Luxury Vinyl vs. Hardwood Flooring
We get asked quite often what the difference between vinyl flooring and hardwood flooring is and if we recommend one over the other. There is a difference and pros and cons to both. To give the best answer, let me break it down into a few different examples:
Material & Installment
Hardwood Flooring
Hardwood flooring is available in solid wood or engineered wood. Hardwood floors have their unique beauty and quality in the wood, with options in the different grains and stain colors available for each wood family. With the installment of hardwood flooring, you need a level subfloor or concrete. Hardwood can be a bit more challenging in that it does not give. You must also account for the wood to shrink and expand and, over time, can sometimes begin to bend.
Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl flooring is a manufactured product made of a synthetic rubber-type material that is dyed. Because it is a manufactured product, the options available are pretty extensive. You can find vinyl flooring made to look like wood, tile, concrete, etc. Installation for vinyl flooring tends to be a little more forgiving and can be done by a professional or DIYer. Vinyl is installed on concrete, wood, or over the top of existing flooring if the subfloor is clean. Vinyl flooring is typically not nailed down; however, some flooring is glued or stuck down with a sticky back.
Maintenance
Hardwood Flooring
Hardwood floors are maintained using a soft sweeper and mop, which is best to prevent scratches and scuffs from vacuums. When purchasing your flooring, be sure to look at the recommended maintenance for the specific floor you are purchasing. Certain cleaning products are not advised; they can remove the seal and finish or cause a waxy build-up. Hardwoods can be refinished a suggested every ten years, depending on how much wear and tear they receive. When refinishing the floors, homeowners do have the option to choose the color of the finish they want to use. With proper care and maintenance, hardwood floors will last a "lifetime."
Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl flooring is attractive not only for the cost but the lack of maintenance required to maintain them. Vinyl flooring can be swept and mopped using the recommended cleaning products and does not require maintenance. There is no option to repair or change the finish with vinyl flooring. If something is damaged, replacement is the only option. Although the vinyl materials used are pretty durable and forgivable, some homeowners choose to place runners and rugs in the higher traffic areas. With durability and no maintenance, vinyl is installed in various regions of the home that have moisture, such as bathrooms, kitchens, spas, workout rooms, and basements.
Cost
Hardwood Flooring
When looking at which flooring works best for you and your home, durability is essential depending on your lifestyle, but the cost can play a role too. Hardwood flooring is typically more expensive to purchase and install. Prices can vary from approximately $4.00/sq. Ft – up to $25.00/sq. Ft or more. Installment also generally costs more, and if the wood is not pre-finished, you will have that cost as well. However, before you write this option off, consider that hardwood floors are an excellent insulator and generally bring better increased value for resale. You also can refinish the floors and change the color without having to remove and replace them.
Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl floor costs less and starts at approximately $3.00/sq—Ft with less cost in installment and underlayment. Although you do not have maintenance costs, if there is any damage, you must replace that tile, and depending on how the flooring is laid, it may all have to come up and be reinstalled. Removal of vinyl may be more costly, depending on how the installation was completed. Unfortunately, vinyl flooring has not shown the same long-term value to the costs of the home but does not discount the appeal to homeowners and buyers.
When homeowners ask which we recommend or prefer, we always try to keep in mind what will work best for their lifestyle and budget. When shopping for flooring, be sure to ask about the durability, care, and maintenance of each product. Also, ask yourself where you see yourself in 10 years and how that looks with the flooring you like now and if you think you will still like it then. What options seem to fit your choice the best? And if you still cannot come to an answer, we are always here to help, even if it is to be a sounding board!