Vinyl vs. Laminate: What’s the Difference and guide?

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Learn the difference between vinyl and laminate flooring, the pros and cons of every and how to make the best decision for your house with our Laminate vs Vinyl Flooring showdown.

It’s true, if you’re not in the flooring industry or really current on house and home projects, you almost certainly wouldn’t be able to choose laminate or vinyl flooring out of any line-up. After all tile, wood, even cork…is easy to choose in a crowd, but these new wood-look next-gen flooring options are trickier and often misunderstood.

Laminate flooring has began to get a name for itself, but poor vinyl is the misunderstood red-headed stepchild that is secretly bright, brawny and beautiful. Okay, so if indeed they both appear to be wood and aren’t wood, then what is the actual difference between vinyl and laminate flooring?

What’s Laminate Flooring?

Laminate flooring is a synthetic (man-made) floor that made a splash on the flooring market in the 1970’s. The first man-made option to natural wood, laminate quickly gained popularity as manufacturers created increasingly realistic looks that could easily pass for real hardwood.

Laminate was kind of the pioneer for realistic wood-look flooring, and other styles of flooring have caught on and also have begun releasing their own realistic wood looks, but more on that later. Laminate planks are solid without give and movement, similar to traditional hardwood.

Pros of Laminate Flooring
Durable: Laminate flooring’s supreme strength helps it be a great option for high-traffic areas or homes with kids and pets.
Scratch resistance: Laminate has a solid wear layer that protects the ground from scratches, dents, wear and staining, all the things pets wish to test our floors on.
Realistic wood and stone looks: Laminate floor planks frequently have some surface detail to help expand mimic an all natural hardwood look and can have the look and feel of an hand-scraped hardwood, embossed wood, distressed hardwood or come in textured or smooth. Unlike real hardwood, you’ll see steady quality across all laminate flooring boards.

Can resist some water: Advances in construction are enhancing laminate’s water-resistant capabilities. While it’s still not as waterproof as other wood-look options like vinyl flooring, most new laminate floors can withstand topical moisture. Proper installation helps keep water from seeping through the planks.
Could be installed over radiant heating systems: You won’t find this feature with most hardwood flooring options.
Easy to completely clean and keep maintaining: Simply mop or sweep up messes as needed. No floor waxing is ever necessary.
Easy to set up: Laminate flooring was created to be installed as a floating floor, meaning that it isn’t secured to the ground underneath, but rather “floats” by the method of an interlocking design.
Simple to stand on for longer intervals: Most laminate installations include underlayment, which will make the ground feel convenient underfoot.
Affordable: Laminate floors are an inexpensive option to hardwood floors. So when it comes to laminate vs vinyl flooring, laminate wins in the purchase price category.

What’s Vinyl Flooring?
Waterproof Vinyl Flooring Buying Guide
Now for the home team in this laminate vs vinyl flooring match. Vinyl flooring is also man-made with looks resembling natural materials (wood, stone, etc.), but it’s a totally different animal with a complete lotta variety. For the sake of comparison, we’re going to adhere to the wood-look vinyl planks that folks typically mistake for laminate.

Vinyl had a bad rap for a long period, but it is quickly taking over the marketplace with luxury vinyl planks looking more realistic than ever. Vinyl is even less maintenance than laminate (so far as moisture and cleaning) and, if you ask me, it is the fact that dark horse that is slowly, but surely, pulling ahead in the laminate vs vinyl flooring race.

Pros of Vinyl Flooring
Realistic wood and stone looks: Seriously, vinyl is changing. Rapidly. The top-end vinyl floors are able to more realistically mimic natural materials much better than in the past. WPC vinyl is best of the greatest, this means the looks are usually incredibly convincing and beautiful.
Easy, DIY installation: Most vinyl planks and tiles offer a simple interlocking or “floating” installation, ideal for most homeowners to do on their own minus the help of an installation professional.

Realistic wood and stone looks: Laminate floor planks frequently have some surface detail to further mimic an all natural hardwood look and can have the appearance and feel of your hand-scraped hardwood, embossed wood, distressed hardwood or come in textured or smooth. Unlike real hardwood, you’ll see consistent quality across all laminate flooring boards.

Easy to keep: Vinyl flooring is a breeze to take care of. Most options are water-resistant and most are fully waterproof. Just make sure you choose a thick wear layer to avoid scrapes and scratches.
Zero maintenance: All you need is the casual vacuum and damp mop to keep your WPC looking fabulous.
Resilient: It’s true, you might just get a wood- or stone-look tile and it could also be waterproof. But tile is hard. Sitting on a tile floor all day isn’t ideal for your joints or feet. Vinyl is more resilient and much more comfortable.
Waterproof options: Yes, 100% waterproof. They are awesome!
Although there are similarities to look at as it pertains to vinyl flooring and laminate flooring options, it’s important to note these are two completely different flooring products. Advantages and disadvantages of both flooring options need to be understood before purchasing and installing new flooring in your house, to avoid any disappointments.

VINYL VERSUS LAMINATE FLOORING – WHICH IS MOST BENEFICIAL FOR YOU?
Because vinyl flooring and laminate flooring are similar to look at, it is not hard to confuse both of these flooring options. A better understanding of the distinctions between these flooring options will help you choose the best flooring option for your home and needs. Let’s check out the difference between vinyl and laminate flooring:

Resistance to moisture: Laminate flooring is not very resistant to water, as water can seep through the seams, and damage the wooden interior of the flooring, creating it to warp and rot. Laminate floors are thus not ideal for areas susceptible to moisture such as bathroom or kitchens. Vinyl flooring on the other hand offers superior resistance to water. Water and moisture will haven’t any influence on the vinyl flooring, making it the right flooring option for bathrooms.

DIY installation: With regards to DIY installing vinyl flooring and laminate flooring, both are equally easy to install. If you find the installation procedure for any of these two flooring options too daunting, allow leading flooring suppliers in Johannesburg assist.
Durability: With regards to the sturdiness of vinyl flooring vs. laminate flooring, both products are very comparable. Both flooring options are very durable, but premium vinyl flooring might be considered a little hardier. Vinyl flooring is suggested for high traffic areas, but many high quality laminate flooring ranges may also be in a position to withstand high traffic.

Comfort: With regards to comfort, laminate flooring take the prize. Laminate floors are really comfortable to walk on, especially when compared to tiles. Although vinyl flooring offers a warmer and more comfortable option than tiles, it doesn’t compare to laminate flooring. Laminate flooring is particularly beneficial if you have children and pets, or if you just love walking barefoot in your house. Because of the wooden material, laminate flooring is warmer to touch than vinyl.
Cost: The expense of Viny flooring vs Laminate flooring is relatively similar. The cost will be determined by the range and quality, including different price ranges to fit different budgets. Contact Absolut carpets today for a quote on the vinyl flooring or laminate flooring you desire.

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