You want your home to look its best in all of the big and little details, of course, and a huge part of that is going to be the flooring that you choose.  This isn’t just about getting the right colour or design for our space, but rather, looking at the actual materials that are being used for the flooring itself.  The main choices that you’re going to be going for are laminate or vinyl flooring.  Curious about which one is better, and why?

What’s the difference between laminate and vinyl flooring?

Laminate flooring is made from a base of glue and fibreboard that has a layer on the top that looks like wood. This is coated over with thick plastic in order to help it look its best for years.  Luxury Vinyl flooring focuses on a high-definition printed film which is more realistic than laminate flooring, and it also has a rigid core that will give it the strength and longevity that laminate flooring just can’t offer.  That’s on top of being waterproof vinyl flooring and pet, kid-friendly, of course.

Which one is better (and why)?

When compared head to head, vinyl flooring/plank is the clear winner over laminate flooring.  While they tend to be priced around the same range, there are many, many pros that make vinyl pull out ahead and be declared the winner.  Some of the best ones are below for you to see for yourself.

• Vinyl is easy to clean and maintain: Compared to laminate, vinyl is very easy to clean and is also easy to maintain since it’s low-maintenance in the first place.  It’s a stress-free flooring choice for those that want it to look great and hold up.

• Vinyl can go in any room where flooring is needed: Kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, basements, and so on.  Vinyl flooring is designed for every room you need to put it in and will both look great and hold up over time in all of them.

• Vinyl looks like wood more than laminate flooring does: Laminate often looks fake to the eye.  Vinyl doesn’t.  It’ll look so realistic, you’ll think that you have real hardwood flooring on the floor,which is great for those that love the aesthetic.

• Vinyl is better for high-traffic areas:  Entryways tend to lead to chipped corners on laminate flooring, or lifted edges and planks.  Vinyl is rugged, sturdy and dependable.  Even in those high traffic areas, it’ll look stunning no matter what.

• Vinyl will age better than laminate flooring: Laminate flooring tends to fade and wear quicker than vinyl.  This is because the wood grain is only in one part of the flooring, whereas vinyl has it all the way through.  It’ll look as stunning in 15 years as it did the day that you put it in!

As you can see, waterproof vinyl flooring is the clear winner, and part of the key is going to be knowing where to go to make sure that you’re getting the deal you think you are.  Contact us at Golden State Floors to know more!