LVT vs Laminate Flooring: Which Suits a Waterlooville Home?

Featured business. Palmer Flooring Contractors has a complimentary featured placement on Waterlooville.co; it has not paid for it, and it has not seen or approved this guide. Palmer Flooring is a Portsmouth-based family business that says it serves Portsmouth and the surrounding areas. The business says it supplies and fits both LVT and laminate. You can call Joe Palmer on 07896 497068. See the Palmer Flooring Contractors profile or the feature article.

LVT and laminate are often shown side by side because both can look like wood or stone. They are built differently, and that changes where each one works well.

What each one is

LVT. LVT stands for luxury vinyl tile. It is a vinyl floor made as planks or tiles. Vinyl is a plastic material, so the floor itself does not soak up water the way a wood-based board can.

Laminate. Laminate is a floor made in layers. It has a wood-based core under a printed image layer and a hard-wearing top surface. The printed layer is what gives it the look of wood or stone.

Where water matters

The biggest practical difference is how each floor copes with moisture. A wood-based core can swell if water gets into it, so laminate needs more care in a kitchen, bathroom or utility room, and around doors that get wet feet. Vinyl is generally the safer pick for rooms that see spills or splashes. Whichever you choose, ask the supplier what the product itself is rated for, because products differ.

Feel and sound

Laminate tends to feel harder and can sound more hollow underfoot, which is why it is often laid over an underlay. Vinyl can feel a little softer and quieter. Samples help here: stand on one if you can, and look at it in the room's own light.

Edges and joins

Both are usually made of boards or tiles that click or fit together, so look closely at how the joins look and how the floor meets walls, doors and thresholds. A tidy finish at the edges is often the part people notice most after a few weeks.

Underfloor heating

If you have or want underfloor heating, check that the exact product you are looking at is approved for use over it. Do not assume either type is suitable. Palmer Flooring says it does underfloor heating as well as flooring, so it is a fair thing to raise at the consultation.

The floor underneath

Both types need a flat, clean, dry base. A new floor will show the faults of the one beneath it. Our guide to preparing a subfloor before new flooring covers what to check.

Questions to ask before you buy

Ask what the product is made of and how it is meant to be cleaned. Ask whether it is suitable for the room, and for underfloor heating if you have it. Ask what is included in the quote, such as removing the old floor, preparing the base, underlay, trims and disposal. Get it in writing. Our guide to choosing a carpet fitter has more on what to ask any fitter.

About this guide

This is general information, not a recommendation of one product. Palmer Flooring Contractors says it offers a free consultation and a no-obligation quote.