best one.
Trishia, take your time and select the floor that will work the best for all your needs. And if you have any additional questions about laminate flooring do not hesitate to ask us:) Cheers:)
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Thank you, we are happy you like it~