Have you found yourself sandwiched between choosing vinyl flooring or laminate flooring for your home? Are you wondering if one is a better option than the other? When it comes to the vinyl vs laminate debate, the answer depends on your preference.
Both are great options, so it's just a matter of finding out which one better fits your needs. What might work for one person might not be the best fit for you.
See below for a few benefits of each. This way, you can use the benefits to gauge which one is better suited for the look and feel that you're going for.
The Benefits of Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl flooring is a tremendous option for your home. It's durable, beautiful, and cost-efficient. See below for a few of the major benefits of vinyl flooring.
1. Color Availability
Perhaps you're looking to mix and match the flooring in your house with many different colors. Maybe you want to pick a color that's a bit more untraditional. If so, then vinyl has you covered.
Vinyl flooring comes in a variety of different colors. You can choose from flooring options such as black, gray, and white, as well as several styles that give off the impression of wood flooring.
On top of that, there are many different designs and shapes that you can create to build a floor pattern that is truly one of a kind.
2. Resistant to Heat and Water
Accidents are bound to happen in your residence. You'll spill your drinks from time to time, your pets will urinate in the house, there might even be an overflowing toilet or two.
These days, vinyl flooring is made of polymer, which makes it almost entirely resistant to both water and heat. You won't have to worry about water damage or warping.
Even when fully submerged in water for a longer period of time, the vinyl flooring will make a full recovery. It's always better to prepare for accidents in the house. That way, you can avoid paying for renovations when accidents do occur.
3. Simple to Maintain
Say no more, right? If there is a way for you to get a desirable-looking floor that causes you little maintenance over the course of its life, why wouldn't you invest in it?
Since vinyl is water-resistant, it can be cleaned using a good sweep and then given a once-over with a wet mop and some floor cleaner. Just make sure the cleaner is somewhat mild and safe to use on vinyl. The directions on the bottle should specify.
As great of an option as laminate can be, it requires a bit more attention with maintenance. You can never use a wet mop on it, so you'll have to resort to other cleaning products to clean messes before they stain.
Benefits of Laminate Flooring
Now that you've seen a few of the big benefits of vinyl flooring, it's time to take a look at what laminate flooring can offer.
Coincidentally, it features a few of the same benefits as vinyl. It's durable and offers you many different choices in color. See below for the benefits of laminate flooring.
1. Durability
Laminate flooring is no slouch when it comes to preservation. Generally speaking, once it's been installed, laminate can last as long as 25 years if properly maintained.
However, there are some caveats to that. Laminate flooring doesn't hold up against abrasiveness as well as vinyl and will be liable to significant scratching over the course of its life.
It's not waterproof like vinyl flooring is, so one significant amount of water (such as flooding or a burst pipe) can lead to the need for costly repairs.
2. Fade Resistant
Both laminate flooring and vinyl flooring are durable. There's no doubt about that. But, when it comes to holding its youthful look, laminate definitely has the upper hand, as it isn't as prone to fading.
If you're a big advocate for opening up your window shades and letting the natural light shine in, then laminate might be your better choice.
It will hold up well against the consistent UV transmittance and will keep the same color and look like the day that you first installed it. That kind of longevity is hard to match.
3. Color Choices
Much like vinyl flooring, laminate comes in many different colors. In fact, a major draw for laminate is that it can give off the impression of wood flooring, something that's attractive to a lot of people.
The laminate flooring is available in light and dark grey, black, and white. You also have an array of different wood finish colors to choose from. This makes it easy to switch things up in different rooms in the house.
Perhaps the only catch of laminate is that it isn't as versatile as vinyl. While vinyl flooring can be used in any room in the house, you should avoid using laminate in rooms like bathrooms, kitchens, and mudrooms.
Vinyl vs Laminate: Which One Will You Choose?
As you've undoubtedly seen in this guide, the white-hot debate between vinyl vs laminate isn't as white and black as some make it seem. Truth be told, there's room for both in your house!
Be sure to read this article for more information on laminate vs wood flooring if you find yourself stuck between the two for your home.
For more inquiries, please feel free to start by reaching out for a free estimate from our team and we will be happy to assist you further.
