LVT, or luxury vinyl tile, is the better choice for bathrooms, kitchens and anywhere water is likely to be spilled, because the surface and core are made to cope with moisture. Laminate is usually the better value in bedrooms, living rooms and dry hallways, where it gives a hard wearing wood look and feels a little more solid underfoot. Both depend heavily on the floor underneath: a poor subfloor will show through either one, so preparation matters as much as the choice of product.
Is LVT better than laminate?
Neither is better everywhere. LVT is softer and quieter underfoot and handles water far better. Laminate has a harder surface that resists scratching well and usually costs less per square metre for a similar look.
The question to ask is what the room will throw at the floor. Wet feet, spills and steam point towards LVT. Furniture, foot traffic and a tight budget in a dry room point towards laminate.
Laminate or vinyl for a kitchen
Kitchens see spills, dropped water and mopping. Many laminates now claim water resistance, but standing water at the joints is still their weak point, especially around the sink and dishwasher. LVT copes with those moments much better, which is why it is the safer kitchen choice in most homes.
Best flooring for bathrooms
Standard laminate is not suited to bathrooms. LVT works well, as does tiling, which is covered in the bathroom tiling cost guide on this site. Whichever you choose, the edges around the bath, shower and toilet need sealing properly so water cannot get underneath.
Preparation decides the finish
Thin, flexible LVT shows every bump in the subfloor, so it often needs a smooth ply or levelled surface first. Laminate floats on an underlay and hides small imperfections better, but still needs a reasonably flat floor to stop joints opening.
- Lifting old flooring and gripper rods
- Checking boards for movement and refixing squeaks
- Levelling dips and high spots
- Planning door thresholds and trimming door bottoms
Hallways, stairs and busy rooms
Hallways take grit from shoes and the most foot traffic in the house. A laminate with a high wear rating copes well there, as does a rigid core LVT, and a good door mat does as much as either to protect the surface. Where a hallway runs straight into a kitchen, using one product through both spaces avoids a threshold strip and makes the floor look continuous, which usually tips the choice towards LVT. On stairs, carpet or purpose made nosings are safer than either hard floor laid alone.
Finishing the job neatly
Skirting boards or neat beading hide the expansion gap around the edge. Doors often need trimming after a new floor is laid, which the sticking door guide explains. Flooring is offered as part of the house interiors service, and the floor laying page on this site describes how the work is done.