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What’s the Difference Between Laminate and Luxury Vinyl Flooring?

One of the most typical debates in the industry of flooring is, which is best: laminate or luxury vinyl flooring? Both kinds of flooring provide distinct maintenance and cost benefits over costly natural materials like tile and hardwood. Both vinyl and laminate additionally provide aesthetic, health, and durability benefits over conventional carpet floors. But which is better for your Michigan home? We’ll take a deeper look at both these flooring options.

What’s the Difference Between Laminate and Luxury Vinyl Flooring?

Similarities and Differences of Laminate and Luxury Vinyl Flooring

Both of these flooring options share the advantage of being highly versatile in color through three-dimensional printing which permits them to look like stone or hardwood. In addition, both floor materials are easily replaced, as compared with carpet or natural material, since only tile or plank will have to be removed.

In spite of their similarities, there are extremely distinct differences between the kinds of floor products, which you ought to consider as you’re shopping for the ideal flooring for your house.

What’s the Difference Between Laminate and Luxury Vinyl Flooring?

Laminate Floors

Laminate floors are built in layers and then stuck together through a process of lamination. The primary layer is designed of a high-density fiberboard that makes the material a lot more rigid than luxury vinyl flooring.

Laminate floors are installed utilizing click and lock assembly, additionally referred to as a “floating floor” system, which means it doesn’t have to be glued or nailed down to the subfloor. It makes for a simple process of installation for DIYers, yet additionally means the flooring material NEVER should get damp. Humidity and moisture severely can ruin laminate flooring because of the sponge-like fiberboard layer, as well as aerated gap beneath. Laminate flooring installation in kitchen, bathroom, or additional high moisture areas isn’t suggested for that reason.

Luxury Vinyl Flooring

Do not confuse luxury vinyl flooring with traditional vinyl floors. Luxury vinyl floors are built utilizing PVC that provides the material a solid yet elastic constitution. The material is thought to be “resilient” because of its capability of expanding and compressing with contact rather than cracking.

The main improvement over conventional vinyl flooring is that the floors are resistant to moisture. Luxury vinyl floors may deal with complete liquid submersion without having to warp or discolor, which is a very seldom trait as compared with additional materials in home flooring.

In addition, luxury vinyl flooring is protected by a “wear layer” of urethane that is very durable for orthopedic comfort, as well as optimal protection. The thicker a wear layer is, the more durable the floors are to extremely high foot traffic.

Which Floor Material is Suggested?

The only benefit laminate floors have over luxury vinyl flooring comes down to price. Laminate floors have a somewhat lower upfront price, yet the majority of laminate floors must be replaced within ten years. As compared with the average twenty-year lifespan of luxury vinyl floors, the latter is the most cost-effective option.

In recent research, the majority of laminate flooring has been discovered to generate formaldehyde emissions– a dangerous carcinogen. Breathing formaldehyde in on a consistent basis may be potentially extremely hazardous and ought to be a concern for families who have small kids. On the other hand, vinyl floors have little impact upon indoor air quality inside the house.

In addition, bear in mind that luxury vinyl floors are a fairly recent industry innovation, whereas laminate floors have been around for years. The main difference between these two products is their reaction to wetness. Laminate floors are very vulnerable to water damage and humidity, whereby LVT is 100 percent waterproof.

Because of the differences in durability, product warranties additionally vary depending upon the type of flooring. Typically, laminate flooring comes with a five to ten-year warranty, whereby luxury vinyl flooring usually is warrantied for fifteen years or more.

Laminate vs. Luxury Vinyl Flooring: Which one is the winner?

All in all, luxury vinyl flooring is a clear winner. While both floor materials might be similar in maintenance, appearance, and cost, luxury vinyl floors are waterproof, less hazardous, as well as has double the warranty and lifespan of the majority of laminate flooring. Be sure to talk with the experts at All Point Construction for more details and a free estimate on installing either of these flooring options in your home. Call 734-407-7110 for more details.

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