OnFlooring | Floor Decor Made Easy

Laminate Flooring and Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring provide a realistic looking and lower cost alternative to hardwood floors. They are durable, family and pet friendly floors with great scratch , wear and stain resistance. Plus  both Laminate and LVT planks typically offer a floating installation with click together planks, so they are easy to do-it-yourself - resulting in a significant cost savings vs a professionally installed floor.

Lets delve deeper into some of the differences between these two flooring categories.

Installation

Both LVT and Laminate are among the easiest floors to install. The planks lock together and rest upon the subfloor. Neither glue or nails is required. But laminate must be installed over a foam type underlayment. With LVT an underlayment is optional. Moreover, you need a saw to cut laminate and the saw should be located outside the installation area to avoid dust. On the other hand, LVT is easily cut with a utility knife - you simple score the plank and snap to make a cut.  LVT wins for installation ease.

Construction

Laminate flooring is typically 7mm-12mm thick and consists mostly of a wood based core material made of High Density Fiberboard (HDF). LVT planks are typically 4mm-5mm thick. Both laminate and LVT use high-definition printing techniques to create the decorative layer.

Water Resistance

Since laminate floors have a wood based core, liquid spills should be wiped promptly. LVT vinyl planks are inherently water resistant and can be wet mopped. LVT is clearly a better choice in wet areas. Resistance to the effects of liquid spills is one reason why you'll see LVT installed in so many commercial dining and hospitality settings.

Realistic Designs

These are not the vinyl floors from your childhood which looked fake and shiny. And today's laminate floors are vastly different from the unnatural and repetitive looking laminate floors of the early 1990's. Both products have undergone technological advancements resulting in extremely realistic looking designs - both visually and texturally. Cheaper, entry level products will typically have less complex texture and more frequent pattern repeats. Middle and upper end products have texture and relief that follows the grain and the pattern of the wood visual along with a higher number of distinct planks.

Because laminate is made with a thicker wood based core, it has an advantage with thicker beveled edges and deeper texture - this is especially evident in distressed and hand scraped designs.

Stains and Flames

Laminate floors are virtually impossible to stain because of their non porous surface. And laminate floors can withstand flames (like a burning ember or lit cigarette) for a reasonable period of time. LVT can be stained by ink from a permanent marker and can melt slightly from a burning ember.

Price

Laminate floors must be installed with a foam type underlayment. A good quality underlayment can add 30 to 50 cents per square foot to the cost. This makes LVT and laminate similarly priced when underlayment is factored in.

Sound

Because of the wood based core and a floating installation, laminate floors can have a knocking sound when you walk on them with hard sole shoes. This can be mitigated with a high quality underlayment. LVT tends to be more quiet.

Conclusion

The differences between laminate and LVT are rather subtle. In fact, Laminate and LVT floors are similar in a lot of ways. They have price, durability and maintenance advantages over hardwood flooring. They can be easily installed DIY for added savings. Finally, both LVT and laminate provide beautiful, realistic looking designs that imitate natural surfaces like hardwood flooring.

LVT: Mohawk Embostic Winter Wonderland

Laminate: Mohawk Wooded Escape Fresh Bark