What is better out of vinyl flooring or laminate flooring?

With Christmas around the corner, many people are wanting to redecorate their home. With all home renovations, you need to start at the bottom and work your way up. So, what does this mean? Well, you need to consider what type of flooring you want. If you’re looking for affordable and easy-care flooring, then you are likely going to have to choose between laminate flooring and vinyl.

There are a few key differences between the two you need to consider, but below are some of the pros and cons about deciding what is better out of vinyl flooring or laminate flooring.

What does easy-care flooring mean?

Let’s just get this out of the way to start with as it is a common question when it comes to flooring. Due to the recent world situation, many people have turned to spending more time in their kitchen as they look to look after their body.

If you are spending more in the kitchen because you are making more healthy diet foods, then you will want a comfortable and easy to clean floor. This is what an easy-care floor is. It is something that wipes clean so when you spill all your new sauces and others on the floor, it won’t take long to clean up. The same thing can be done with pet food spillages when your dog is chowing down on their dinner. So, to start things off we will just explain that both laminate floors and vinyl floors are easy to clean and can be considered as easy care flooring.

Pros of vinyl flooring

There are many pros of vinyl flooring which make it one of the most popular options when modernizing your home. Also known as linoleum, a vinyl floor is made from 100 per cent plastic. Whilst many may ask why this is seen as a positive, it is because it makes it virtually waterproof. Therefore, when considering your home renovations, a vinyl floor could be the solution for rooms such as the kitchen and the bathroom. Other floors, particularly carpet and wooden flooring are not well suited to moisture, which is why many opt for vinyl in these rooms.

Effectively, if you’re doing the dishes and spill some water on the floor, it will just sit on your floor without causing any damage to the surface. It is the same for bathrooms and basements, basically any rooms which attract moisture. Vinyl floors are also more affordable than other types. If you have a tight budget, this is certainly a positive. But that’s not all. You need to also consider the fact that there are a few types of vinyl floor. Learn a bit more about what they are below.

What are the different types of vinyl flooring?

Another pro of vinyl is how many types there are. All are suited differently to your home. Well, there is vinyl sheet flooring, vinyl plank flooring and also luxury vinyl tiles. All the different styles lead to a variety of choice, but almost all are aesthetically pleasing. Most flooring suppliers will sell all the different types. They are mostly all made of the same materials, but they are different to look at. Previously, homeowners and landlords have considered plastic vinyl floors to look nicer than laminate and they are easy to manipulate, but there has been a change in opinion recently.

Due to the embossing techniques on all types of vinyl, it can mimic the look of a stone floor, tiled floor and also a wooden floor in your hallway. Luxury vinyl tiles are certainly becoming increasingly popular due to their tiled effect. Sheet vinyl floors can present a tiled effect but tiled vinyl does look nicer and more realistic.

However, there are cons

Yes, unfortunately, there are some cons to vinyl flooring. It is important to consider these when looking at doing up your home. Let’s discuss them now. Some vinyl flooring is not up to scratch, literally. If you have pets or young children, then the floor can be easily damaged. If your cat or dog is scratching at the floor then if it is vinyl floors then it is likely to damage it more than it would a laminate floor.

Vinyl floors come in rolls whereas laminate flooring arrives in planks. Laminate flooring from most flooring suppliers will also last a lot longer than vinyl would. However, if it is purely affordable flooring you then you should stick with vinyl floors. Essentially, the pros and cons of vinyl flooring depend on a lot on your own home renovation requirements.

What are the Pros of Laminate Flooring?

Laminate flooring is becoming more popular as every day passes, and this is mainly due to it being easy on the eye. A wooden flooring look is what most people would want in their hallway but it is known to be expensive. Laminate floors are definitely the next best thing. They are durable and nice to look at. Thanks to new flooring techniques and innovation in recent years, it is also a product which can mimic the look of a wooden floor. Simply put, laminate flooring is ideal for homeowners and landlords who want a modern style but are looking for more affordable flooring.

Being budget friendly is often why people associate vinyl and laminate floors. This is one of the major Pros of both, as well as versatility. Laminate flooring can work in the same way as a fully plastic floor would. The innovation in synthetic flooring gives people a real modern vibe and feel in their home, but they’ve not spent their life savings to get there.

Again, in a similar way to vinyl, laminate floors do perform well to moisture. As a synthetic floor, it can withstand some spillage or moisture without damaging the floor itself. However, you should not buy these floors purely on the sole reason they are waterproof. Perhaps a better way of talking positively about laminate is that it is water resistant. It can probably withstand moisture and water droplets from the shower or bath.

Why is it better than vinyl flooring though?

Laminate flooring can be considered better than vinyl flooring due to how it feels. If you walk on plastic, you know are walking on plastic. With laminate, you would usually have underlay in place and this provides a bit of warmth and a softer feel. As laminate is thicker, it is more durable. The synthetic covering makes it feel softer as well. Essentially, if you are thinking of renovating your hallway or living room, laminate flooring would certainly be the smarter choice over a vinyl floor.

Thanks to the aforementioned embossing techniques, a laminate floor would also provide your hallway with a more stylistic look. Most floors, including carpet and vinyl, will come in different colors but if the style is important, laminate certainly leads the way.

What’s the bad news?

The look and feel of hardwood flooring appeal to people nowadays, until they find out the cost. Laminate flooring can give your house a fresh look at a more affordable price. However, unlike hardwood flooring which can last a lifetime, laminate may need replacing after around 10 years depending on wear and tear.

In conclusion

Ultimately, there are many factors to consider when doing your home renovations. It is recommended that you start with the flooring and go from there. Obviously, the reasons to consider when choosing either laminate flooring or vinyl flooring start with budget. If it is just the flooring being renovated then you may have a bigger budget, but the whole home could see you turn towards laminate and vinyl. There are many flooring suppliers out there who would be happy to help you with deciding what floors to install, and also how to fit carpet, laminate and vinyl etc.

Take a step back, sleep on it and decide what the most important factors are when choosing your flooring. Do you want something water resistant? Do you want something durable? Or is it mostly important that it just looks nice? If so, these are important to consider.