Wood look laminate vs. LVT flooring in North Wales

Many people love the look of a natural hardwood floor, but the high cost of wood flooring puts them off. LVT and laminate flooring in North Wales, especially when it looks like real wood, is a good alternative.

Cost

Hardwood is expensive which puts it beyond the budget of many people. The cost of purchasing and installing hardwood flooring is more costly than LVT and laminate. Viewed long term though, it is not that expensive, as wood lasts a long time. When it gets worn, it can be sanded to make it look like new again.

Good quality luxury vinyl tiles (LVT) and laminates are roughly the same in price. You can buy very cheap laminates but these will not last long and are not suitable for commercial premises with high footfalls.

Installation costs are similar for vinyl and laminates and both are cheaper to install than wood planks.

Appearance

A few years ago, it was easy to tell wood look vinyl or laminates from real wood. Today though, advances in printing technology mean that very realistic wood images can be printed on laminates and LVT to make them indistinguishable from the look of real wood unless the floor is examined very closely.

There is a wide variety of wood looks available that mimic oak, pine, mahogany and other hardwoods.

Water resistance

The disadvantage of real wood is that it has limited water resistance, so is not suitable for high moisture areas like bathrooms. Nowhere in North Wales is far from the sea, and if your property gets flooded, this will tend to cause wood to warp. Laminates and vinyl are more water resistant but may not survive a flood.

LVT is more water resistant than laminates, so can be laid in bathrooms.

Laminate flooring has water resistance, but if water is left standing for a while, it could seep through to the subfloor. It is recommended that if liquids are spilt on laminate or LVT floors, they should be mopped up quickly.

Comfort, acoustics and maintenance

Good-quality LVT tiles feel comfortable when walking on them compared to laminates. If you drop fragile objects on LVT floors, they are less likely to break than with laminates.

Laminate floors tend to transmit sound more than LVT. This means that if installed in bedrooms, noise could be heard by the people in the room underneath.

Both LVT and laminate are easy to clean with a brush and a mop.

When to install laminate flooring in North Wales

Wood-look laminate flooring is a good alternative to a wood floor for people with a limited budget. Though it is harder than LVT, a few rugs on laminate floors add extra comfort.

When to install LVT flooring in North Wales

Install LVT flooring in your North Wales home if you want a natural wood look without paying the high price of wood. It’s a particularly good choice in high-moisture areas.

Top-quality LVT flooring can be more expensive than laminate but will generally last longer, which makes it suitable for commercial premises as well as homes.