Laminate vs Vinyl Plank vs Hardwood Flooring

Laminate, luxury vinyl plank (LVP) and hardwood are the three most common plank floors, and from across a room they can look almost identical. The differences show up in cost, water resistance, how long they last and how they feel underfoot. Here is the honest comparison.

Quick comparison

	Laminate	Vinyl plank (LVP)	Hardwood
Cost	$ – $$	$ – $$	$$$
Water resistance	Low–medium	Waterproof	Low
Durability	Scratch-resistant	Very tough, dent-prone	Dents, but refinishable
Underfoot feel	Hard, can sound hollow	Softer, quieter	Solid, warm
Lifespan	10–25 yrs	15–25 yrs	30+ yrs
Refinishable	No	No	Yes (several times)
Best for	Bedrooms, living rooms	Kitchens, bathrooms, busy homes	Living/dining, resale value

Laminate

A photographic layer of wood grain over a dense fibreboard core, sealed with a tough wear layer. It is scratch- and fade-resistant and usually the cheapest to buy and fit (it clicks together as a floating floor over underlay). The weakness is water: the fibreboard core can swell if water sits on a seam, so standard laminate suits bedrooms, hallways and living rooms rather than wet rooms - though water-resistant ranges now exist.

Luxury vinyl plank (LVP)

A fully synthetic plank that is 100% waterproof, softer and quieter underfoot than laminate, and very forgiving of busy households, pets and kids. It is the go-to for kitchens, bathrooms and laundries. It clicks or glues down, often with underlay pre-attached. The trade-offs: cheaper LVP can dent under heavy furniture, and because it is plastic it adds nothing to resale value the way real wood does.

Hardwood

The real thing - solid or engineered timber. It is the most expensive to buy and install, the least water-tolerant, and it dents. But it is the only one of the three you can sand and refinish, so a hardwood floor can last decades and look new again, and it is the one buyers pay a premium for. Engineered hardwood (a real-wood veneer over a plywood core) is more stable than solid wood and can be refinished once or twice, a good middle path.

How to choose

• Wet or high-traffic room (kitchen, bathroom, hallway): vinyl plank.
• Bedroom or living room on a budget: laminate.
• Long-term value, and you want real wood: hardwood (or engineered hardwood for more stability).

Then work out what you need

Whichever you choose, the install method is the same to estimate - area divided by box coverage, plus a wastage allowance. Use the flooring calculator to turn your room size into the exact number of boxes, then compare the total cost of each option rather than the per-box price. New to measuring up? Start with how to measure a room for flooring.