Are you thinking about giving your floor a makeover, perhaps it is the kitchen, the kid’s playroom or the bathroom for which you are considering new floors?Two types of flooring are popular and they both offer cost-effective, durable, attractive options that you can install yourself. Similar as they may seem, there are some differences that you must know about before you decide on one over the other.
Apart from reading a few articles to understand the differences, pros and cons, you may want to talk to a couple of flooring specialists like vinyl or laminate floorboards Bellarine for a technical perspective before choosing. Talk to them about where you intend to use the floorboards and provide details such as the amount of foot traffic in the area and if exposed to the elements or not for a good recommendation.
Here are some key differences you need to know.
Because vinyl flooring is completely synthetic the boards can be placed anywhere in the house, even in areas with high levels of moisture like bathrooms. Its UV Acrylic coating acts as a barrier to sun damage which means you can use vinyl flooring on your balcony or patio. It is available in tiles or planks that have grooves that interlock to make a floating floor. The interlocking grooves make it an easy installation project for the DIYer. Vinyl planks and tiles are available in thicknesses ranging from 1.5mm for sheet vinyl to 5mm for luxury planks. Compared to vinyl, laminate flooring is not as resistant to moisture, this means you have to think about where in the house you can install them. Apart from weak resistance to moisture, laminate flooring is similar to vinyl planks with its groove and tongue installation method and in the way that it looks. Unlike vinyl planks, the thickness of laminate planks ranges from 6mm to 12mm.
In terms of appearance, laminate planks display true-to-life image embossing on the surface making the planks look realistic, be it wood or stone. Vinyl flooring can also look realistic, particularly in the luxury flooringrange, however, laminate flooring shows off a better appearance and realistic look compared to vinyl flooring and is a better option in high visibility areas such as the living room and dining room.While both vinyl and laminate are comparable in cost and equally cost-effective compared to natural and engineered wood, stone and tile,the two types of flooring are not comparable when it comes to water and heat or sun resistance. Because laminate planks have a fiberboard core, it absorbs and expands when exposed to water, unlike vinyl boards which hold their shape because it is made with all synthetic waterproof materials. Laminate floorboards also cannot withstand constant temperature changes or sun exposure, making the planks contract and expand,resulting in the board warping. Vinyl though resistant to heat and temperature fluctuations due to its synthetic structure can still get damaged if something very hot drops on the floor.
