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?

Most homeowners agree that LVT flooring is a better choice than laminate. LVT is warmer, more durable, has a longer lifespan, and offers a wider range of colour and style options. However, laminate remains more budget friendly and is generally considered easier to fit than LVT. 

LVT, or Luxury Vinyl Tile, has soared in popularity in recent years, thanks to its high resistance levels, warmth underfoot and elegant appearance. And when it comes to choosing between LVT or laminate flooring, homeowners’ overwhelming preference is LVT. LVT flooring is highly durable compared to laminate planks, which can be damaged by moving furniture, dropping objects or water. LVT flooring also offers a greater range of styles, including different laying patterns, mixing sizes and decorative design strips.

If you’re installing replacement flooring at home and wondering, is laminate or LVT better for your particular space, we’ll look at the differences in more detail below. Read on to find out the best home flooring option for you.

What Is The Difference Between LVT And Laminate?

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

LVT vs Laminate Cost

Homeowners often ask, ‘is LVT more expensive than laminate?’ The answer is that LVT is more expensive to buy, but it lasts longer than laminate so that cost is spread out. 

Luxury Vinyl Tile costs between £1.00 – £2.25 per square metre, and this lasts for a 20-25 year lifespan. Laminate, on the other hand, costs between £0.80 – £1.75 per square metre over a shorter 12-20 year lifespan. 

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6 Factors To Consider When Choosing Between Laminate And LVT

There are many different factors that you’ll need to think about when you’re deciding between laminate flooring and LVT flooring in your home. Personal preference of course, but also durability, safety and price.

We’ve weighed up the pros and cons of both flooring types. Here are six of the most important things to consider when making your choice between LVT and laminate flooring for your home.

Durability

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. LVT is highly resistant to impact because it’s 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 between 12-20 years, LVT often lasts a significantly longer period of time. For example, Luvanto Premium, Design, Click Plus and Endure Pro LVT flooring come with a lifetime domestic warranty, while Luvanto Click, Click Herringbone and Pace carry a 25 years warranty, giving you peace of mind that your Luvanto flooring will endure.

Warmth Underfoot

There’s nothing worse than getting out of bed and putting your feet on a cold floor – and with rising heating bills, 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 is this unpleasant, it can also result in your heating being used more than necessary. In contrast, LVT feels warmer, helping you to stay cosy even in the coldest of winter months, and to keep your heating bills down.

Both LVT and laminate are compatible with underfloor heating, an ideal way to enhance your comfort and energy efficiency. Because LVT is thinner and more agile than laminate, it can transfer heat through the tiles quickly and more efficiently than laminate and is usually the preferred option, although laminate’s thickness make it more resistant to temperature swings. 

Discover more about LVT flooring and underfloor heating

Safety

Safety is paramount 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 may 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 – particularly useful for people who may be more prone to slips, minimising the chance of accidents occurring in the home and prioritising safety.

When considering LVT or laminate for the kitchen, it’s good to know that LVT flooring is waterproof, meaning that – in addition to its non-slip qualities –  it won’t be damaged by any spillages. While laminate is not suitable for bathrooms, many types of LVT flooring can be used here – although note that LVT flooring should never be used in wetrooms or shower enclosures.

Whichever type of flooring you choose, and wherever it goes, look for a flooring with a high wet slip resistance.

Appearance and Sound

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

When it comes to flooring, appearance is subjective. If you’re thinking about LVT or laminate for living rooms, 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. At Luvanto, we have designs including herringbone, wood effect, and stone and tile effect. 

Laminate’s rigid construction and hard nature means it is often louder underfoot than LVT. Because LVT is made from flexible vinyl, its sound absorption qualities are much better, making it quieter to walk over. 

Fitting

Laminate flooring is easy to fit. In fact, many homeowners choose to install laminate flooring themselves. Fitting LVT flooring is more difficult 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.

Before fitting either flooring, ensure first that your subfloor is flat. If using Luvanto flooring, a simple and effective way to do this is with our Jumpax Basic floor levelling system.

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 vital that you also take into account your flooring budget. 

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, and so it therefore lasts longer – typically a 20+ year lifespan, compared with laminate’s 12-20 year lifespan. It’s worth weighing up the number of years you can expect your flooring to last, and how long it will continue to look good and perform; LVT flooring frequently offers better value than laminate, thanks to its extended lifespan.

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

FAQ’S

Is LVT more expensive than laminate?

LVT costs between £1.00 – £2.25 per square metre, while laminate costs between £0.80 – £1.75 per square metre, so LVT is more expensive to buy. However, because LVT has a longer lifespan than laminate flooring, its cost per year is actually cheaper.

Which lasts longer?

LVT flooring lasts longer than laminate. LVT has a typical lifespan of 20 – 25 years, while laminate has a lifespan of between 12-20 years.

Can either be used in a bathroom?

Laminate shouldn’t ever be used in a bathroom, while many types of LVT are suitable in that space. When considering LVT vs laminate pros and cons, this is a big win for LVT. Note, however, that LVT should never be used in wet rooms or shower enclosures.

Which is better for underfloor heating?

Both laminate and LVT are compatible with underfloor heating. Because LVT is thinner and more flexible than laminate, it is generally preferred, and LVT transfers heat through its layers quickly and efficiently.

Is LVT warmer than laminate?

When asking what’s the difference between LVT and laminate flooring, warmth is a metric that often comes up. Laminate is known for being cold underfoot, and LVT is the warmer option.

Can either be used in a kitchen?

Yes. Both LVT and laminate flooring are easy to clean and splash resistant – LVT is fully water resistant too.