LVT vs Laminate: What's the Difference?

LVT and laminate get compared constantly because they can look almost identical on a showroom floor. Underneath, they are completely different products.

Laminate is built around a high density fibreboard core with a printed design layer and a tough clear wear layer on top. It is rigid, it clicks together and it floats over an underlay.

LVT — luxury vinyl tile — is vinyl through and through, made in planks or tiles with a printed design layer and a clear wear layer. It comes as click planks that float or as glue-down tiles bonded to the subfloor.

Water resistance is LVT's main advantage. Because there is no board core, water does no damage. Laminate copes with a wiped-up spill, but standing water that reaches a joint will swell the core and lift the edges.

Underfoot they feel different. LVT is thinner, warmer and quieter, and glue-down LVT feels solid because it is stuck to the floor. Laminate is harder and can sound hollow, though a good acoustic underlay improves it a lot.

On price, laminate is generally the more affordable option for covering a large area. LVT costs more, especially glue-down and herringbone layouts, partly because the subfloor has to be prepared properly first — LVT is thin and will show anything underneath it.

For scratch resistance laminate is very strong, which suits busy living rooms. LVT is softer but easier to repair, since a damaged plank or tile can often be replaced on its own.

In practice: LVT for kitchens, bathrooms, utility rooms and hallways where water and mopping are part of life; laminate for living rooms, bedrooms and landings where you want warmth and value. Come into the showroom and we will show you both side by side.