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In any work, whether it is a renovation or new construction, the choice of floor or pavement is a decision of great importance. It has implications not only aesthetic but also in terms of price, durability, time spent on cleaning and maintenance, etc.
Laminate and vinyl floors are two of the most valued and demanded options by customers in recent years. However, the differences, similarities and drawbacks of both soil types are not always clear.
Laminate Flooring: Definition, Advantages and Disadvantages
Laminate floors are a type of floor covering made up of several layers, the main one being a high-density wood fibre board. It also has an external plastic layer (overlay) that protects the whole. A melamine paper is printed with the design, and under the fibre, the board is a final layer that gives stability to the whole.
Each one of the pieces or slats is machined to join with others until they cover the entire surface.
Advantages :
- Huge variety of designs. Not only wood but also imitating tiles, stones, etc. In addition, in the high ranges, we find very realistic designs where a perfect visual imitation is achieved, and textures are also imitated.
- Very comfortable tread.
- warmth
- Great value for the price.
Disadvantages :
- Limited resistance to humidity. Special care must be taken in those laminate floors suitable for kitchens and bathrooms.
- Limited impact resistance. A high-density board can take hits without marking. However, there are limits to this. Impact resistance is not the same as that offered by cement or tile.
Vinyl Floors: Characteristics, Advantages and Disadvantages
There are different types of vinyl flooring: roll, plank, self-adhesive or floating. The type we will compare is the one with more to do with laminate flooring: strips and a click system for floating installations. This type of vinyl flooring is known in English-speaking areas as Luxury Vinyl Flooring.
This type of flooring is composed of plastic materials, sometimes combined with wood fibres (WPC) and lately with limestone dust (SPC).
Advantages :
- Warmth. This is a well-known advantage of wood, which, to the surprise of many, vinyl floors also offer.
- Wide variety of designs.
- 100% moisture resistant. Thanks to this, it can be used in bathrooms and kitchens without problems, which does not mean they are suitable for the outdoors.
Disadvantages :
- Discolouration. Continuous exposure to direct sunlight discolours vinyl flooring boards. It is a problem that has been reduced thanks to the use of components that offer barriers against UV radiation. However, it has not completely disappeared.
- Limited heat resistance.
- Some types are not suitable for radiant heating.
Similarities Between Vinyl and Laminate Flooring
The installation is floating; that is, it is not fixed by means of adhesives, nails or screws to the pre-existing floor. This has several explanations:
- It is not necessary to carry out works since it can be installed on other types of pavements as long as they are well levelled, and there are large irregularities.
- Quick and easy installation; someone could do it with some DIY skills.
- We must use an insulating base between our new floor and the previous one. This base fulfils a series of functions such as attenuating the pre-existing pavement’s small irregularities, preventing the passage of moisture from the subsoil, damping the sound of footsteps…
- Once the end of its useful life has been reached, or if we want to make a style change, the fact that it was not fixed greatly reduces and simplifies replacement and its cost.
Maintenance. Both types of floor coverings are very easy to maintain and care for. So sweet and vacuum regularly, and mop periodically. In this sense, perhaps you have to be a little more careful with the laminate.
Repairs. No repairs can be made beyond concealing a small scratch. If any piece or slat were to break, it would have to be replaced with a new one.
differences
Designs. Both materials offer a wide range of designs and increasing realism. However, the possibilities in this regard are superior today with laminate flooring in terms of realism and overall design quality.
Expansion joints. All materials undergo contractions and expansions due to environmental changes, mainly temperature and humidity. Therefore we must respect these distances or separations as indicated by the manufacturers.
The difference is that wood, and therefore laminate flooring, expands more than other materials. This means that expansion joints have special relevance in a laminate floor installation and will be necessary every few meters of what a vinyl floor may require.
Moisture resistance. In this sense, there is a clear winner, vinyl floors.
Abrasion resistance. Vinyl floors are also above in this regard, although not as much as it may seem. Today most quality laminates offer AC5-AC6 resistance, while AC6 is the industry standard for vinyl. In both cases, it is more than enough for domestic and commercial use.
Price. Laminate floors have a lower price than the vinyl of this type, although this difference has been diminishing for years. In both cases, we are facing very competitive prices.
Durability. Both options have been improving over the years, to the point that many manufacturers speak of decades regarding guarantees. However, vinyl has a longer shelf life.
Wood is a 100% renewable material. Therefore laminates are a more ecological and respectful product to the environment. In addition, the manufacturing process requires less energy consumption.
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