Which is better waterproof flooring vinyl or laminate?
Whilst the majority of laminate flooring that is advertised as waterproof is actually only water resistant, both water resistant and waterproof laminate floors are now available. Both of which are an improvement to standard laminate that can easily become damaged by moisture and liquids.
Water resistant laminate – is only resistant to moisture for around 24 hours
Waterproof laminate – is resistant to moisture permanently
All types of vinyl are permanently waterproof.
An advantage for waterproof laminate over luxury vinyl tile is that laminate tends to be slightly cheaper.
An advantage for luxury vinyl tile over waterproof laminate is it is softer and quieter to walk on.
Do you need underlay for vinyl flooring?
All types of vinyl flooring are designed with an intended use in mind and are ready to be installed as they are.
Sheet Vinyl – usually has cushioning built into the vinyl.
Click LVT Flooring – usually has underlay built into the planks.
Glue Down LVT Flooring – is glued directly to the subfloor without underlay.
Safety Vinyl – is designed for high traffic commercial environments and is glued directly to the subfloor without underlay. A soft floor would not be appropriate in areas where safety vinyl is used, such as hospitals and commercial kitchens.
All types of vinyl flooring are amongst the best waterproof flooring for pets.
Above is an image of our Sea Oak Herringbone LVT Flooring from our Windsor Range. The floors in our Windsor range have a .55mm wear layer and a Lifetime Residential Warranty. These are top tier waterproof floors.
What is the cheapest type of waterproof flooring?
The cheapest type of waterproof flooring is sheet vinyl. You can find sheet vinyl online from around £8.00 m2 including vat. When you consider most sheet vinyl comes with built in cushioning and is easy/cheap to install it represents unbelievable value for money.
Thanks to the fact it is completely manmade there are almost unlimited options when it comes to choosing colours and patterns.
The value for money provided by sheet vinyl makes it arguably the best waterproof scratch proof flooring available on the market.
Is waterproof flooring worth it?
If you’ve ever had a plumbing leak that destroyed your carpet, wood, or laminate flooring you will know just how valuable waterproof flooring can be.
A non-waterproof floor in a bathroom more than likely won’t last very long at all, with people having showers and baths water will inevitably get on the floor and over time it will become damaged.
A non-waterproof floor in a kitchen could become stained by spilt food or drink, and if you are unable to clean the floor thoroughly you may be stuck with the stain forever.
Waterproof floors like LVT Flooring provide so much everyday usability they are the best option in most cases.
There is a multitude of cheap waterproof flooring options available so there is absolutely no need to spend a fortune to enjoy highly durable and completely waterproof flooring.
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