Are you looking for vinyl or laminate flooring? Many homeowners who are interested in flooring installation have the confusion between laminate and vinyl flooring. So let’s have a better look at these types of flooring options. Whether it’s vinyl or laminate that makes sense, learning more about its individual features will help you decide which one is better.
There are many decisions to make when shopping for new flooring. One of the first is what type of flooring is best for your home, business or facility. If you’re not in the market for hardwood or carpet, you might be considering vinyl or laminate. At S&G Carpet and More, we love seeing our clients choose floors that truly meet their needs. If you’re debating between vinyl and laminate, here’s what you need to know.
Breaking Down the Differences Between Vinyl and Laminate
Homeowners today enjoy an incredible array of choices when it comes to flooring. While variety is great, it can be hard to narrow down flooring selections unless you have a solid idea of what you want. You likely know the color or pattern that you’re interested in, and you may have seen both vinyl and laminate styles that fit the bill.
Vinyl flooring is available in both sheets and tiles that install easily and provide excellent durability. Vinyl planks, which offer the look of hardwood without the high maintenance demands, are also available. One of vinyl’s biggest selling points is its suitability for wet areas such as bathrooms and kitchens. Products such as CORETec both repel water and resist water damage, which makes them durable, practical and cost effective in areas that can be hard to floor. Such planks are also a viable alternative to traditional hardwood, which looks beautiful but is susceptible to water damage. As you shop, be sure to differentiate between vinyl and laminate too. These types of flooring can look similar, but vinyl tends to be more water resistant.
Laminate is generally offered in sheet form and also has a reputation for being easy to install. It’s made primarily from natural materials, which means that it’s a good option if you want green flooring. However, laminate is more sensitive to cleaners than other types of flooring, and you may need to buy special cleaning products. It also tends to have something called a bloom, or a yellowish cast that occurs during manufacturing. This cast disappears over time as new flooring is exposed to light. Laminate is generally considered to be durable, but you might find that available styles look a little dated.
The best way to know which one is better is for you to hire a professional flooring consultant to help you get an expert’s opinion–based on your floor budget and needs.
