LVT Vs Laminate: Which Is Better?

If you’re looking to replace the flooring in your home, you might be left debating LVT vs laminate. Whilst both options have their pros and cons, most homeowners find that the LVT flooring option offers more benefits than laminate, including increased durability and more options when it comes to colour and style.

In this article, we’ll explore some of the key differences that set luxury vinyl tile and laminate flooring apart, as well as the pros and cons of both options. This will help you to make the right decision when it comes to choosing the perfect flooring for your home.

Is LVT Better Than Laminate?

LVT, or Luxury Vinyl Tile, has soared in popularity in recent years, thanks to its high levels of durability, its warmth underfoot and its elegant appearance. But is LVT really better than laminate flooring, or are there other factors that you need to consider?

Every household is different, with unique circumstances to consider, as well as individual tastes and preferences. For this reason, there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to the right flooring choice for your home.

However, when it comes to choosing between LVT and laminate flooring, many homeowners find that they prefer LVT flooring. This is because LVT flooring is highly durable, compared to laminate planks which can be damaged by moving furniture, dropping objects or water. Not only that but there are lots of different options available when it comes to choosing a style of LVT flooring. Including different laying patterns, mixing sizes and using decorative design strips amongst many others.

This makes LVT a popular flooring choice when installing replacement flooring in the home. But what else should you consider when making choices regarding flooring in your home? Read on to find out.

What Is The Difference Between LVT And Laminate?

Before we begin to weigh up the pros and cons of both LVT and laminate flooring, it’s important to understand the difference between these two flooring types.

The main difference between LVT and laminate is the material from which it is made. LVT is made from layers of vinyl and tough wear layers, making it slim in profile but tough and hard-wearing. In contrast, laminate flooring is constructed from fibreboard topped with a photographic layer and a protective coating.

The construction of each of these flooring types means that they have some key differences, including the durability, warmth and safety of both options. In this article, we’ll talk you through the differences between these two flooring types, helping you to make the right decision for your home.

Considering LVT? Discover the Luvanto range here

5 Factors To Consider When Choosing Between Laminate And LVT

There are many different factors that you’ll need to consider when you’re deciding between laminate flooring and LVT flooring in your home. Not only do you need to think about your personal preferences, but you’ll also need to consider durability, safety and price.

Here are five of the most important factors to consider when making your choice between LVT and laminate flooring for your home.

Durability

The first thing you’ll need to consider is durability. After all, there’s no point having a beautiful floor installed in your home if it isn’t going to last. Laminate flooring can be prone to chipping or denting if an object is dropped on the floor, or becoming scratched if furniture is dragged on it. This means that your laminate flooring could begin looking worse for wear after just a few months of usage, depending on the thickness and quality that you opt for.

Durability is one area where LVT flooring excels. This type of flooring is highly resistant to impact as it is more dense, meaning that it shouldn’t become damaged if you drop anything on the floor. Not only that, but it’s also good at resisting scratches, helping your flooring to stay looking new for longer.

Whilst laminate flooring typically has a lifespan of around 15 years, LVT often lasts for a significantly longer period of time. For example, Luvanto LVT flooring comes with a lifetime domestic warranty, giving you complete peace of mind that your LVT flooring will last for as long as you need it to..

Warmth Underfoot

There’s nothing worse than getting out of bed in a morning and putting your feet on a cold floor, and with heating bills on the rise, every little helps when it comes to keeping your home warm. That’s why it’s important to consider warmth underfoot when you’re choosing the right flooring for your home.

Laminate flooring is known for being cold underfoot. Not only can this be unpleasant, but it can also result in your heating being used more than necessary in an attempt to warm your home. In contrast, LVT feels warmer underfoot, helping to keep you warm in even the coldest of winter months. This will help to keep your heating bills down, whilst keeping you comfortable in your home.

Safety

Safety is key in any home, especially if you have young children or elderly people in the house who may be more unsteady on their feet. Laminate flooring can be an issue for these people, as it can be slippery, leading to potential falls.

Many varieties of LVT flooring offer a non-slip feature, helping to reduce the risk of falls. This is particularly useful for people who may be more prone to slips, minimising the chance of accidents occurring in the home and prioritising safety.

Whichever you choose, look for a flooring with a high wet slip resistance. Luvanto has the best slip resistance for LVT on the UK market.

Appearance

Whilst it is essential that flooring is practical, it’s also important that it looks great too. After all, we all want to feel proud of our homes.

When it comes to flooring, appearance is subjective. Unlike laminate flooring, LVT flooring allows you to choose from a range of colours and design options using different size planks or tiles, size and angle of cuts and design strips that can be used to create grout effect, decorative borders or floor patterns. This means that you have more control over the appearance of your flooring when you choose LVT flooring. At Luvanto, we have designs including herringbone, wood effect, and stone and tile effect. Laminate has to be laid as supplied due to the locking mechanism. Once a plank or tile is cut, it cannot lock on to another, and can’t accommodate design strips or grout patterns as it needs to be laid as a continuous floor.

Price

Finally, it’s important to consider price when you’re choosing between laminate flooring and LVT. Whilst practicality and appearance are essential, it’s important that you also consider the budget that you have available for your new flooring.

In general, you’ll find that LVT flooring is more expensive than laminate. This is because the quality of LVT flooring is typically superior to that of laminate flooring. This means that your LVT flooring is likely to last far longer than you might expect a laminate floor to last.

So, whilst LVT flooring often costs more than laminate, it’s also worth putting this into perspective, not just how many years you can expect your flooring to last, but also how long it will continue to look good and perform. You may find that LVT flooring offers better value for money than laminate, thanks to its extended lifespan.

Take a look at Luvanto’s high-quality LVT flooring here

Pros And Cons Of LVT Flooring

If you’re thinking about replacing your existing flooring with LVT, it’s essential that you weigh up both the pros and cons of this type of flooring. After all, you need to be sure that it is the right choice for your home. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of LVT flooring to help you to make an informed decision.

Pros Of LVT Flooring

There are many benefits of LVT flooring, which is why this type of flooring is currently soaring in popularity. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of LVT flooring.

• Highly durable – LVT flooring is extremely durable. It’s unlikely to chip or dent if you drop anything on it and it is highly resistant to scratching. This means that your LVT flooring should continue to look great for many years to come.
• Easy to clean – This type of flooring is very easy to clean. Simply sweep up any loose dirt and then clean your floor with soap and water.  
• Customisable appearance – There are lots of different options available when it comes to choosing your LVT flooring. Whether you prefer wood, stone or tile effect, or intricate patterns, there is something for everyone.
• Warm underfoot – LVT flooring is warm underfoot. This means that you won’t dread getting out of bed in the morning, and it will help your home to feel warmer.
• Long lifespan – One of the best things about LVT flooring is its long lifespan. For example, Luvanto LVT flooring comes with a lifetime domestic guarantee, meaning that you won’t have to worry about replacement for many years to come.
• Water resistant – LVT flooring is waterproof, meaning that it won’t be damaged by spillages. In fact, there are many types of LVT flooring that are suitable for use in bathrooms.

Cons Of LVT Flooring

Whilst there are many advantages of LVT flooring, there are also some disadvantages that you should be aware of before making your decision. Here are some of the downsides of LVT flooring.

• Cost – LVT flooring is generally more expensive than some other flooring types, as a result of its high quality. This means that you may need a higher budget if you want to fit LVT flooring in your home compared to some lower quality laminate flooring, but weigh this against the whole life cost of your project.
• Fitting – You may find that LVT flooring is more difficult to fit than laminate or sheet vinyl, especially if you choose a more complex pattern such as parquet. It’s worth considering using a specialist fitter if you choose LVT flooring for your home.

Is LVT right for you? Check out the Luvanto range of LVT flooring here

Pros And Cons Of Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring has been a popular choice for many years, thanks to its low price and ease of fitting. However, there are also some disadvantages of laminate flooring that you need to be aware of before making your decision. In this section, we’ll talk you through both the pros and cons of laminate flooring.

Pros Of Laminate Flooring

There are many advantages of laminate flooring, which is why many people choose this flooring type in their home. Here are some of the benefits of choosing laminate flooring.

• Affordable – Laminate flooring is often an affordable flooring choice, making it ideal for those on a tight budget.
• Readily available – This type of flooring is available from many different retailers, from high street DIY stores to flooring retailers.
• Easy to fit – Laminate flooring is easy to fit. In fact, many homeowners choose to install laminate flooring themselves.
• Easy to clean – This type of flooring is easy to clean. However, it is important to avoid using too much water when cleaning laminate flooring, as it isn’t waterproof and could become damaged.

Cons Of Laminate Flooring

Although there are many advantages of laminate flooring, there are also several disadvantages that you should be aware of. This will help you to make an informed decision about the best flooring type for your property. Here are some of the disadvantages of laminate flooring.

• Easily damaged – Laminate flooring often chips easily if an object is dropped onto it or if furniture such as chairs are dragged over it. This can shorten the life of your flooring significantly.
• Not water resistant – Unfortunately most types of laminate flooring are not water resistant. This means unless the laminate is of a very high quality designed for the purpose, it is advised not to be used in bathrooms as it could become damaged if water is spilled onto the floor.
• Louder underfoot – Due to the hard nature of laminate flooring it is often louder under foot than LVT which has better sound reduction qualities.

Laminate Or LVT – Our Verdict

The choice between LVT and laminate flooring is a personal one, and every home and family is different. It’s important to weigh up both the pros and cons of each option to make the right decision for your new flooring, including the lifespan, durability, price and appearance of each option.

In this article, we have talked you through the advantages and disadvantages of LVT vs laminate flooring, as well as comparing both options. We hope this has helped you to make the right choice for your home.

Looking for quality LVT flooring? Discover the Luvanto range here

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