Generally, housing uses ceramic floors. The impression of luxury, coldness and many choices makes ceramic floors in great demand in almost all home styles, from simple homes to modern homes. But the impression of luxury is not only owned by ceramic floors, because there are types of vinyl and laminate floors that are also widely used in today’s homes.

If you want floor coverings that are economical, durable and attractive for your home interior design, vinyl and laminate floors can be the right choice, because they are both easy to install and maintenance is not difficult. Of course there are many factors to consider, such as where the best room can be installed, what are the benefits and costs of each.

Vinyl flooring

The process of making vinyl flooring uses a synthetic material made of PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride Plastic). The flexible sheet is formed when small pieces of PVC are subjected to extreme heat and pressed into a thin layer. Even these boards can look like various other materials as desired, such as ceramics, stone and wood.

There are three types of vinyl flooring that are the most popular, namely vinyl plank, roll vinyl and vinyl tile. Before installing vinyl flooring, you also have three choices regarding the structure and levels. This is based on quality, including thickness and durability. For example WPC vinyl flooring which is a waterproof option with a four-layer structure. This type is very good for the traffic area in your home.

Advantages of Vinyl Flooring:

  • Easy to care for.
  • Waterproof and comfortable on the feet.
  • Save costs.
  • Durable.
  • Easy installation.
  • Has many interesting motives.

Laminate Floor

Laminate floors are made of several chemicals and the highest quality wood powder or HDF (High Density Fiberbroad). This lamination consists of four layers, namely the lowest layer or counter layer, HDF, a patterned printing layer (decor laminated) and a protective layer of aluminum oxide (overlay), as an anti-scratch layer. Just like vinyl flooring, laminate is also available in many styles that mimic stone and wood.

These individual floors have interlocking edges that can be joined together, so they are sometimes referred to as ‘floating floors’, because the material is not nailed or glued to the ground floor. Instead, the planks are installed on top of a thin, undercoat pad. The interlocking edges will hold everything tightly without fasteners.

Laminate Floor Advantages:

  • Installation is cheap and looks realistic.
  • Easy and fast to install.
  • Scratch resistant. and stain resistant.
  • Durable.
  • Not permanent.

Difference between vinyl flooring and laminate flooring

The ability of each type of floor to withstand moisture depends on the material it is made of. Limited moisture resistance determines which areas vinyl and laminate flooring may or may not be installed on.

Appearance

Laminate Floors: Allows for a deep and realistic three-dimensional emboss on the surface, with an accurate image of an existing motif, such as wood, ceramic or stone.

Vinyl Flooring: Many types of vinyl flooring can look realistic, though not all. A vinyl floor with a thicker solid core will look more like wood because of the deeper embossment.

Water and Heat Resistant

Laminate Floors: Almost all laminate floors use fiberboard, and it is this wood core that can soften or swell when exposed to water. Even after drying, this fiberboard will not be like its original dimensions. In addition, the wear layer and design sometimes peel off after the core is flooded. Laminate floors that are damaged by water usually need to be replaced.

Laminate floors with tight seams, good molding and properly installed, can tolerate water in no time. So, you have to clean the standing water as soon as possible to avoid damage. That is why this type of floor is not suitable for bathrooms or areas prone to standing water.

Vinyl Flooring: These floors may not be waterproof, but newer vinyl flooring interactions are made of 100{3aef265b7e47425771d652b594facd7a407fd991fa641ca003469a52fdad639c} polymer. So that it can be completely immersed in water for a long time, dried and reused. Vinyl flooring can be used in bathrooms and humid locations.

Care and Hygiene

Laminate Floors: Should be cleaned first with a dry method, such as with a rag or broom. If you need to clean wet laminate floors, use only a half-dry mop.

Vinyl flooring: The best thing about vinyl flooring is that it is very easy to maintain and clean. Vinyl floors in good condition can be mopped wet or scrubbed with a safe cleaning fluid. Only vinyl flooring allows for any cleaning method, from a dry broom to a wet mop.

Durability

Laminate Floors: Although they are durable, many layers of laminate flooring eventually peel off over time or if they get damaged in contact with water. After that happens, it cannot be repaired and must replace a new one.

Vinyl Flooring: Low quality vinyl flooring can peel off and can loosen up over time. Overall, however, vinyl flooring is a strong and resistant flooring material in high traffic areas.

Installation

Laminate Floors: Laminate floors use the click and lock method, where one of the planks is attached with an adjoining groove of the board, then joins the boards and closes the seams. This board can be cut with a multipurpose knife.

Vinyl flooring: This floor also uses the click and lock method. Meanwhile, vinyl sheets can be difficult to install because of the large and heavy material. In addition, it is difficult to make intricate cuts from sheet goods. If you are installing vinyl sheeting, you will need a professional builder.

Age of Use

Laminate Floors: The lifespan of laminate floors usually ranges from 10 – 25 years, depending on proper care. As long as laminate floors are kept sufficiently dry and cleaned in a dissolved manner, they can last just like vinyl flooring.

Vinyl Flooring: The lifespan of luxury vinyl flooring usually ranges up to 20 years.

Environmental Impact

Laminate Floors: Several laminate flooring manufacturers offer products that qualify for recycling status (LEED MR4). However, laminate floors still use a plastic surface coating and melamine resins which are not environmentally friendly at all, because they can remove gaseous chemicals.

Vinyl Flooring: Several vinyl flooring manufacturers now offer products that achieve a LEED EQ4.3 credit for low-emitting materials. As is well known, vinyl is a synthetic material that produces toxic chemicals when burned. Vinyl also doesn’t biodegrade in landfills, and can’t be recycled.

For building materials, laminate flooring has a slight advantage thanks to its natural wood content. However, none of these materials are as eco-friendly as natural wood, linoleum or bamboo flooring.

Stain Resistance

Laminate Floor: This floor is pressure coated with several layers. The top is a clear aluminum oxide coating which is superior for stain resistance.

Vinyl Flooring: Quality vinyl flooring covered with a transparent urethane coating that resists stain.

Convenience

Laminate Floors: While they don’t feel like wood, they have a warm feel, especially when paired with a premium quality undercoat. When combined with foam or felt, laminate floors are softer and more comfortable to walk on.

Vinyl Flooring: All vinyl flooring can feel cold or hard on the feet, especially when installed on concrete or ceramic tile floors.

Selling Value

Laminate Floors: Premium laminate flooring can provide extra resale value for a home, as long as it is relatively new and in good condition.

Vinyl Flooring: Luxury vinyl plank flooring with well-known brands will bring a home a worthy resale value. Low-quality vinyl flooring will often be seen by buyers as a half-baked project.

The two floors do not carry the high value prestige of hard solid wood, ceramic tiles or natural stone. However, the quality of laminates or vinyl usually does not discourage potential buyers, because quality materials will provide comparable value.