So you’ve been scrolling through Pinterest for hours now, looking at thousands of beautifully made up homes and have decided to take the plunge and have a revamp in your own. You love the look of hardwood flooring but it’s way too expensive and out of your budget, so you settle on going for laminate or LVT.

The only problem is, they both promise to be durable, affordable, and easier to maintain than hardwoods, how are you supposed to choose? You’ve heard horror stories from your friends when they had a minor leak in their home and had to rip up their brand new laminate flooring because it had curled but you’ve seen LVT in the past look like something from the original Sims game.

When choosing flooring, you want the best bang for your buck, and this guide is here to cover all of the basics and help you choose which product is more suited to you.

LVT

Let’s start off with LVT. What is it? It’s short for Luxury Vinyl Tiles. It comes in a range of different styles, such as tiles, planks, herringbone and more. It replicates the beauty of traditional wood and stone flooring.The top layer usually has a protective coat which prolongs it’s longevity. Click here to view QA Luvanto's amazing LVT collection.

Is LVT For domestic Or commercial use?

Both! Because of how durable it is, LVT is perfectly suited to homes, offices, receptions, hotels, restaurants etc. LVT is very popular for kitchens and bathrooms because it’s waterproof. Installing Stickdown LVT is recommended for commercial spaces because it holds up well in areas where there is a high footfall. Click and Loose lay installation methods are more suitable in homes because there is less traffic, so the floor does not need to be glued down. Polyflor Camero Stone & Design Vinyl is perfect for a kitchen or bathroom.

What are the pros and cons of LVT?

Pros

Durable
Price
Maintenance
Waterproof
Versatile
Easy to clean
Easy to replace
For domestic & commercial

Cons

If you wanted real, authentic, hardwood flooring for your home but just can’t afford it, you’re more than likely going to go for laminate rather than LVT as it is the closest fit.

Is LVT easy to install?

Depending on the size of the area you want to install, LVT can be very quick and efficient. There are three different types of installation, Click, Looselay and Stickdown.

Click is a quick to install flooring solution that you can even do yourself as a DIY project! It can be installed without any requirement for flooring adhesives, all you have to do is slide and click each plank or tile together which forms a strong bond.

Looselay or Flex is a collection of stable and functional loose lay vinyl tiles or planks which are adhered with tackifier that allows post use removal or quicker installation.

Stick down/dry back basically means the planks are glued down on a suitable sub floor which gives you a permanent solution with long lasting performance.

Verdict on LVT?

LVT is amazing for commercial spaces, kitchens and bathrooms because of how durable, waterproof and hygienic it is. We have a fantastic range of LVT’s here on our DCTUK website! If you're on a budget we recommend Polyflor LVT, but if money is burning a hole in your pocket, have a look at QA Luvanto and Interface.

Laminate

Laminate flooring is also extremely durable and matches the natural beauty of hardwood without the fear of it denting or scratching. The protective top layer on laminate gives the floor a natural shine so it doesn’t ever have to be waxed.

Is laminate for domestic or commercial use?

Laminate is perfect for living rooms, hallways, dining rooms and bedrooms in the home because of it’s easy clean purposes and aesthetics. Laminate can be installed into commercial spaces but you have to be careful which type of laminate you choose. It has to have a general or heavy use AC rating as not all laminate flooring is made for commercial use. Our most popular residential laminate is Sensa Solido Elite, check it out here on our sister website FloorsUK.

What are the pros and cons of laminate?

Pros

Durable
Price
Many styles
Less prone to fading
Easy to clean with steam mop
Scratch resistant
Looks great in the home

Cons

The biggest downfall of laminate flooring is the fact it isn’t waterproof. If laminate has water damage, the ends will curl and bubble which means you’ll have to replace them. Laminate is best installed in living areas, bedrooms and hallways.

But here's a nifty trick shared by William to stop your laminate from being water damaged

You know it’s time to pack in the drinking game when your sipping buckfast off your laminate floor ????‍??
— William Cairns (@WilliamCairns12) May 6, 2019

Is laminate easy to install?

Installing Laminate can require a few more steps than fitting LVT but it’s still pretty simple. All of our Laminates on our sister website FloorsUK have a feature called Megaloc built into these planks which makes fitting them much easier. You basically just attach and click each plank together and you’re done!

Verdict on laminate?

Laminate is the go to flooring for the home if you don’t fancy carpet tiles. It is traditionally more comfortable than all hard flooring and is much thicker than vinyl and has a slightly more realistic appearance which will compliment any home.

Just don't do what Dr. Christina Cooper did and drop weights on them.

I just put a hole in the floor doing a heavy lifting session. Took a weight iff one end of the bar then let go! Oops! 2 inch hole in the laminate!
— Dr Christina Cooper (@ccooper1309) 7 May 2019

Final thoughts

LVT and laminate each have their benefits and drawbacks. They are both also a cost-efficient alternative to hardwood and other types of flooring.Both are easy to lay but the beginner DIYers will find that it’s easier to cut and lay LVT planks when making home improvements. LVT has came a loooong way in terms of quality and authenticity which is why LVT and laminate are marketed so similarly. In our opinion, LVT is perfect for kitchens, bathrooms and commercial spaces and laminate is excellent in living areas in a home.