Vinyl Plank or Laminate flooring?
 

I am planning to remove carpeting in one bedroom due to allergies etc. And planning to either install myself vinyl plank or laminate flooring.

Would appreciate some input and recommendations before we shop at Lowe’s this weekend. I have installed laminate flooring before, never vinyl plank. I assume that it’s much easier.

Priority for us is-

1 Appearance
2 Ease of install.
3 Cost.
4 Durability.

TIA

I put solid vinyl plank in one of my kids house and it was super easy to do, looks great and is durable. I don't like how laminate clicks when you walk on it but I guess that doesn't bother some people.

Vinyl plank all the way. More durable, easier to install and easy to fix on the rare occasion it gets damaged. Does not feel cold underfoot even tho it is installed onto the slab-I think over a vapor barrier where they took the carpet out of the bedrooms but I'm not sure. They laid it right over the sheet vinyl installed by the builder in the rest of the house. I slide furniture over it all the time and no marks so far. They told me the only thing that would damage the surface is if a knife was dropped point down and that would be hard to see due to the busy woodgrain pattern. There are different wear levels to be purchased and I got the most durable one.(Floor masters on 301) I think it was around $7/sq ft installed, 2 years ago. Laminate is like a photograph glued to particle board. And sounds clicky.

Cllicky? Our entire home is laminate ... the only "click" I have ever heard is when we step directly on the transition piece between the kitchen and garage. That reminds me .... gotta fix that. :)

That being said, ~6 years later I would have now chosen vinyl for the ease of replacement and waterproofness (is that a word?).

Thx so far all. Is there a better place to buy other than Lowe’s, we live close to it. As mentioned I plan to install so just need to buy products.

I installed Mohawk Luxury Vinyl Plank from Lowe's, in 2 bedrooms, 3 closets, and short hallway myself. This is a 100% vinyl product, it is very flexible, installs like rigid plank flooring BUT it is much quieter almost as quiet as carpet. We have had this for over 3 years with no were marks. NOTE: this installs DIRECTLY over the concrete floor with NO underlayment (do NOT listen to the salesman) read the manufacturers instructions. I was able to install this without removing the existing molding with all of the flooring on alls sides going under the existing molding. Send me PM if you need details.
Also a BIG advantage of the DIY approach I did not have to empty any of the rooms, I was able to move furniture, remove the carpet and padding, glue, etc, and completely clean the floor and then install. I cut this material with abox cutter, but I understand they have a heavy duty cutter for it.
I highly recommend this product.

I don't hear "clicks" on our wide plank laminate. What I do hear are footsteps just like the sound of footsteps on the tile in the house. Having said that, if we ever decide to replace the laminate flooring (highly doubt it though), I certainly would go with the vinyl plank. It sounds wonderful to be so quiet and flexible.

Laminate requires special cleaning no wet mop

Laminate is better for scratch resistance and vinyl for being waterproof. I recommend vinyl with a wear layer of 28mil and a thickness of at least 6mm. Hard to imagine it would ever need to be replaced for normal home wear. If it is a DIY then definitely vinyl. Plenty of YouTube videos about it.

Also there are new hybrids coming out that claim to be the best of both types. I would recommend shopping the website for LL Flooring for comparing the different types. Then shop around for price.

What about installation over tile floors?

If you do not mind the tapping noise, go laminate. Cheapens your house in regards to resale.

Great stuff! Better source than HD though
 

1. Looks great!
2. Easy to install!
3. Get it from Pats Sales in Leesburg. Half the price.
4. Tough stuff! Wheels on office chairs dont leave marks. Sliding furniture wont either.
I can recommend a very good installer if you’re interested. You just pick it out and pay. He’ll do all the rest. Very meticulous and trustworthy!!

Luxury Vinyl Plank
 

Had Mohawk LVP installed in all rooms (sans laundry and baths) by LA Flooring. They removed and reinstalled the baseboard (this is a must have !!! Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise) and touched up the paint line. Great product (made in USA) and great installation. Laminate not for me.

Vinyl Plank
 

We put Armstrong vinyl plank in our condo 5 years ago (on the beach at PCB, we rent it out about 40 weeks a year). Looks great, never had a problem, easy upkeep, was easy to install, no adhesives required, don't need to 'float' floor. Same as used in many office buildings and wears like iron.

When we moved in we had tile floors in the baths, kitchen, laundry room, living room and dining room; and carpet in the master suite. The other two bedrooms already had laminate wood flooring. We had the carpet removed and the installers put down dura rock sheeting to level the floor to the height of the tile throughout the rest of the house. We had LVP put down throughout over tile and the dura rock. No noise, no ware and no scratching from our 120lb English Lab. We use a cleaner recommended by the installer - just spray and mop. You'll love it!

I use a steam mop on my laminate on the "dust" setting so it doesn't use much water at all. The heat from the steam dries the floor right away so no streaks are left behind. You have to work fast to not let any water accumulated on the floor.

Wish I had water proof flooring, that's for sure. When we purchased our home, wide plank laminate is the flooring that was put in by the previous owner where all the carpet was. I do really appreciate not having any carpet at all in our home so that is a great improvement over all other homes we have owned.

The link below answers your questions pretty well, comparing the products side by side. There are excellent choices for both laminate and vinyl. In a bathroom, better vinyl than laminate, but in a bedroom, it doesn’t really matter. Whichever you choose, remember that cheap material shows, and the money you save now you may lose if prospective buyers don’t like how it looks.

Also, if allergies are a problem, be aware that both laminate and vinyl can off-gas noxious gases that could exacerbate allergies. There are vinyl flooring products that meet a high level of safety, but they may cost a bit more. If I were you, I would definitely look for one of those brands.

I’m buying a used courtyard villa and having the cheap 11 year old carpet and linoleum replaced with the top vinyl siding available from Roberto’s. The entire house. Installed, that comes to $10 per square foot. That would mean probably around $2,000 for your bedroom. $90 per square yard. One could also have an excellent carpet installed for that price.
Vinyl vs. Laminate Flooring: What's the Difference?
Choosing a Non-Toxic Vinyl Plank Floor - My Chemical-Free House

Engineered wood. We just did the same thing yesterday, replaced the carpet in 1 bedroom with engineered wood. You can’t beat the looks of real wood. Luxury Vinyl is nice but it is so 1 dimensional looking. Real wood has more texture, has real grooves, and doesn’t look like a print. We glued this floor down but we also looked at doing a floating floor too

Yes, could you recommend the installer? Thanks

Definitely vinyl plank
 

Our house had laminate in the entry, hallway, living room, dining room and den when we bought it. We found it was easily damaged. You can’t let water sit on it for more than a few minutes. The final straw was when we flushed a toilet and went out to get something from the car. The toilet hose broke and flooded the hallway, which buckled within two minutes. We replaced all of our flooring, including carpet and kitchen and bathroom sheet vinyl, with vinyl plank. After six years, it still looks great. It’s easy to clean. We love it!

Flood concerns
 

I am currently in the process of recovering from a flooded floor in my master bedroom, which has carpet. The cause is a leaking hot water pipe under the concrete slab in the master bathroom. Several sections of the wood baseboards have to be replaced due to water damage. If I have to replace the carpeting, I will not use anything that can be damaged by water.

From an associate in Home Depot where we bought ours LVT. Use vinyl planks in Florida. When the power goes out and it’s humid with no AC running, laminate flooring will absorb all the moisture from the air and swell and buckle and you will need to do it all over again.

The best vinyl flooring you can afford.
In this case, price matters.
Looks good, quieter to walk on, east to keep clean, and more durable.
JMO.

Glue It Down
 

In a wall to wall remodel last year, we had laminate installed, primarily because it looked more natural. In that respect, we are pleased.

What we are not pleased with are the sounds. If you drop anything except a pillow on the floor, it sounds "hollow" and drum-like. There are several spots, such as the transitions to the tile in the wet areas mentioned by another respondent, where it "pops" or "cracks" when stepped on.

These result from three things:

1. The planks are laid over a 1/8" foam pad and "float". At the edges, a slight gap with the wall will be left and covered over with baseboard or quarter round. This is so the flooring can actually shift ever so slightly.

2. Concrete slabs are never perfectly flat or level. There will be both low and high spots in all slabs (think of puddles of water on the floor when you hose-out your garage. When you step on a low spot, the flooring will flex and there will be a crack or pop. The only way to eliminate these areas is to "float" the slab with "Quickset", a lightweight cement product, before laying the flooring.

3. The thin foam pad lends a drum-like quality to the floor.

I don't know why a vinyl floor would be any different. The only differences I know between laminate and vinyl are that vinyl doesn't look as natural and that you can pour water on vinyl. One poster said you can't "wet mop" laminate. If by that he means you can't flood the laminate and then mop up the water, he is correct. However, we regularly clean our laminate with a damp mop and have found the "Swifter" pads to be superior to a regular mop or sponge.

If I ever replace our laminate or remodel another house, I would, first, have the slab "floated" with Quickset and have the flooring material we chose glued solidly to the surface. Personally, I prefer "manufactured wood", which is laminate but with a top surface of real wood. Admittedly, this flooring can be damaged. If it is, it is fairly simple to repair by cutting out and replacing the damaged plank. It can be cleaned with a damp mop (again, Swifter works best). Plus, nothing but real wood looks as good.

We have had both in tow different houses. The big difference is how they feel when you walk on them. The vinyl is very think and on the concrete slab it does not feel good. The laminate looks better and feels better. As for the other items you listed they are all a wash although vinyl is very durable you will never wear out laminate either. The only plus for vinyl is water will not effect it but if your house floods you will be tearing it out anyhow.

Go premium Laminate! :BigApplause:

I self installed vinyl plank in 3 bedrooms and a living room in our Avondale home right after purchase, and just before moving everything in. It was a VERY busy 3 days!

Installing was quite easy - a few items I would recommend - while you can use a box cutter, you can get a good vinyl plank cutter (looks like the old paper cutters at work) for around $50, and it's worth every penny! They do have cheaper ones, but I found that the cheaper one at $30 didn't last for more than about 2 boxes of cuts. I returned it and got the better one - it lasted for the whole job.

One thing I would change - I got vinyl planks with no padding underneath - I would definitely get planks with padding on the underside - my old feet really don't like constant hard surfaces.

I see several folks mentioning it is easy to replace/repair a section - curious as to how. All the planks interlock, so it seems I would have to start at one side of a room and remove planks until I reached the damage, replace the damaged piece, then put everything back in. Doable, but I wouldn't call it easy. Is there another way to do this?

:clap2:Laminate! I had Pergo in NY. Loved it & got many compliments.

I have “luxury vinyl planking” and I love it. The disadvantage to laminate is that if it gets wet it bubbles up and cannot be fixed. It also makes a lot of clicking noises especially if you have a pet. The vinyl planking looks like real wood and is durable and so easy to clean, especially when my puppy was potty training.

Not true.

i have had dogs that will not walk on laminate, Prego style, floors. I think because of the click or too slippery. They wouldn't say why.

LVT is your best bet. I'm sure there are several Flooring stores located close by. Good luck with your project.

We did a lot of research prior to replacing all of our carpet with flooring. I wanted all of the carpet in the house removed due to allergies. The big box stores carry a cheaper version of the name brands. If you want quality go to Roberto’s flooring or another local company. As far as vinyl vs laminate, depends on where you put it. They are both water proof on top, but laminate will not tolerate water getting underneath. But if water gets under vinyl you have the mold problem unless you take it up to dry underneath. Heavy furniture will dent vinyl, not laminate. Prices of vinyl which comes from Asia have jumped much higher than laminate which comes from Georgia.

We chose Shaw laminate from Roberto’s. It’s beautiful, easy to clean and not clicky at all as some claim. We follow cleaning instructions from Shaw and yes, we can use water to clean it. Poster who claimed you can’t is misinformed. There are different qualities of each so maybe the clicks are with the cheaper versions.

We have tile in the wet areas (kitchen, baths and laundry) which we wanted to keep but didn’t want the openness of the rooms to be compromised by a drastic color change from tile to laminate. Found a beautiful light color flooring that paired well with the tile while not looking like we tried to match but missed the mark. Gets lots of compliments. Good luck in your search. Bottom line I would say is to at least talk to Roberto’s and other flooring companies so you are well informed prior to choosing.

We have lvp and a very active dog. There are scratch marks on the lvp from the dog. I would go with laminate if you have an active dog

L and L flooring were previously Lumber Liquidators. Vinyl plank. We live in Florida and it is waterproof, not water-resistant like laminate.

Vinyl Plank
 

I installed laminate in our previous home and vinyl plank in our villages home and definitely would go with the vinyl if I were to do another home.

1. Appearance - This is a matter of taste and depends on the quality of the flooring you purchase. Personally, I like the look of vinyl better.
2. Ease of Install - I think the laminate wins this one. The thicker and rigid boards makes it easier to line up the grooves and click them in place. Also, the thicker size makes it easier to use the tap boards to lock them in place.
3. Cost - Quality laminate is about a dollar per sf cheaper than quality vinyl.
4. Durability - This is based only on my own personal experience, but I've found that vinyl retains its look longer than laminate. Also, if there is any chance of water flooding the area (dishwasher or washing machine hose bursting, etc..), the laminate would be destroyed and have to be replaced. You can take the vinyl up and let it and the floor dry, then put it back down.

Whether you decide to go with laminate or vinyl, I would suggest checking other dealers as well as Lowes. We purchased ours at Lumber Liquidator (now LLFlooring) and think we got a better product at a lower price. We also shopped at Home Depot and Floor & Decor.

I’ve never installed it myself, but I can give a strong recommendation for LVP (luxury vinyl plank). We’ve had it installed throughout our home, with the exception of carpeting in the bedrooms (softer on the feet). We used an Armstrong product. Lots of wood grain patterns and colors. Completely waterproof.

As far as installation, I’ve been told it’s as easy as laminate. For only a bedroom, I think I’d pay the modest installation charge and not worry about it.

You have not seen top end products. We have Mannington Adura Max vinyl plank floors throughout our house. The planks come in three different sizes to add more randomness and appeal, they have a deep wood texture, and are 100% waterproof. We have had many compliments on our "wood" floors. Not knocking engineered wood, it's just that top-end vinyl is competitive for looks.

LVP Scratches - glue patch
 

Warranty wanted to repair the LVP flooring the builder's subs scratched - so yes you can scratch LVP. They wanted to cut out the planks and replace them. They had planned to cut off the edge of each scratched plank that is supposed to interlock and then they glue down the planks. This is acceptable in some cases. Our floor is supposed to be a floating floor. And we use a low steam mop. So they say they will replace all the boards to the baseboard properly and not use glue. The operative words are "so they say"

We chose ceramic planks. Absolutely gorgeous and lifetime warranty. No water damage or any issues. More expensive but totally worth it.

Our Mohawk Luxury Vinyl Plank had instructions on how to replace a piece in the middle of the room WITHOUT having to take anything more than the damaged piece. I actually used this method to lay the last row of planks UNDER the existing molding. Check your installation instructions, if you have no luck, send me a pm with contact info and I will describe the process.