Laminate came to the us in the 90 s as a way of getting a hardwood look with some different durability factors.
Luxury vinyl plank vs luxury vinyl tile.
The newest forms of luxury vinyl are quite convincing giving laminates a good challenge as the most successful at mimicking the look of wood.
Vinyl plank is also a better option if you have children or pets.
Vinyl also comes in a variety of styles and often you ll see it mimicking a specific type of wood like oak among many others.
Luxury vinyl is available both in plank form and tile form.
And luxury vinyl tile looks like tile or natural stone.
As the name implies luxury vinyl planks look like planks of hardwood floors.
One exception is with some types of luxury vinyl tile that look like stone like armstrong alterna which allow for grouting as an option for a more realistic look.
Vinyl plank is nearly always dry installed.
Ceramic tile is more prone to damage think dropping something heavy on the surface than vinyl plank.
Vinyl plank is designed to resemble hardwood flooring but it comes in long strips and is more water resistant.
These have a bit more prestige than standard vinyl tiles and are also more expensive.
When it comes to durability luxury vinyl tile planks offer a distinct set of benefits including being more pet and kid friendly than actual hardwood.
Getting the stuff home.
The plank shaped vinyl products are made specifically to resemble hardwood flooring in the same way that laminate flooring planks were originally designed to do.
The most popular type of lvt today is rigid core lvt which is most similar to natural tile and stone.
While lvt technically refers to luxury vinyl products that look like stone or ceramic tile the acronym is often used to describe both tile and plank products.
The tiles are generally known as lvt or luxury vinyl tiles.
They are individual pieces of vinyl not sheet vinyl so they look very similar to the real thing.
Vinyl is easily cut by scoring it with a utility knife and snapping it off.
Textures of luxury vinyl plank flooring often include embossing the wood lines which adds realism and comfort to your flooring as well as making the flooring less slippery for those walking on it.
Luxury vinyl tile is flooring that mimics natural tile and these days has become extremely convincing.
Luxury vinyl planks lvp are usually designed to simulate the look of wood as is most laminate flooring while luxury vinyl tiles lvt are usually designed to simulate stone or ceramic tiles.
However ceramic can chip and crack over time.
Luxury vinyl plank flooring has become a really popular option among homeowners these days.
Ceramic tile is made from natural earth clays mixed with other materials covered with a surface glaze and fired in ovens to harden them.
Luxury vinyl plank durability.
Most luxury vinyls are waterproof or highly water resistant.