Vinyl vs. Laminate Flooring: Which Is Right for You?

What Is Vinyl Flooring?

Vinyl flooring is a synthetic type of flooring similar to linoleum. It’s known as resilient flooring and is meant to resemble traditional hardwood flooring without being as expensive. It’s also available in faux tiles that you could lay down in a bathroom.

Vinyl Flooring Pros

One of the greatest advantages of choosing vinyl flooring is the fact that it’s easy to install. Most homeowners are able to install vinyl flooring in their homes by themselves without having to invest too much time or effort. In theory, you could complete this project in an afternoon or, at most, a weekend.

Vinyl is very durable, too. It can withstand heavy foot traffic with ease and isn’t so hard that it’s uncomfortable for people to walk on barefoot. Vinyl is known to be noise-reducing as well, which can be a great benefit to those who have pets or small children.

If you’re working with a strict budget, vinyl is also a great choice to consider. It’s affordable and comes in a wide range of colors and patterns. With so much to choose from, it’s easy to find an option that works with your existing decor.

Vinyl Flooring Cons

At the same time, there are some potential downsides to vinyl flooring. For example, while it can withstand heavy foot traffic, it doesn’t do a great job of withstanding heavy loads. If you were to drop something heavy on it by accident, it could crack or become damaged.

Sometimes, the coloring of vinyl flooring can fade easily in the sun, too. This can lead to mismatched flooring throughout your home, which won’t be ideal if you’re trying to increase your resale value.

What Is Laminate Flooring?

Laminate is another synthetic flooring option. It’s made of particleboard that’s been topped by both an image layer as well as a transparent wear layer. It also resembles hardwood flooring.

Laminate Flooring Pros

Laminate flooring, in general, is quite inexpensive. It’s priced competitively with vinyl, so you can have your pick between the two if you’re making a decision based on your budget alone.

In addition to being affordable, laminate is also very durable and easy-to-clean. If you have young children or pets, choosing laminate might make sense as you’ll likely be cleaning up a lot of messes throughout the lifespan of the flooring.

Another advantage of choosing laminate over vinyl is the fact that it’s scratch-resistant. If you have concerns about your floor getting scratched by kids’ toys, pets’ nails, or anything else that gets dragged across your floor on a regular basis, laminate can be a great investment.

Laminate Flooring Cons

A major downside to laminate flooring is that it’s very sensitive to moisture. If it gets exposed to moisture on a regular basis, it can swell and bubble up.

Because of this, it’s not a suitable option for bathrooms and laundry rooms. You’ll have to choose a different flooring material and stick to laminate for kitchens, living rooms, and bedrooms only. This can be a deal-breaker for some homeowners.

Laminate might be scratch-resistant, but that doesn’t mean it’s impervious to all forms of damage. For example, it can chip easily. This makes it harder for you to pass off your laminate floor as real wood.

How to Shop for Vinyl Flooring

If you’re getting ready to shop vinyl flooring, one of the first things you need to consider is the look you want for your house. If you want the vinyl to resemble wood, you should look at several different options to find a color and pattern that aligns with your decorating vision.

Take note of whether or not the flooring you’re considering is waterproof, too. Most are, but it still helps to double-check.

Of course, you can’t forget about the price, either. Pay attention to the price of various vinyl flooring materials so you can find the best and more affordable option that will yield the greatest returns later. Be sure to take in the cost of other materials you’ll need for the installation process, too.

How to Shop for Laminate Flooring

When you’re shopping for laminate flooring, you also need to pay careful attention to the colors and patterns of different laminate products. There’s a lot to choose from with laminate, as with vinyl, so it helps to have a general color palette or design style in mind before you start shopping.

When you’re shopping for laminate flooring, you’ll also need to keep the price in mind. Factor in the cost of the materials as well as the cost of labor, if you’re planning on hiring someone to take care of the job for you.

Vinyl vs Laminate Flooring: Which Is Right for You?

The decision between vinyl vs laminate flooring can be a tricky one. If you remember the pros and cons of each, though, you’ll feel less overwhelmed and will have an easier time deciding which flooring type you want to invest in for your home. Remember to keep the shopping tips listed above in mind, too, so you can find the best price and the highest quality flooring materials.

Do you want to learn more about updating the flooring in your home, or about updating any other part of it? If so, we have tons of resources for you on our site. Check out some of our home improvement articles today for information on updates that will increase the value of your home and help you sell it faster.