Vinyl Vs Laminate

Whether you have recently bought a house or have decided that it’s time for a bit of a makeover, your flooring is an important factor.  You need to be sure that what you choose is going to last, but the obvious choices may be a little out of your price range, don’t despair! There are some pretty good alternatives available. Allow us to introduce you to Vinyl and Laminate Flooring. Whilst we love these two, we understand that you may prefer one over the other we’ve compared them both to help you reach a decision on what’s best for you!

Composition.

Both of these floors are similar in the way that they are able to imitate pretty much any surface, but are made very differently. Vinyl is made by using a combination of synthetics materials such as PVC. Laminate is made up of multiple layers, the bottom layer acts as a sort of moisture barrier and protects the core layer. This is the middle of the board that is made up of HDF, which is a wooden composition and helps give laminate that authentic wood feel. The top layer consists of an image, this is what helps the laminate board to imitate any surface. The image is then covered by a protective overlay, this will help prevent any damage to the board and the image itself.

Durability.

An advantage that both floors have is that they are pretty resistant to spillages. While laminate flooring is not totally waterproof, vinyl flooring is pretty much indestructible on the water front. For this reason vinyl tends to be more present in kitchens and bathrooms, but laminate flooring is perfect for the rest of the house. As for their life span, if properly installed and maintained well, vinyl can last anywhere from 10 to 20 years. Laminate, on the other hand, can last between 15 and 25 years. For floors that are often regarded as “cheap”, these are pretty impressive lifespans and also great value for money!

Maintenance.

Both floors are considered to be very low maintenance, they just need to be regularly swept and mopped. However in case of spillage, a laminate floor will need to have the stain cleaned straight  away otherwise the liquid could pose a threat of seeping through to the core, resting in permanent damage to the board. The fact that these floors are low maintenance shouldn’t lead you to believe that they are any less clean, as they are actually very hygienic floors. Vinyl for example is very recommended for allergic people as it doesn’t collect dust.

Looks.

Both are available in many styles that imitate the many types of real floors in the market. They both can imitate for example species of wood such as oak or hazelnut. Vinyl can also imitate tiles and stone. But since the materials that compose vinyl flooring are actually plastic, it can look a bit cheap compared to laminate flooring.

Cost.

Both floors are perfect if you are working against a tight budget. They are, as we have already said, some of the least expensive floors on the market. Another great thing about them is that they are very easy to install, so if you feel confident enough you can do it by yourself and save money instead of having to hire a floor fitter.

Of course we cant make the choice for you, but we hope that this post acts as a guide for you when it comes to making a decision!