Laminate vs vinyl vs hardwood: how to choose

Last reviewed 2026-06-06

Three floors that look similar but behave very differently. Here is how to pick the right one for each room — and your budget.

Laminate, luxury vinyl and hardwood can look almost identical in a showroom, yet they behave very differently underfoot, near water, and over the years. Choosing well comes down to the room, your budget, and how much wear the floor will take.

Hardwood

Real wood is the premium option: warm, timeless, and it can be sanded and refinished several times over decades. It is the most expensive to buy and install, and it dislikes moisture — avoid bathrooms and below-grade basements. Best for living rooms, bedrooms and dining rooms where you want longevity and resale appeal.

Luxury vinyl (LVP/LVT)

Modern luxury vinyl plank is fully waterproof, comfortable underfoot, and very durable against scratches and dents — ideal for kitchens, bathrooms, basements and homes with pets or kids. It clicks together as a floating floor over most subfloors. It cannot be refinished, but a good LVP lasts many years and is mid-priced.

Laminate

Laminate is a photographic wood layer over a dense fibreboard core. It is the budget-friendly choice, scratch-resistant and easy to install, but its fibreboard core swells if water sits on it — so it suits living areas and bedrooms more than wet rooms. Water-resistant laminates exist but true waterproofing belongs to vinyl.

Quick comparison

• Budget, dry rooms: laminate.
• Water, pets, kids, basements: luxury vinyl.
• Longevity, warmth, resale value: hardwood.
• Refinishable: hardwood only.
• Easiest DIY install: laminate and click-vinyl (floating floors).

Don’t forget underlayment and waste

Most floating floors need an underlayment unless it is pre-attached. And always order about 10% extra for cuts and future repairs — discontinued lines are very hard to match. Use the flooring calculator to turn your room size and the box coverage into the exact number of boxes to buy.

Calculators for this

• Flooring Calculator — Boxes of laminate, vinyl or hardwood flooring to buy.
• Tile Calculator — How many tiles you need for a floor or wall, with waste.