Laminate vs. LVP: the two wood-look floors, compared
Laminate and luxury vinyl plank both give you a wood look for less than hardwood, both click together, and both have gotten much better in the last ten years. They are not the same product. Here is the difference and how to pick.
What they are made of
Laminate is a high-density fiberboard core with a photographic wood layer on top and a hard, clear melamine wear layer. The core is made of wood fiber, which is why older laminate swelled when it got wet. Newer lines like Mohawk RevWood use sealed edges and a water-resistant core that handles spills far better than they used to.
Luxury vinyl plank is vinyl all the way through, with a printed layer and a clear wear layer on top. Rigid-core LVP from COREtec, Shaw and Mohawk adds a stone-plastic or wood-plastic composite core that is stiff, stable and fully waterproof.
Side by side
| Factor | Laminate | Luxury vinyl plank |
|---|---|---|
| Water | Water-resistant on the better lines. Standing water or floods can still swell the core. | Waterproof. Core is unaffected by water. |
| Scratch resistance | Excellent. The melamine surface is harder than vinyl. Best choice for big dogs and dragged furniture. | Very good with a 20 mil wear layer, but a hard surface wins on deep scratches. |
| Dents | Resists dents well because the core is dense. | Rigid core resists dents. Flexible LVP can show them. |
| Realism | Deep embossing, often matched to the grain. Looks and sounds a little more like wood underfoot. | Very realistic. Slightly softer, quieter sound. |
| Comfort and sound | Harder and a bit hollow sounding unless a good underlayment is used. | Softer and quieter, especially with an attached pad. |
| Where it goes | Living rooms, bedrooms, hallways, dining rooms. Kitchens on water-resistant lines. | Anywhere, including bathrooms, basements and mudrooms. |
| Installed cost | Roughly 6 to 10 dollars per square foot. | Roughly 6 to 12 dollars per square foot. |
| Availability | Special order, one to two weeks. | Several colors in stock in Thayne. |
When laminate is the better pick
If the room is dry and the biggest threat is scratches, laminate is hard to beat. The surface is tougher than vinyl, so a 90 pound dog or a houseful of kids sliding chairs will leave fewer marks. Laminate also tends to look and feel a little more like real wood, with deeper texture and a firmer step. Choose it for living rooms, bedrooms and hallways in a house with pets.
When LVP is the better pick
If there is any chance of water, choose LVP. Kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, basements and entries all see water, and LVP does not care. LVP is also the right call when you want one continuous floor through the whole main level, wet rooms included, and when you need the floor fast, because we stock it in Thayne.
Underlayment matters for both
Laminate needs a separate underlayment, and a good one makes it quieter and warmer. Most rigid-core LVP comes with an attached pad. Over concrete, both need a vapor barrier. We include the right underlayment in every quote so you are not comparing a bare price to an installed one.
Our take: dry rooms with heavy wear, laminate. Anything that gets wet, or a whole-house floor that includes the kitchen, rigid-core LVP. If you are torn, take a sample of each home and pour a cup of water on both. You will have your answer.