Is Laminate Or Vinyl Flooring Better?

With the many flooring alternatives in the market, choosing the most beneficial type of flooring material between laminate and vinyl materials can be difficult. Here are some major merits and demerits of the two types of flooring materials that will enable you make the correct choice for your home or office floor:

 Laminate flooring

Merits of laminate flooring materials

a) Durability
Laminate flooring materials are scratch resistant, are tolerant to chemicals that might discolor it and do not fade after getting exposed to sunlight

b) Versatility
You can install laminate flooring material on any substrate including wood, concrete, OSB and on vinyl flooring. They also come in a number of designs, so getting a suitable one for you in the market is easy.  

c) Easy Cleaning
The top parts of laminate flooring materials are immune to stains and spills. This makes the floor easy to clean and maintain. Typically, you only need to sweep or vacuum clean laminate floors.

d) Easy installation 
No other flooring material in the market is easier to setup than laminate flooring material. This is so because the material forms a floating floor that requires no gluing, gluing or nailing. They are also easy to lay on the floor because of how they plank on each other. 
 
e) Safer health wise
Laminate materials do not allow mold and bacteria to grow on it. You can also utilize an allergen or a special anti bacterial agent to disinfect laminate floors thus making them much safer.
 
Demerits of laminate flooring

a) Harder to repair
Laminate floors are harder to repair even on simple patch jobs. To restore the appearance of a damaged floor, you will have to replace all the damaged planks

b) Noise 
Laminate materials do not absorb noise well; they yield hollow sounds when a person walks on them using high heels. At times, this sound becomes a nuisance.

c) Damaged by moisture
Laminate flooring materials have a high density fiberboard made from composite material. This material can easily be damaged by water. The high density fiberboard breaks down when exposed to stagnant water.
 

Vinyl Flooring Material

Vinyl flooring is a popular alternative amongst most homeowners particularly in bathroom and kitchen applications. The two types of vinyl flooring materials are the tile and sheet flooring materials. Before choosing to utilize any type of vinyl flooring material, you should carefully consider the merits and demerits of the material.

Merits of vinyl flooring materials

a) Softer surface
These materials are softer than other materials such as laminate, wood or tile. This is so because vinyl flooring materials have a thin layer of foam or felt. The soft layer gives the material flexibility thus making it easier for people to stand on them for longer periods.

b) Versatility
Vinyl flooring materials come in a variety of styles and colors with some designs imitating the appearance of wood planks and stone tiles. You will only be able to notice the difference when you move closer to the vinyl floor.

c) Durability
The materials are long lasting and able to withstand heavy foot traffic. A properly installed vinyl floor can last for up to 20 years but manufacturers only give a 15 year warranty.

d) Easy to clean and maintain
This kind of floor is resistant to dirt and water. It is the only material that you can install over a previously installed vinyl, linoleum or subfloor. You can lay this type of flooring material on cracked floors or those with excessive movement. You do not need to maintain vinyl flooring material after installation. You can mop or sweep the floor on a regular basis to keep it clean.

Demerits of vinyl flooring materials

a) Health concerns
Manufactures make vinyl flooring materials using PVC that emit volatile organic compounds into the atmosphere particularly when the floor is new. This can cause health hazards to those who are allergic to such kinds of compounds.

b) Difficulty in prepping the floor
Getting your subfloor ready for installation of the floor is so difficult. The subfloor should not have any particles.

Conclusion

Deciding on whether to purchase laminate flooring materials or vinyl flooring materials depends on the area you want to install it, the amount of traffic in the area and amount of sunlight and temperature variation the area gets. I would prefer vinyl flooring material because it equates laminate flooring materials in looks, cost and easy installation, but performs better than laminate flooring materials in wet areas.