Laminate vs Vinyl Flooring: How Do They Compare

At a Glance:

Laminate vs Vinyl Flooring: Main Differences

Laminate vs Vinyl Flooring: Lifespan

Laminate vs Vinyl Flooring: Price Comparison

Laminate vs Vinyl Flooring: Installation

Laminate vs Vinyl Flooring: Moisture Protection

Choosing the Best Flooring for You and Your Home

Why Trust Us?

Laminate flooring and vinyl flooring are two of the most popular flooring types in today’s age, so it’s no surprise that knowing which is which can be confusing. While both types of flooring are quite popular, it begs to ask the question—what is the difference between laminate vs vinyl flooring? What are the vinyl vs laminate flooring pros and cons? How do they compare in cost? What about their lifespan? Below we’ll talk about laminate vs vinyl flooring and how to decide which flooring type is best for you and your space.

Laminate vs Vinyl Flooring: Main Differences

Laminate flooring was invented in 1977 by Perstorp, a Swedish company. Vinyl flooring was invented by Eugen Baumann and brought to the market as a flooring tile in the 1930s. Both types of flooring have sold well on the market and provided beautiful floor alternatives to conventional hardwood flooring.

But of course, laminate and vinyl flooring are also quite different from each other. Let’s take a brief look at the main differences between laminate and vinyl flooring.

Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring is a composite flooring material which means that it’s constructed with multiple layers. There are three total layers: a dense base layer, an image layer, and a wear layer. The base layer offers a strong foundation, the image layer is what mimics a wooden look, and the wear layer helps protect the flooring from damage. Laminate flooring can imitate almost any type of wood so there are many options to choose from. It’s also quite versatile and can be installed in almost any part of a home—essentially wherever hardwood could be installed.

• Pros: Durable, looks like real wood, scratch-resistant, easy to maintain, water-resistant (some kinds are waterproof), click-together installation option, good for beginners to install, environmentally friendly, soft to walk on, affordable to buy and install
• Cons: Needs to be replaced over time (cannot be refinished), sometimes looks cheap, waterproof laminates are expensive, water-resistant laminates shouldn’t be installed where moisture can get in

Vinyl Flooring

Vinyl flooring is also known as PVC flooring because it is constructed of polyvinyl chloride. Polyvinyl chloride is a plastic polymer that is the third-most produced plastic in the world. Vinyl flooring encompasses three types of flooring: vinyl plank, vinyl tile, and sheet vinyl. Vinyl plank flooring or LVP (luxury vinyl plank) is the most popular flooring choice because it’s waterproof and costs less than conventional hardwood flooring. Vinyl tile flooring is similar to vinyl plank, but they mimic the look of floor tiles, rather than wood. Sheet vinyl isn’t as common nowadays, but it is basically a large sheet of vinyl that is cut to fit your space and then glued down. 

• Pros: Waterproof, less expensive than hardwood, click-together installation option, many types of vinyl to choose from, easy to install as a floating floor, scratch-resistant, 
• Cons: Needs to be replaced over time (cannot be refinished), not eco-friendly, difficult to remove, low-quality options should be avoided

Laminate vs Vinyl Flooring: Lifespan

Unlike solid hardwood that can last 75+ years when well maintained, laminate and vinyl flooring won’t last nearly as long, but it will get you by for some time. 

Laminate Flooring

Compared to conventional hardwood flooring, laminate flooring does not last nearly as long. Laminate flooring may get you by for 10-30 years but then it needs to be replaced. To know when it’s time to replace laminate flooring, look to see if the third layer (the protective coating) has worn away. Unfortunately, laminate flooring cannot be refinished to extend its longevity. 

Vinyl Flooring

Vinyl flooring can last about 12-15 years or more with proper care and maintenance. Higher-quality flooring will last longer than low-quality flooring. Once vinyl flooring has worn down, it must be replaced as it cannot be refinished. 

Best Lifespan: Laminate

Laminate flooring has a greater lifespan (10-30 years) compared to vinyl flooring (12-15 years). With that being said, some brands offer great warranties. 

Laminate vs Vinyl Flooring: Price Comparison

Below are estimated costs for laminate flooring and vinyl flooring, not including the cost for installation.

Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring can range from about $1 to $8 or more per square foot which is still quite cheaper than conventional hardwood flooring prices.

Vinyl Flooring

Vinyl flooring costs depend on which type of vinyl flooring you purchase. Vinyl plank and vinyl tile flooring can range from $2 to $5 per square foot. For sheet vinyl, the cost is comparatively inexpensive at $0.50 to $2 per square foot.

Best Price: Tied

While sheet vinyl boasts the lowest cost, it typically requires professional installation so sheet vinyl costs much more in the long run. Between laminate flooring and vinyl plank flooring, both types of flooring are comparable in price. 

Laminate vs Vinyl Flooring: Installation

If you’re planning on installing laminate or vinyl flooring yourself, it’s good to know ahead of time what you’re getting yourself into. 

Laminate Flooring

When it comes to installation, laminate flooring may be one of the easiest types of flooring to install for beginners. There is the option to install laminate flooring in a more traditional way: nailing, gluing or stapling. But one of the best features of laminate flooring is the option to purchase it as click-together or ‘click-lock’ flooring. Because this type of laminate flooring doesn’t have to attach to a subfloor, it is referred to as ‘floating floors.’

Vinyl Flooring

Unlike laminate flooring which can only be loose-laid, vinyl flooring can be loose-laid (‘floating floors’) with the click-together method or glued to the subfloor. Liquid adhesive glue or self-stick adhesive backing is used to glue down some types of vinyl planks and tiles. Vinyl flooring can either be cut with power tools or with a utility knife.

Easiest to Install: Vinyl

Both laminate flooring and vinyl flooring are easy to install with the click-together method. Vinyl flooring has a slight advantage when it comes to cutting the planks as they can be cut with a utility knife. Laminate flooring, on the other hand, must be cut using a power tool. 

Laminate vs Vinyl Flooring: Moisture Protection

It’s good to know how much moisture flooring can really handle, especially if you’re wanting to install flooring in the kitchen or other room that is easily exposed to water. 

Laminate Flooring

All laminate flooring is generally water-resistant meaning it can handle occasional spills and water getting trekked in from shoes. But unless you purchase waterproof laminate flooring, you’ll want to make sure your laminate flooring stays free of water exposure (for the most part). Waterproof laminate flooring can be placed in laundry rooms, mud rooms, or kitchens since there’s no risk of moisture getting in. 

Vinyl Flooring

All vinyl flooring is waterproof which is better than simply being water-resistant. Because of vinyl floorings makeup (100% polymer materials), it can be drenched in water (worst case scenario) without being affected. 

Best for Moisture Protection: Tied

While vinyl flooring is naturally waterproof, there are types of laminate flooring available that are also waterproof.

Choosing the Best Flooring for You and Your Home

By taking into consideration the lifespan, cost, installation needs, and moisture resistance capabilities of both laminate vs vinyl flooring, you should hopefully have a better idea of which type of flooring is best for you and your household. Let’s quickly recap.

Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring is a great alternative to conventional hardwood flooring and is strong and well made. It is less expensive and looks quite like hardwood with realistic 3D embossing on the surface. Personal installation will require a power tool to cut the wood, so if you’re familiar with cutting, you will have no issues installing this type of flooring. If you’re concerned about whether your flooring is eco-friendly, laminate flooring is a great environmental-friendly flooring since it’s mostly recyclable. You don’t want to install laminate flooring in moisture-prone rooms unless you purchase waterproof laminate flooring.

Vinyl Flooring

With vinyl flooring, you don’t have to worry about moisture exposure regardless of the type of vinyl you purchase. This is great if you want to install vinyl in a moisture-prone room like a kitchen or mud room. Like laminate flooring, vinyl flooring is also less expensive than conventional hardwood flooring. If you’re looking for flooring that looks like genuine hardwood, opt for thicker luxury vinyl. This type of flooring can show 3D embossing like laminate flooring. As for whether or not vinyl flooring is environmentally friendly, vinyl flooring is made of plastic so most vinyl flooring is not recyclable. 

Looking for high-quality laminate or vinyl flooring and/or professionals to install it? With Liddiard Flooring, you can choose from luxury vinyl, laminate, and sheet vinyl among other types of flooring such as carpet, tile, and commercial needs. Liddiard Flooring is also able to move furniture, prepare the floor, and remove old flooring, if needed.  

Why Trust Liddiard Home Furnishings?

For over 65 years, Liddiard Home Furnishings has been providing Utah with premium home furnishings. This family-owned business has worked to deliver a better kind of shopping experience to the greater Salt Lake City area. Whether it’s the carefully laid out showroom or the outstanding customer service, when you shop at Liddiard’s, you’ll feel like family. The team at Liddiard has crafted a catalog full of incredible products made by brands with reputations for quality. Shop online or visit our showroom to discover what makes Liddiard Home Furnishings so unique.

Find Flooring Solutions at Liddiard Home Furnishings

For the home furnishings you need, visit Liddiard Home Furnishings in Tooele, UT. Check out Liddiard reviews, and if you have questions, our friendly product experts are always happy to help you find laminate or vinyl flooring — whether you call us at 435-882-0964 or use our online chat feature. Visit our Tooele showroom today!

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