Picking Between Laminate And Luxury Plank Vinyl Flooring? Know The Differences

Are you putting new flooring in your home, and you are deciding between laminate and luxury vinyl plank flooring? If so, it helps to know the differences between these two types of flooring material. 

Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring is a material that is designed to float over your existing subfloor. It is very easy to install since the material snaps together and does not require nails or glue to hold it down. Laminate flooring is made out of a wood core that has an image of wood on top with a transparent protective layer covering it. 

Many homeowners love laminate flooring due to its durability. The surface is very hard, so it is going to be scratch-resistant in most situations. If you have pets or drag furniture across the floor, it will be unlikely that you will severely scratch the material as a result. 

The main downside of laminate is that it is not great when it gets wet. Some laminate flooring claims to offer protection against water when it falls on the surface, but the material is going to be destroyed if it is in a basement that gets flooded and submerges the flooring material. Laminate flooring is also difficult to repair if it does become damaged. You can always remove the piece of flooring and replace it with a new one, but the piece itself is difficult to fix once it becomes damaged.

Luxury Plank Vinyl Flooring

Your luxury plank vinyl flooring material is going to be similar to laminate flooring, but it will have a vinyl core instead of a wood core. It also floats over your subfloor and looks like wood on top to simulate the appearance of real wood. Installation is also easy. Simply click boards together and lay them on top of a subfloor. 

The main advantage of luxury plank vinyl flooring is that it is waterproof. This makes it a great choice for a basement, kitchen, or bathroom where you want to have wood floors since they are places where the floor can become wet. However, the surface of this flooring material is not as scratch-resistant as laminate flooring. You also have the same replacement process as laminate flooring where you need to remove floorboards and replace them with a new one. 

For more information about your flooring options, contact a company like KC Marble & Tile. They can provide further details regarding your flooring needs.