Vinyl vs Laminate Flooring Part 2

Last time, we talked about hardwood flooring… but laying real wood floors is an investment—and expensive option that can be cost-prohibitive for many homeowners. And we talked about vinyl flooring. Today, we’re going to talk about laminate floors.

The Lowdown on Laminate Flooring

Laminate has been around since the 1970s and older products gained the not-so-great reputation for looking cheap and fake. By contrast, today’s laminate flooring options are durable, affordable, and beautiful. And they look just like wood! Instead of plastic PVC, laminate flooring incorporates High-Density Fiberboard (HDF) at its core, which makes for a different underfoot feel than vinyl. Laminate also has a printed image layer rather than an embossed vinyl design layer. Like vinyl plank, laminate usually consists of 3 different layers. There is a core or base layer made of high-density fiberboard, which provides a signature foundation and underfoot feel. There is also a photorealistic image layer which gives laminate its characteristic appearance. And finally, there is a hard plastic wear layer to protect the floor from damage and fading.

Main Advantage of Laminate over Vinyl: Quieter and More Environmentally Friendly

Again, both options look great and come in a wide variety of colors and styles that look like hardwood, but if you’re looking for an eco-friendly wood flooring alternative, laminate is going to better fit the bill. Vinyl as a rule isn’t made with sustainability in mind and very few options can be recycled. Worse yet, vinyl releases toxins when burned. And while this is probably not a problem in your home, it’s going to become a problem for the Earth once your flooring outlives its usefulness and winds up in a landfill or an incinerator. Laminate flooring releases fewer toxics than vinyl planking. When new floors are installed, both off-gas volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) which are harmful to both people and pets. While both laminate and vinyl go through an off-gassing period, it’s generally a bit easier to find non-toxic laminate flooring than it is to find low-VOC vinyl flooring.

Off the topic a bit, if you’re truly looking for a truly healthy and sustainable flooring product, you’re going to want to check out white oaks, cork, or bamboo flooring. But that’s a topic for another day!

Another reason some choose laminate over vinyl is because of noise. For those who enjoy their quiet or prefer to remain stealthy, laminate better absorbs noise because of the way it’s made. This might be something to consider if the pitter-patter of little feet irks you or if you like to slip away for a midnight snack now and then without others knowing.

Installing Vinyl or Laminate Flooring

Without going into too much detail, both laminate and vinyl flooring can usually be glued down or installed as a click-together “floating floor.” A floating floor refers to planks that snap together like Legos and sit or “float” over your subfloor. This type of installation makes both vinyl planking and laminate flooring two of the easiest types of flooring to install. So, they’re an awesome choice for DIY-ers. Of course, we always recommend that anyone doing any type of flooring installation brush up on the basics before starting a project. Not doing so, can result in squeaky footsteps and other installation fails. Remember, subflooring is important, so ask a professional or do some research before getting down to the business of installing your own floor.

Maintaining Vinyl and Laminate Floors

Maintaining your vinyl scratch free is easier than laminates. As we discussed before, vinyl is made to withstand pretty much anything a family can throw at it, so you may have to take a bit more care with laminate.

And finally—What do they Cost?

Vinyl and laminate are priced pretty similarly. To give you an idea, they usually run anywhere from $3 to $8 per square foot. While the base price of vinyl plank vs. laminate is relatively similar, high-end vinyl planking can cost a good deal more. So, it’s all relative, depending on your needs and budget.

So, now that you’ve got some understanding of the differences between vinyl plank and laminate, you can make an informed decision for your next flooring project. To sum it up at a glance:

• Vinyl can be used in basically any room since it’s waterproof, while laminate owners should do their best to keep their floors dry.
• Laminate is more eco-friendly than vinyl, but neither option is environmentally ideal—hardwood is always greener.
• Both floors are very durable and relatively easy to clean, but vinyl nudges laminate out as the winner, as it typically has no special care requirements.
• Both floors are sold at relatively similar (and affordable) price points, but high-end vinyl can wind up costing more.

The right answer for your home: it depends! Ultimately the decision is yours and you should do some careful consideration to determine which will best fit your circumstances. Rather than simply comparing laminate to vinyl plank flooring, be sure to check out hardwoods too.

You may discover quite a bit since each individual product has something special to offer. And you’ll want to understand them all to find the perfect solution for your space.

Last Words

We know how a flooring project is a huge undertaking for you. But if you’re not in a rush, I encourage you to shop around. Then check us out. We're a Factory Direct Retailer, so our hardwood prices are guaranteed cheaper than any other retailer. We import the materials ourselves, passing along the savings to you. Should you have any further questions, please email us at hello@redeemedflooring.com.