Laminate or Vinyl flooring

Comparing Laminate versus Vinyl flooring

When considering what type of flooring is best for kitchens, features to keep in mind are moisture and stain-resistance, ability to stand up to inevitable wear and tear and traction (because, other than the bathroom, this floor is most likely to endure slippery spills). Laminate and vinyl flooring are both suitable flooring materials for kitchens for these reasons (with one exception: be careful when choosing certain kinds of vinyl as some vinyl surfaces are too slippery).

Vinyl or laminate flooring are the best options for kitchens in the average home. Vinyl is sold as tiles or sheets and laminate is sold as tiles or planks. Both types of flooring come in a variety of natural looking patterns of wood or stone.

Pros

Laminate is easy to install. Planks or tiles are tongue in groove and do not require nailing or gluing down. Vinyl tiles are also easy to install--some with a sticky backing, so you don’t have to lay glue down. Both vinyl and laminate flooring are also easy to clean and are warmer, more comfortable to walk on, and usually cost less than ceramic tile. Laminate flooring is easy to replace, plank by plank or tile by tile if necessary.

Cons

Vinyl tile or sheeting requires a smooth surface for proper installation. In addition, some vinyl can be slippery when wet. Though water resistant, if installed improperly or if you use cheaply made laminate or vinyl tile, moisture may seep down beneath the planks or tiles. Neither vinyl nor laminate lasts as long as ceramic tile or hardwood.

Other things to consider about vinyl and laminate flooring

Cheap vinyl may not be a good investment in a mere couple of years if your kitchen is high traffic. For longer wear vinyl, choose vinyl that is manufactured with the pattern and color imbedded all the way through, rather than on the surface where it will fade or wear away. Furniture legs and high heeled shoes can mark or dent vinyl flooring.

Vinyl sheets are more difficult to install than vinyl tile, but have no seams for moisture to seep into. Therefore, if you opt for vinyl flooring in the kitchen, where the chance of liquids spilling onto the floor is likely, consider using sheets instead of tiles. If you decide on laminate flooring for the kitchen, choose good quality laminate and pay special attention to seams to avoid moisture damage. Although laminate or vinyl flooring do not last as long as hardwood floors, replacing them is much easier.