Luxury Vinyl
LVP vs Laminate Flooring: What's the Difference?
By Quick Carpet ·
Trying to decide between the two? We price both installed so you can choose the right luxury vinyl vs laminate flooring for your Metro Detroit home.
What they're made of
Laminate has a wood-based core with a printed layer and a hard melamine wear surface. Luxury vinyl plank has a vinyl or rigid composite core with a printed film and a clear vinyl wear layer. The core is the whole story.
Water
Because laminate's core is wood-based, standing water at a seam can swell it. Luxury vinyl's core doesn't absorb the same way, which is why LVP is our pick for kitchens, baths, mudrooms and basements.
Scratches and dents
Laminate's melamine surface is very hard and resists scratching from chair legs and dog nails extremely well. Luxury vinyl is softer and quieter underfoot but can be more prone to dents from heavy point loads.
Sound and feel
LVP feels slightly warmer and softer; laminate can sound hollower without the right underlayment. Both float, so subfloor flatness matters for both.
How we decide with you
One question first: does this room ever see water? If yes, LVP. If no, and there are big dogs or heavy traffic, laminate is often the better value.