Mastering the Art of Flooring Selection: A Complete Guide

Ready to dive into the world of flooring? This guide will help you navigate through the options and make the best choice among laminate, vinyl, and hardwood flooring, or even a mix of all three for various spaces in your house:

Most Economical: Vinyl

The cheapest option among the three is vinyl flooring. The reason for its affordability lies in its material - it's purely made of plastic, making it more readily available than laminate, which contains wood fibers at its core, and hardwood, which is made entirely of wood.

Runner-up: Laminate and Hardwood

Both laminate and vinyl flooring come at similar budget-friendly price points. Laminate comes slightly higher due to the inclusion of wood fibers that enhance the base layer's strength. This feature puts it second in the list of economical flooring options.

In terms of cost, hardwood flooring ON AVERAGE takes the third spot as it's made entirely of natural wood with unique grains derived from the tree of origin. But the higher price tag is justified by its species, hardness, width, thickness, and the character it adds to your floors.

Top in Durability: Hardwood

Hardwood flooring is highly durable over time, thanks to the strength of natural wood grains and special finishes that offer water and fade resistance. With proper care, hardwood floors can serve you for a century.

Runner-up: Vinyl and Laminate

In the debate of hardwood versus vinyl, both have durable qualities. But, vinyl, with its synthetic properties, only has the potential to last for about 5-10 years with proper care. The durability of laminate flooring is very close with vinyl, also about 5-10 years.

Top in Water-Resistance: Vinyl

Vinyl flooring's waterproof properties make it highly resistant to water damage, capable of withstanding up to 72 hours of water exposure. Its plastic surface makes it the champion in the water-resistance category.

There are 2 caveats, however: if the water seeps through the sides or bottom, you will still need to remove the floors to prevent molding. Whatever floor you have, if water floods or seeps underneath, you will need to replace them… so don’t turn your home into a pool! Secondly, water resistance and water proof doesn’t really mean forever, it’s usually 24 and 72 hours of pooling water, respectively.

Runner-up: Laminate and Hardwood

Both laminate and hardwood can resist water to a certain extent, but neither match vinyl's water-resistant capabilities due to the absence of synthetic, impermeable layers. Both laminate, with its wood fiber base, and hardwood, being entirely wood, can only handle limited water exposure before succumbing to warping, staining, or cracking.

Easiest to Install: Laminate

If you're considering hardwood, laminate, or vinyl flooring, laminate comes out on top for ease of installation. The panels are designed with pre-attached tongue and groove fittings for quick and easy setup, just like assembling a puzzle.

Runner-up: Vinyl and Hardwood

Vinyl flooring demands an adhesive for panel locking but some vinyl floors come with pre-installed grooves and holes, akin to laminate, which simplifies the panel assembly process.

Compared to laminate, hardwood installation is more complex and typically best left to professionals. It involves a careful process of laying planks, using glue, staples, nails, or a combination to secure them in place.

Easiest to Clean: Vinyl

Thanks to its water-friendly nature, vinyl flooring is the simplest to clean. You need only a wet mop and clean water, and you won't need to worry about water damage. A vacuum suitable for smooth floors will also do the job without causing dents or scratches.

Runner-up: Laminate and Hardwood

Laminate and hardwood tie for second place in ease of cleaning. Both require a vacuum with a soft setting suitable for smooth floors and occasional mopping. Laminate needs a specific cleaner, and hardwood benefits from a wood floor cleaner designed to maintain its glow.

Last Words

We know how a flooring project is a mammoth undertaking for you… and can be very expensive. But if you’re not in a rush, I encourage you to shop around. Then check us out. We're a Factory Direct Store, so our prices are cheaper than any other places. We import the woods ourselves, passing along the savings to you. And we have pro installers with 15+ years of experience, at your service. Should you have any further questions, please email hello@redeemedflooring.com.