LVT vs laminate: Which floor is better?

A foundational part of your house (literally), when it comes to choosing the right flooring for your home, we’d wager you’re probably after something that strikes a nice balance between being hard-wearing and easy to look after, all while still looking great with your chosen home décor.

Naturally, this makes picking your flooring material a very important part of the installation process, one you want to get right the first time around so that you’re not left replacing your floors again and again every few years.

Fortunately, doing this is not nearly as hard as you might think, with laminate and LVT flooring in particular being fantastic options when it comes to affordability and longevity. But while both of these different flooring types are excellent choices, which one is best suited for your home’s needs?

To help you work this out, we’ve broken down everything you need to know about the difference between LVT and laminate floors below, including their durability levels, installation costs, maintenance requirements, and more – that way, you can be sure that the flooring you choose can handle the everyday pressures of your home.

What’s the difference between LVT and laminate flooring?

Although similar in design and appearance, when it comes to picking between LVT vs laminate, it’s important to understand that both of these flooring types are made of distinctly different materials.

Laminate, for example, is made from something known as high-density fibre board (HDF), which is created using recycled wood pulp, and typically results in much thicker planks with a more natural-looking texture.

LVT, on the other hand, is made from multiple layers of PVC, making it thinner overall but allowing for a greater degree of physical flexibility and stylistic options during the manufacturing process.

LVT vs laminate: breaking it down

As you’ve probably already guessed, construction materials and thickness are not the sole difference between LVT and laminate – if anything, they’re just the start. Here’s a more in-depth look at how these two flooring materials really differ once they’re laid down.

Comfort

Starting off with perhaps the most important aspect of any floor, you’ll no doubt be thrilled to hear that both laminate and LVT are supremely comfortable to walk on underfoot – provided they have a suitable underlay beneath them.

In terms of texture, as we just noted, laminate tends to feel a touch more natural than LVT, giving it a distinct edge if you want something closer to traditional wood flooring. And while it might take longer to warm initially, laminate has much better heat retention overall, making it a great flooring choice for use with underfloor heating.

However, with that being said, LVT is typically quieter and softer to walk on, making it the go-to choice if you prefer to walk around barefoot and want to avoid those irritating floor creaks.

Durability

Next up, when it comes to laminate vs LVT in terms of durability, we’d argue that LVT tends to have better durability in the long-term – but only just. Both laminate and LVT have great levels of scratch and stain-resistance, take a while to fade, and often come with warranties of 10 years or more.

However, when it comes to squeezing as much life out of your floors as possible, LVT’s slightly thicker wear layer can help it to last just that bit longer, especially in moisture-prone spaces. This is because, unlike laminate, which is only water-resistant, LVT is entirely waterproof, meaning it’s far less likely to bubble and peel after prolonged water exposure.

Style

Much like durability, LVT also takes the lead over laminate when it comes to style. Don’t get us wrong, laminate is a brilliant alternative if you want that real-wood finish, but that’s also the only style that laminate can provide.

Thanks to its plastic nature and the photo layer used during its construction, LVT can readily mimic a whole range of sought-after flooring materials, including wood, tiles, and stone, allowing you to find that perfect flooring style to match your home aesthetic.

Maintenance

Moving on to maintenance, there’s very little difference between laminate vs LVT in this regard. Both are very easy to clean and look after, and so long as you’re careful with the cleaning products you use, you won’t run the risk of damaging their protective coating.

Installation

As far as installation is concerned, most flooring experts will have experience in laying both of these particular flooring types. However, should you want to lay this floor yourself to save on costs, then laminate is definitely the more DIY-friendly choice.

While both floors make use of the modern click-lock installation method, laminate’s thicker and sturdier nature makes aligning and fitting such boards together slightly easier, especially when it comes to ensuring a flush finish with straight edges.

LVT, on the other hand, while certainly installable without the assistance of a floorer, will require a bit more care and attention to get right, and you’ll find it much harder to rectify mistakes if you wind up using glue-down LVT instead of its click-lock counterpart.

Cost

Last, but not least, when looking at LVT vs laminate costs, laminate once again comes out ahead, being slightly cheaper on average than LVT per square metre.

Of course, how much you need to spend will depend on the size of the room, and some luxury laminates certainly cost more than affordable LVTs. But if you’re working to a lower overall budget, then laminate will likely be your best shout. 

Is LVT better than laminate?

So, having examined all areas of LVT vs laminate in detail, is LVT better than laminate or vice versa? Well, the honest truth is that, no, at face value, neither LVT nor laminate is any better than the other for casual use in your home – instead, it’s all context dependent.

For example, if you’re planning on re-flooring your bathroom or kitchen, and you want something other than a wood finish, then we’d argue that picking LVT flooring is the superior choice here, thanks to its waterproof nature, greater style range, and slightly better durability.

On the other hand, if you want a sturdy and affordable floor for use in your hallway or living room, then buying laminate flooring is going to help you save on both purchasing and installation costs, especially if you decide to lay your new floor yourself.

Again, it all really comes down to what you need and how big your budget is, so make sure you have these nailed down before you start shopping.

Find affordable flooring in our range

As you can see, there are quite a few differences that set laminate and LVT apart. But no matter what material you wind up choosing, the important thing is that you’ll be left with a reliable and long-lasting surface beneath your feet that will last you for years to come – meaning all that’s left to do is to start browsing the Flooring King range today!

Whether you’re after premium LVT or a budget-friendly laminate, our collection of top-of-the-line flooring has something for all projects and budgets. Take a look to see what we currently have on offer, and don’t forget to get in touch with our experts if you have any further questions.

LVT vs laminate FAQs

Still have a few questions around laminate and LVT? Take a look at our FAQs below before reaching out to see if we’ve the answer you need.