Confirmed the facts. I looked at several sites and they kept pushing Vinyl. Saying it was more resilient to scratches and other things but there was nothing backing it. They are pushing vinyl and not stating the facts. You also pointed out what happens when water gets underneath which is very common. Water doesn’t always stay on top of your flooring, baseboards bad caulking and that water gets trapped with vinyl. High humidity areas might want to avoid vinyl.
I’ve had both and trust me LVP is not a way to go unless it’s a rental or basement. Maybe if you have a house full of kids LVP is easy to clean. It doesn’t feel good on bare feet, or sound good and definitely doesn’t look real. We’re having the builder LVP removed and going with Mohawk RevWood laminate.
This is an excellent video. People in the comments getting caught up in the terminology you can just Google it it's really hard to cover all that in a brief video but he did an excellent job of explaining. With the new laminates coming out this year it's going to be even higher for laminate.
I thought you did an excellent job on this video. Good comparisons and to the point. I really appreciate your time in sharing your expertise with those of us who are researching before our projects. Thank you!
Thanks. I appreciate your input. I feel like my purchase of laminate was a waste after watching some other videos. I couldn't afford LVP and needed flooring. Elderly woman on a budget. Hopefully, I will be ok. Not much traffic in my home.
@@sadlymistaken8337 If you don't have a lot of traffic you will be okay, just make sure you don't mop it. Hilarious to me, a floor that you can't put a wet mop on, but to each their own I guess. My clients all know that I refuse to work with sawdust and glue😂
This video was incredibly helpful. I would love to see a video that goes into the detail of how the two types of floors are constructed including what types of materials are incorporated into the floor and which floors are more environmentally friendly.
This is a great video - but you really mixed me up and had me confused at times when you used the word LVT ( or something like that) why not call them Vinyl and Laminate.
That too I had to keep looking at the title lol It’s just a co-op rental that hasn’t been renovated which it will once I move out. Of course. I’ve lived in two before and was on the board member etc. even won one a $125,000 park through home depot But this one no one does anything. So it doesn’t need to be the best tiny bathroom and with no budget anyone have a suggestion lol lol.
Robert, great video. I'm going to point my customers to it. This topic is among the most debated issues when presenting LVP or Laminate to a customer. Most come to the issue based on past experience with a product like old Pergo or comments from parents and older friends. More difficult are the discussions with older professionals in the construction trades; most won't touch Laminate. Yet, nearly every installer and flooring salesperson that I've talked to is 100% behind Laminate.
Thanks so much for watching and the feedback. It is definitely one of the most common questions that we get in our business and there are so many factors to discuss when starting to not only compare categories, but the individual brands and all options in each.
Here is my two-cents worth: Pergo is a swedish flooring company that has been around for ages and sells both laminate and vinyl clic-flooring. Their products are not cheap - but definitely cheaper than hardwood. My husband and I bought Pergo laminate planks close to 20 years ago now to install in our bedrooms and study. My husband did a DIY installation and I was thrilled with the outcome. The laminate flooring came with a 20-year warranty. About 10 years ago, the bathroom adjacent to one of the bedrooms with the Pergo flooring flooded and the water streamed over the Pergo flooring. I was certain it was going to be a disaster, but the good ol' Pergo floor held their own, and no damage was evident and the time of the accident, nor anytime after (granted, I live in a dry southern hemisphere country, but I was still impressed). The floors still look almost like new as I type this. Pergo constantly update and refine their products and I see today that their laminate and vinyl flooring has lifetime warranties, and is recommended for high traffic venue like restaurants.
Thanks so much for watching and for the feedback. There is always so much to cover and trying to balance giving enough info with not rambling on is always a challenge for me 😂
Hi what underlayment brand / product do u like to use for karastan laminate ? The flooring store said the generic brand is just as good. Do u agree ? Underlayment for these situations? 1) In a wetprotect bathroom 2)an upstairs floor that needs noise reduction because there is a bedroom below 3) walk out basement moisture protection. Can I use same underlayment for all three ?
Being in the wholesale side of the industry, I think you did a great job! European laminate with the superior pattern repeat and environmental story. Laminate for the win!
If you mop a lot, you will definitely want LVP instead. I had water resistance laminate floor before, after couple years, you will eventually notice some bubbling around some edges. It is very ugly to look at once you noticed them. Also for LVP, you can install same flooring through out entire house for a consistent look (it actually make your house look bigger too). You can install it in bathrooms without issues. Even though it is waterproof, make sure don't flood the floor with water...
Hello I have question regarding stairs, I have carpet that has to go and want to use the same on the stairs and the same in the upstairs bedrooms and hallway. Any suggestions for the stairs? Padding ?
Wow this was incredibly informative and helpful!!!! I've watched so many videos and read loads of articles and this was by far the best!💫 Thank you so much for taking the time to make and share this video 🙏
Thank you for the video, this really helps me to understand both products better. In my personal opinion I do agree with the Laminate and will definitely go with this option. Can you please do a video where you have to remove a complete shower and install a new shower that has a foldable door
I put down some laminate in my basement and have watched a lot of install videos of both laminate and LVP... and I have to say, the fact that you can cut LVP with a box cutter instead of having to use a saw is a huge plus.
There's a reason why you can't cut Laminate. It's much harder. I have Pergo Timbercraft Laminate on my entire main floor and Lifeproof LVP in my basement and I like the Laminate much better. The LVP seems a little soft to me.
Really? Is it really possible to cut LVP with a box cutter? I have a strange curve to work around and don't own a saw. Could I cut curves in LVP with a box cutter, really? That would be great!
What about in terms life expectancy? Looking for something for my rental. I’ve heard some iffy stories about Vinyl from people but would love to hear what you think
Anything bad about vinyl 100% comes due to wrong installation. Laminate will never Outlast vinyl. It's literally sawdust and glue, with a thin sheet of design laminate glued on top of it. It's trash actually. There are only a couple laminates out there that don't have locking tongues and grooves that are literally made out of cardboard, and I challenged them even calling theirselves laminate, because it's actually more like thick vinyl
Tried DuPont brand laminate mid price chipped very easily upon install and not pleased installed vinyl and went together no problem. The laminate after installation was however very scratch resistant southeast Texas pier and beam lots of moisture also
As far as installation cost, I have found that hard laminate flooring such as Pergo Wet Protect wears out saw blades about 3 times as faster compared to vinyl flooring. This can add an extra $200 in materials for a project depending on its size. Diablo makes blades specifically for laminate and vinyl flooring and still, I have found the laminate blade starts "smoking" in 1/3 the time.
I had to look up what is LVT. Your title didn't match what you were talking about. For all that don't know here it is: Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) is a type of vinyl flooring
What’s your opinion on Pergo Timbercraft? We had it in one home and with great results. We built new last year, builder used LVP (brand Aqualok) and we don’t like it. It’s cold, hard and plastic. Nail pops pushed up. Hubs wants to rip it out and put down Laminate. Or can we install it over existing LVP? Only good thing is LVP is so easy to mop clean. We like the Timbercraft but I’m having trouble finding a color I like now.
Excellent info, thanks so much! Now a video needs to be done on how people can psychologically get over the guilty feeling of being cheap or tacky if they don't use real hardwood instead.😆
Looking at Revwood Select or Premier, question, what about weight, we have antique piano and very heavy but I need a floor that will allow a professional steamer, that we use to use in our home in Phoenix, now in Atlanta, we know we need a water vapor barrier..
do you have a video comparing waterproof engineered hardwood vs waterproof laminate? in your opinion which one is better? its worth to pay double for engineered wood floors?
I dont but considering maming a video to compare all wood look options and the reasons to buy each. Would love to hear if you think that would be a helpful video!
@@RemodelWithRobert Yes, it will be helpful! I am having a hard time trying to decide between Woodura waterproof engineered wood floors and Mohawk RevWood Plus laminate flooring. The first option is doble the price, don’t know if is worth.
If the vinyl is well adhered to the floor, smooth and level, then floating over the top of it can definitely be considered. I would not float laminate over a floating vinyl plank.
Very informative!! what is your recommendation for the bathroom, next to toilet and shower??? Is it better to do Laminate or VP or Tiles? This is for apartment building with renters who have kids.
I’ve had I lot bad experience in the past with the laminate flooring in the past I don’t know for sure if the LVT are any different I install vinyl floor flooring in my kids room and no issues at all my opinion 🤷🏻♂️
@@ubergsxr01 . . . Not even close. I installed Pergo Timbercraft Laminate on most of our main floor 900sq ft and was able to install it with no transitions and it was easier to take apart and put back together. I then installed Lifeproof LVP in our basement 650 sq ft and it was more difficult to install. The click lock system is brittle and is very difficult to take apart if you need to redo an area. The planks are softer and I think they look a little plasticky. They don't feel as good or solid as the Laminate.
@republitarian484 I've installed hundreds of thousands of feet of laminate and lvp. I actually own a flooring company. It just takes practice to do it right. I'll do 1k ft of lvp by myself in 1 day. I don't even mess with laminate anymore, we won't even sell it anymore. Laminate was all we had until lvp came out about 10 years ago. Laminate is just compressed cardboard.
@@ubergsxr01 . . . I installed both of the above myself and I found the Laminate was much easier to install and easier to take apart put back together if you needed to. And that was 4 years ago and it's holding up very well. I even put a scrap piece of the laminate in a bucket of water for a few weeks. Pulled it out and let it dry and it never even affected it. The LVP I installed downstairs is OK. It bends so it contours to some of the curvature of my concrete floor. I know. . you need a level floor within 3/16" every 10 feet. . .bla bla bla. I just made sure any profiles were grinded down and that the slope was smooth and reasonable. It has formed down against the floor pretty well. The click/lock seem a little brittle and less forgiving too. Anyway, I find the LVP a little soft and plasticky looking and it seems to scratch easier.
Injustice bought Lifeproof 22mill disk cherry vinyl .. I feel a little sad bc the laminate version of Lifeproof is so more rigid and high quality feeling be vinyl flooring floppy but I guess that’s normal - hoping the 22 mil Lifeproof quality lasts it was for 2000 sq feet entire house
Robert, thank you! I bought laminate flooring recently from LL Flooring. No one told me that this Flooring has to be installed in the SAME direction without having to withstand thick "transition" pieces in the doorways! Please include this information in your videos. It will be helpful for your viewers. Your channel is great. I have learned quite a bit. Wish I had tuned in, before I made my purchase! Thanks for great information!
What are you saying? You do or don't have to have transitions in doorways with laminate? I had imagined my entire place would have one solid floor without ANY transitions because it would all go in the same direction. How is laminate different from vinyl in this instance?
@@bre.j It's not. It's almost IMPOSSIBLE to start in one location and lay one continuous floor across an entire house. You end up going backwards when you transition into some rooms, end up with very small edges periodically if your layout does not match in that room so transitions are quite common. I did a 1200 square foot downstairs and ended up with 3. 1 in the transition into the laundry room, 1 at the bathroom and one in a closet. It took half a day for layout to make it work. I won't do it like that again. I'll do transitions. Faster, simpler, and if you put it under where the door closes, it's invisible. If you don't want a transitions, it's hard to do on one floor especially with a floating floor.
We have laminate and I’ll never have it again. Any type of mildly sharp edge takes the top layer off, leaving the light underneath exposed. It was an expensive floor and has not held up well at all.
Great, video. How about thicknesses? What thickness to use? What are pros and cons of thin vs thick thicknesses? I wished someone talked about that. I'm split between getting 8mm or 10mm for my second floor condo.
Thickness doesn't matter too much as long as you stay in a certain range. 8-12mm for laminate, 5-8mm for vinyl plank. More important are wear layer which is typically shown in (mils). If you're on a second floor I'd suggest a pad. The pads on the backs of the planks are just to stop the floor from "clapping" because it's a floating floor, if you want actual sound deadening, comfort, insulation you need a additional pad.
Laminate uses AC rating for wear. AC4 is good …some products are rated 5 &6. I prefer 12 mm thickness. LVP is usually 12-20 MIL thickness. We have a 12 MIL (no kids, no shoes in house, 2 cats) and it’s delaminated at edges. Hate it.
Number one is which product looks more realistic and you say laminate but you're showing a coretec LVP which is not a laminate as i understand it. Can you expand on this please?
Do you know what is best over radiant heated floor? I’m installing tubing under subfloor. Additionally the tubing is in the concrete basement. Thank you.
no way laminate is more durable than LVP. I took several samples of LVP home and hit them with a claw hammer and left no visible marks then took an off cut of the flooring I had installed and did the same just to make sure the samples were real samples and no visible marks with the claw end or the hammer end. I tried the same with many laminate flooring offers and all had bad dents and scratches. Just get stone core LVP not wood core! Try it yourself, samples are free everywhere!! I love my LVP flooring I got my whole house done and I now have zero transitions, my old laminate flooring had transitions everywhere that I would move a chair or something and hit or hit with my feet, those days are over now!!! I had transitions living room to bathroom, living room to kitchen all over and now all seamless monolithic no transition flooring and I would never put laminate in a wet area like laundry room or kitchen or bathroom but LVP is no problem in those locations just remember PVC baseboards in those areas!
I guess it depends on the brand and quality. I gutted some ugly vinyl and installed pergo timbercraft with no transitions 1700sqft 2 story and it’s been 2 years no scratches no marks and perfect still. I was testing the product out in the stores. I used my keys against the pergo and no marks.
I'm disappointed that "general feel under your feet" wasn't covered. That's my biggest concern when deciding. Does vinyl have a plastic feel to it? Does laminate simulate wood better? I mean, that's what both are trying to do. Simulate wood. I'd be curious which one does that better.
I have a bunch of plank samples of both vinyl and laminate here, and I can tell you right now that Robert was on point about vinyl finish feeling more "plasticky", and from my side I will add -- from experience with the samples I've got here -- that your feet will also feel the same. Laminate feels more like wood, in fact it's impressively quite like wood. Vinyl, while looking like wood from most angles, has decidedly more specular reflections (which wood normally does not have until heavily lacquered) in certain incidental light angle(s), also feels much more like plastic under your feet. It's going for a different vibe though, since it's got its advantages over laminate, like superior sound insulation (unless your vinyl core is e.g. HDF, like in case of some of Parador flooring) and superior water proofing. But if you want wood but for some reason exclude actual wood like parquet or solid wood flooring, then laminate is the thing to lay.
Vinyl will emit VOC gas and can be installed only needing a sharp knife. Vinyl is much easier to install. For condo units, a chop saw is not needed. Some strata will not allow a chop saw inside the unit. So again, Vinyl is a better option for installation. Laminate will pucker in joints if water is left even overnight. One short term renter brought in a ski bag which had some snow embedded in the bag. This leaked onto the Laminate floor which puckered in the spot where the bag was left. Vinyl, this would not be an issue. I lean towards Vinyl for rental units as renters can be harder on floors and not as mindful about water spills or pet accidents. Assess your specific use and choose accordingly. I am upgrading my 20 year laminate floor in a rental condo with Vinyl again due to easy of install and durability.
Yes! Hi! We are a family owned flooring store in Ohio, soon to be 55 years in the biz. Check out our fun storytelling Shorts videos all about flooring.@@RemodelWithRobert
The laminate that had been put in right before we moved in has held up horribly with 4 seasons, pets. Notably, around the sink. It has NO forgiveness with moisture whatsoever.
That's awful to hear. Unfortunately, people getting ready to sell a home are not thinking of long-term performance but merely what will look good for listing the home. This often means the flooring is not selected based on quality but largely driven on price. I see this scenario constantly, and new buyers are very disappointed with the product performance. This holds true for all product categories. Carpet especially!
LVP is LVT. LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tile) was the original term and LVP has since become more popular for referring specifically to the longer plank format products. I hope that clears up the confusion from my word choice throughout the video. Thanks for watching!
Promoting what? I have my preferences but I do try to be objective and I am not partnered with or receiving any type of compensation/incentives for any of my thoughts on these products. Thank you for watching and for the feedback!
LVT (luxury vinyl tile) is the original term for the broader category. LVP (luxury vinyl plank) was adopted to differentiate the expanded offerings in wood-look vinyl tiles. Both terms are commonly used today somewhat interchangeably. Vinyl planks, as referenced in my thumbnail, are more specific to longer format products like the wood looks or even some long stone looks. I hope that clarifies. Thanks for watching!
He loses all credibility when he says laminate is easier to install. One requires a razor knife while the other literally requires multiple different saws
@@RemodelWithRobert that's a straw man. You are talking about issues with not leveling the subfloor during preparation, which should be done regardless of which type of flooring you are installing
You are correct that LVT is less forgiving against subfloor issues, but the integrity of a lot of the locking systems of the stone composite cores also leads to more care in installing the planks without damaging the joints and separately, chipping the veneers. Of course this varies across brands as well and I have to speak in some what generalized terms for brevity, but which product is easier to cut is not the main factor for overall ease of installation. I hope that helps, and thanks for watching!
@@RemodelWithRobertthis is true, seen it first hand. My husband installs both….sure you need a saw with Laminate but the edges hold up better when clicked. Our builder put in LVP with the stone composite and it’s failing. We are going back to Laminate. And the builder went back to laminate, ditching LVP.
@@lblak59 laminate does go together more tightly, but I've still yet to ever put one down that clicks in. You basically just put a hunk of rubber up against it and beat it with a mallet until it is pushed in flush. Most of it, all but the super high dollar stuff, Once you pull a piece out, you have to check it very well before deciding to put it back down and reuse it. Almost always, the tooth that is on the tongue side is ripped off. But to be fair, I'm not too sure that part matters all that much because the tongue always fits so tightly into the groove on the next piece . But I never get a click
Laminate is garbage. Lvp is better in every way. Lvp is way more durable, waterproof, and much easier to install than Laminate. Lvp also feels 10x better underfoot than Laminate. I've installed both for over a decade and I would never recommend Laminate. It's compressed cardboard and will swell up with almost any water contact. Laminate is 100% the worst flooring product ever designed.
@afterstars pergo is plastic. Lowes claims it's water proof but it's not. Only the surface layer is. Once water penetrates a joint its game over. It's a compressed cardboard with a thin plastic surface layer. I like Tesoro Luxwood the best. Honestly, pergo is 1 of the worst ones. It is notorious for swelling at the joints once it gets wet. Lvp can be thrown in a bucket of water for 10 years and look the same when it comes out.(I've done this at our shop) Laminate wouldn't last 10 seconds. Also, laminate has a hollow plastic feel under foot compared to a quality lvp, which is a solid, more warm, and rubbery feel. We won't even install laminate anymore. Only lvp, hardwood, and tile mainly.
@@ubergsxr01what about mohawk redwood laminate? My store guy is pushing it. I need my entire house done including bathrooms. Im also worried about vinyl scratching. And i live in humid FL😢. Im so confused as to which one to get
@denisemartin3603 i would definitely recommend lvp. Tesoro makes a fantastic product. Their luxwood series is my favorite. Lvp is 100% the way to go, especially in humid climates. Also, it does not scratch easily. I slide my tools across lvp daily. Lvp is superior to laminate in every way. I'm pretty sure laminate will no longer even exist in a few more years, it's just not a good product for any application, especially when moisture is involved. Get a sample and try to scratch it with a screw driver, it's super scratch resistant. Great for pets as well...
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Confirmed the facts. I looked at several sites and they kept pushing Vinyl. Saying it was more resilient to scratches and other things but there was nothing backing it. They are pushing vinyl and not stating the facts. You also pointed out what happens when water gets underneath which is very common. Water doesn’t always stay on top of your flooring, baseboards bad caulking and that water gets trapped with vinyl. High humidity areas might want to avoid vinyl.
If water gets under your vinyl planks, and that is your issue, you have big issues with laminate. The middle is never waterproof
I’ve had both and trust me LVP is not a way to go unless it’s a rental or basement. Maybe if you have a house full of kids LVP is easy to clean. It doesn’t feel good on bare feet, or sound good and definitely doesn’t look real. We’re having the builder LVP removed and going with Mohawk RevWood laminate.
This is an excellent video. People in the comments getting caught up in the terminology you can just Google it it's really hard to cover all that in a brief video but he did an excellent job of explaining. With the new laminates coming out this year it's going to be even higher for laminate.
I thought you did an excellent job on this video. Good comparisons and to the point. I really appreciate your time in sharing your expertise with those of us who are researching before our projects. Thank you!
Informative and honest. Thank you for making this video. I’d gladly hire you to do my floors.
Great job. Iv'e been in flooring business 34 years and Laminate has gotten a bad wrap over the years. Laminate wins every day in my opinion.
Funny
Thanks. I appreciate your input. I feel like my purchase of laminate was a waste after watching some other videos. I couldn't afford LVP and needed flooring. Elderly woman on a budget. Hopefully, I will be ok. Not much traffic in my home.
@@sadlymistaken8337
If you don't have a lot of traffic you will be okay, just make sure you don't mop it. Hilarious to me, a floor that you can't put a wet mop on, but to each their own I guess. My clients all know that I refuse to work with sawdust and glue😂
@@sadlymistaken8337 you will fine! I’ve used laminate many times
For bathrooms too? Also I live in FL and having hard tome deciding. One floor co says laminate another says vinyl😢
This video was incredibly helpful. I would love to see a video that goes into the detail of how the two types of floors are constructed including what types of materials are incorporated into the floor and which floors are more environmentally friendly.
Thank you for making this video. You did an excellent and fair job of breaking everything down.
I appreciate the feedback!
This is a great video - but you really mixed me up and had me confused at times when you used the word LVT ( or something like that) why not call them Vinyl and Laminate.
Probably because "LVT" is what you will see when you go shopping for it.
LVP luxury vinyl plank …LVT luxury vinyl tile. Both are vinyl. The LVT is made to look like large pieces of floor tile. LVP usually looks like wood.
That too I had to keep looking at the title lol It’s just a co-op rental that hasn’t been renovated which it will once I move out. Of course.
I’ve lived in two before and was on the board member etc. even won one a $125,000 park through home depot But this one no one does anything. So it doesn’t need to be the best tiny bathroom and with no budget anyone have a suggestion lol lol.
What about those big pieces you cut to size And place down. Aren’t they the cheapest?
Too much talk! Get to the point.
Robert, great video. I'm going to point my customers to it. This topic is among the most debated issues when presenting LVP or Laminate to a customer. Most come to the issue based on past experience with a product like old Pergo or comments from parents and older friends. More difficult are the discussions with older professionals in the construction trades; most won't touch Laminate. Yet, nearly every installer and flooring salesperson that I've talked to is 100% behind Laminate.
Thanks so much for watching and the feedback. It is definitely one of the most common questions that we get in our business and there are so many factors to discuss when starting to not only compare categories, but the individual brands and all options in each.
Here is my two-cents worth: Pergo is a swedish flooring company that has been around for ages and sells both laminate and vinyl clic-flooring. Their products are not cheap - but definitely cheaper than hardwood. My husband and I bought Pergo laminate planks close to 20 years ago now to install in our bedrooms and study. My husband did a DIY installation and I was thrilled with the outcome. The laminate flooring came with a 20-year warranty. About 10 years ago, the bathroom adjacent to one of the bedrooms with the Pergo flooring flooded and the water streamed over the Pergo flooring. I was certain it was going to be a disaster, but the good ol' Pergo floor held their own, and no damage was evident and the time of the accident, nor anytime after (granted, I live in a dry southern hemisphere country, but I was still impressed). The floors still look almost like new as I type this. Pergo constantly update and refine their products and I see today that their laminate and vinyl flooring has lifetime warranties, and is recommended for high traffic venue like restaurants.
This was super helpful. Thanks a million Robert. There are several rooms we still have to remodell and this gave a quick and very good overview!
Thanks so much for watching and for the feedback. There is always so much to cover and trying to balance giving enough info with not rambling on is always a challenge for me 😂
Hi what underlayment brand / product do u like to use for karastan laminate ? The flooring store said the generic brand is just as good. Do u agree ?
Underlayment for these situations? 1) In a wetprotect bathroom 2)an upstairs floor that needs noise reduction because there is a bedroom below 3) walk out basement moisture protection. Can I use same underlayment for all three ?
Being in the wholesale side of the industry, I think you did a great job! European laminate with the superior pattern repeat and environmental story. Laminate for the win!
If you mop a lot, you will definitely want LVP instead. I had water resistance laminate floor before, after couple years, you will eventually notice some bubbling around some edges. It is very ugly to look at once you noticed them. Also for LVP, you can install same flooring through out entire house for a consistent look (it actually make your house look bigger too). You can install it in bathrooms without issues. Even though it is waterproof, make sure don't flood the floor with water...
They're all going to push laminate because their profit margin is larger
Hello I have question regarding stairs, I have carpet that has to go and want to use the same on the stairs and the same in the upstairs bedrooms and hallway. Any suggestions for the stairs? Padding ?
The best video: professional and very useful to make your mind what product to choose.
4:20 more moisture issues with vinyl. Laminate more scratch proof 5:25 stain, tie 4:50 installation 7:00 care, tie; repair, laminate better 8:35 sound, vinyl 9:25 value, laminate
Wow this was incredibly informative and helpful!!!! I've watched so many videos and read loads of articles and this was by far the best!💫 Thank you so much for taking the time to make and share this video 🙏
Thanks for the video, Robert! Could you rate Laminate VS Vinyl based on floor heating? Which one would you recommend and why?
Good video. Fair comparison. Thanks.
Thank you for the video, this really helps me to understand both products better. In my personal opinion I do agree with the Laminate and will definitely go with this option. Can you please do a video where you have to remove a complete shower and install a new shower that has a foldable door
Exactly the information I was looking for. Thanks!
What are your thoughts on Mohawk Puretech Plus for baths and kitchens?
What would you recommend for wheelchair use?
Very helpful and informative.
I put down some laminate in my basement and have watched a lot of install videos of both laminate and LVP... and I have to say, the fact that you can cut LVP with a box cutter instead of having to use a saw is a huge plus.
There's a reason why you can't cut Laminate. It's much harder. I have Pergo Timbercraft Laminate on my entire main floor and Lifeproof LVP in my basement and I like the Laminate much better. The LVP seems a little soft to me.
Really? Is it really possible to cut LVP with a box cutter? I have a strange curve to work around and don't own a saw. Could I cut curves in LVP with a box cutter, really? That would be great!
What about in terms life expectancy? Looking for something for my rental. I’ve heard some iffy stories about Vinyl from people but would love to hear what you think
Anything bad about vinyl 100% comes due to wrong installation. Laminate will never Outlast vinyl. It's literally sawdust and glue, with a thin sheet of design laminate glued on top of it. It's trash actually. There are only a couple laminates out there that don't have locking tongues and grooves that are literally made out of cardboard, and I challenged them even calling theirselves laminate, because it's actually more like thick vinyl
We bought laminate it is stronger or more resistant to scratches
Can you use either on Stairs ?
I would like to know the cost of installing carpeting vs. Laminates.
Carpet is cheaper per sqft over an average laminate product and install.
This was so helpful. Thank you!
Im so glad to hear this, thanks for watching!
SO helpful - thank you, Robert!
on groundfloor i have already chipboard on top of the concrete, should i use underlayer ?
Tried DuPont brand laminate mid price chipped very easily upon install and not pleased installed vinyl and went together no problem. The laminate after installation was however very scratch resistant southeast Texas pier and beam lots of moisture also
Fantastic video, well done!!!
Can you tell me which of these is more slippery when damp?
As far as installation cost, I have found that hard laminate flooring such as Pergo Wet Protect wears out saw blades about 3 times as faster compared to vinyl flooring. This can add an extra $200 in materials for a project depending on its size.
Diablo makes blades specifically for laminate and vinyl flooring and still, I have found the laminate blade starts "smoking" in 1/3 the time.
I had to look up what is LVT. Your title didn't match what you were talking about. For all that don't know here it is: Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) is a type of vinyl flooring
Yea he was saying lvt not lvp. Im confused here
My guess "P" is plank, as in a vinyl plank.
Lvt could be a vinyl roll
Lvp vinyl plank
Vinyl plank tile
do you think the coretec 5.2mm cairo oak LVP is a good choice for 4.09CAD/sqft? or do you recommend a different product for similar pricing?
What’s your opinion on Pergo Timbercraft? We had it in one home and with great results. We built new last year, builder used LVP (brand Aqualok) and we don’t like it. It’s cold, hard and plastic. Nail pops pushed up. Hubs wants to rip it out and put down Laminate. Or can we install it over existing LVP? Only good thing is LVP is so easy to mop clean. We like the Timbercraft but I’m having trouble finding a color I like now.
I installed Pergo Timbercraft Laminate on our main floor and Lifeproof LVP in our basement and I think the Pergo Timbercraft is much better.
Excellent info, thanks so much! Now a video needs to be done on how people can psychologically get over the guilty feeling of being cheap or tacky if they don't use real hardwood instead.😆
I have ALWAYS lived in a home with hardwood floors and they look beautiful after 30 years. But I would never put wood floors in a bathroom!
Looking at Revwood Select or Premier, question, what about weight, we have antique piano and very heavy but I need a floor that will allow a professional steamer, that we use to use in our home in Phoenix, now in Atlanta, we know we need a water vapor barrier..
NO steam mops on laminates!
@@toddhall5380 we can adjust temp this is a high end steamer from Germany
@@toddhall5380aquaguard laminate says steam mop is OK...
do you have a video comparing waterproof engineered hardwood vs waterproof laminate? in your opinion which one is better? its worth to pay double for engineered wood floors?
I dont but considering maming a video to compare all wood look options and the reasons to buy each. Would love to hear if you think that would be a helpful video!
@@RemodelWithRobert Yes, it will be helpful! I am having a hard time trying to decide between Woodura waterproof engineered wood floors and Mohawk RevWood Plus laminate flooring. The first option is doble the price, don’t know if is worth.
CAN YOU INSTALL LAMINATE OVER OLD VINYL TILE?
We installed it over original old hardwood and older vinyl sheet in a kitchen. Done beautifully and held up.
If the vinyl is well adhered to the floor, smooth and level, then floating over the top of it can definitely be considered. I would not float laminate over a floating vinyl plank.
Thank you, this was very informative.
Thank you for sharing this information!
Very informative!! what is your recommendation for the bathroom, next to toilet and shower??? Is it better to do Laminate or VP or Tiles? This is for apartment building with renters who have kids.
I would do tile for the bathroom if you are only doing the flooring in the bathroom. It will be the most renter proof option.
Good video thank you for all the information
Is LVT toxic as they say on google?
Good info! Trying to make up my mind . Have you done a video on waterproof Engineered hardwood ?
I have done one actually! You should be able to find it in my video list
It would likely fall into the Laminate category for most comparisons, but depends on the manufacturer and how it is constructed.@@RemodelWithRobert
I’ve had I lot bad experience in the past with the laminate flooring in the past I don’t know for sure if the LVT are any different I install vinyl floor flooring in my kids room and no issues at all my opinion 🤷🏻♂️
Great video Robert! You cut to the chase and discussed all the key elements of choosing between flooring choices.
He used the word 'undulations'. I'm in love.
😂😂😂
A category you missed was fading. My original flooring was cork plank and I faded everywhere the sun hit it. How does Laminate or vinyl do?
This was very helpful thank you
This really helped me decide! Laminate it is 😅
Don't get laminate. It's trash. Lvp is 10k times better.
@@ubergsxr01 . . . Not even close. I installed Pergo Timbercraft Laminate on most of our main floor 900sq ft and was able to install it with no transitions and it was easier to take apart and put back together. I then installed Lifeproof LVP in our basement 650 sq ft and it was more difficult to install. The click lock system is brittle and is very difficult to take apart if you need to redo an area. The planks are softer and I think they look a little plasticky. They don't feel as good or solid as the Laminate.
@republitarian484 I've installed hundreds of thousands of feet of laminate and lvp. I actually own a flooring company. It just takes practice to do it right. I'll do 1k ft of lvp by myself in 1 day. I don't even mess with laminate anymore, we won't even sell it anymore. Laminate was all we had until lvp came out about 10 years ago. Laminate is just compressed cardboard.
@@ubergsxr01 . . . I installed both of the above myself and I found the Laminate was much easier to install and easier to take apart put back together if you needed to. And that was 4 years ago and it's holding up very well. I even put a scrap piece of the laminate in a bucket of water for a few weeks. Pulled it out and let it dry and it never even affected it. The LVP I installed downstairs is OK. It bends so it contours to some of the curvature of my concrete floor. I know. . you need a level floor within 3/16" every 10 feet. . .bla bla bla. I just made sure any profiles were grinded down and that the slope was smooth and reasonable. It has formed down against the floor pretty well. The click/lock seem a little brittle and less forgiving too. Anyway, I find the LVP a little soft and plasticky looking and it seems to scratch easier.
@@ubergsxr01what about vinyl in high humidity areas like FL?
Hi do you recommend laminate or vinyl for residential bathroom’s floor?
Stick with Linoleum or you will end up dealing with warping and swelling.
Injustice bought Lifeproof 22mill disk cherry vinyl .. I feel a little sad bc the laminate version of Lifeproof is so more rigid and high quality feeling be vinyl flooring floppy but I guess that’s normal - hoping the 22 mil Lifeproof quality lasts it was for 2000 sq feet entire house
Why not get the laminate?
Whats the color of the Revwood on the right?
In the video? Coconut Oak
Robert, thank you! I bought laminate flooring recently from LL Flooring. No one told me that this Flooring has to be installed in the SAME direction without having to withstand thick "transition" pieces in the doorways! Please include this information in your videos. It will be helpful for your viewers. Your channel is great. I have learned quite a bit. Wish I had tuned in, before I made my purchase! Thanks for great information!
What are you saying? You do or don't have to have transitions in doorways with laminate? I had imagined my entire place would have one solid floor without ANY transitions because it would all go in the same direction. How is laminate different from vinyl in this instance?
@@bre.j It's not. It's almost IMPOSSIBLE to start in one location and lay one continuous floor across an entire house. You end up going backwards when you transition into some rooms, end up with very small edges periodically if your layout does not match in that room so transitions are quite common. I did a 1200 square foot downstairs and ended up with 3. 1 in the transition into the laundry room, 1 at the bathroom and one in a closet. It took half a day for layout to make it work. I won't do it like that again. I'll do transitions. Faster, simpler, and if you put it under where the door closes, it's invisible. If you don't want a transitions, it's hard to do on one floor especially with a floating floor.
Thanks for sharing 👍👍👍
We have laminate and I’ll never have it again. Any type of mildly sharp edge takes the top layer off, leaving the light underneath exposed. It was an expensive floor and has not held up well at all.
What brand? I have pergo and no issues at all.
Great, video. How about thicknesses? What thickness to use? What are pros and cons of thin vs thick thicknesses? I wished someone talked about that. I'm split between getting 8mm or 10mm for my second floor condo.
You don’t really need a 10mm wear layer unless you have expect to face lots and lots of foot traffic, just fyi
@@Steasyp Thank you.
Thickness doesn't matter too much as long as you stay in a certain range. 8-12mm for laminate, 5-8mm for vinyl plank. More important are wear layer which is typically shown in (mils). If you're on a second floor I'd suggest a pad. The pads on the backs of the planks are just to stop the floor from "clapping" because it's a floating floor, if you want actual sound deadening, comfort, insulation you need a additional pad.
Laminate uses AC rating for wear. AC4 is good …some products are rated 5 &6. I prefer 12 mm thickness.
LVP is usually 12-20 MIL thickness. We have a 12 MIL (no kids, no shoes in house, 2 cats) and it’s delaminated at edges. Hate it.
Every flooring company in this town suggests to LVP over laminate, I visited four of them and none of them suggested me to use laminate 🤷♀️
Number one is which product looks more realistic and you say laminate but you're showing a coretec LVP which is not a laminate as i understand it. Can you expand on this please?
Yes, on number 1, I show a Mohawk Revwood laminate and as compared to a coretec. These are both leaders in their categories.
@@RemodelWithRobert thank you!
Do you know what is best over radiant heated floor? I’m installing tubing under subfloor. Additionally the tubing is in the concrete basement. Thank you.
Thanks, very informative.
no way laminate is more durable than LVP. I took several samples of LVP home and hit them with a claw hammer and left no visible marks then took an off cut of the flooring I had installed and did the same just to make sure the samples were real samples and no visible marks with the claw end or the hammer end. I tried the same with many laminate flooring offers and all had bad dents and scratches. Just get stone core LVP not wood core! Try it yourself, samples are free everywhere!! I love my LVP flooring I got my whole house done and I now have zero transitions, my old laminate flooring had transitions everywhere that I would move a chair or something and hit or hit with my feet, those days are over now!!! I had transitions living room to bathroom, living room to kitchen all over and now all seamless monolithic no transition flooring and I would never put laminate in a wet area like laundry room or kitchen or bathroom but LVP is no problem in those locations just remember PVC baseboards in those areas!
I guess it depends on the brand and quality. I gutted some ugly vinyl and installed pergo timbercraft with no transitions 1700sqft 2 story and it’s been 2 years no scratches no marks and perfect still. I was testing the product out in the stores. I used my keys against the pergo and no marks.
I'm disappointed that "general feel under your feet" wasn't covered. That's my biggest concern when deciding. Does vinyl have a plastic feel to it? Does laminate simulate wood better? I mean, that's what both are trying to do. Simulate wood. I'd be curious which one does that better.
I have a bunch of plank samples of both vinyl and laminate here, and I can tell you right now that Robert was on point about vinyl finish feeling more "plasticky", and from my side I will add -- from experience with the samples I've got here -- that your feet will also feel the same. Laminate feels more like wood, in fact it's impressively quite like wood. Vinyl, while looking like wood from most angles, has decidedly more specular reflections (which wood normally does not have until heavily lacquered) in certain incidental light angle(s), also feels much more like plastic under your feet. It's going for a different vibe though, since it's got its advantages over laminate, like superior sound insulation (unless your vinyl core is e.g. HDF, like in case of some of Parador flooring) and superior water proofing. But if you want wood but for some reason exclude actual wood like parquet or solid wood flooring, then laminate is the thing to lay.
Laminate has much more of a wood sound and feel by far. Pergo timber craft excels in that department
Where is this laminate that is easy to install? Ive only installed the higher dollar 12mm laminate and it doesnt simply click in place
I’m going with hardwood 😝😝
Vinyl will emit VOC gas and can be installed only needing a sharp knife. Vinyl is much easier to install. For condo units, a chop saw is not needed. Some strata will not allow a chop saw inside the unit. So again, Vinyl is a better option for installation. Laminate will pucker in joints if water is left even overnight. One short term renter brought in a ski bag which had some snow embedded in the bag. This leaked onto the Laminate floor which puckered in the spot where the bag was left. Vinyl, this would not be an issue. I lean towards Vinyl for rental units as renters can be harder on floors and not as mindful about water spills or pet accidents. Assess your specific use and choose accordingly. I am upgrading my 20 year laminate floor in a rental condo with Vinyl again due to easy of install and durability.
I'm looking to get new floors. I'm tired of this ugly ass tile flooring. Thanks for this informative video.
Can’t beat Mohawk Revwood laminate. I have it in two of my homes
I love it, I think the collection has some amazing looks and performance benefits that fit most homes
In the bathrooms too?
What colors? Will be having 1300sf RevWood installing in January …replacing builder installed LVP. Only place to use that is bathrooms.
Really great information here!
Thanks so much, I assume from the profile name you are an industry peer?
Yes! Hi! We are a family owned flooring store in Ohio, soon to be 55 years in the biz. Check out our fun storytelling Shorts videos all about flooring.@@RemodelWithRobert
Very cool. Ill check them out!
I wish this vid had come out a year ago...
Haha, its been a long time coming for this one
Had laminate for 10 years and trust me id not pet & kid resistent or if moving furniture too often
Are they both Toxic
Hello sir from which country are you making video I am in Malaysia I have 15 years experience certificate on this job and I am a Bangladeshi, thanks
Junk vs. crap. You pick.
Thx man
Anyone heard of Conrad Flooring?
Can you put laminate in bathrooms? Anyone?
We do it all the time, making sure all perimeter expansion joints are sealed off so that water doesn't seep in from the sides.
I guess where LVY excels is if your house is in a flood zone.
The laminate that had been put in right before we moved in has held up horribly with 4 seasons, pets. Notably, around the sink. It has NO forgiveness with moisture whatsoever.
That's awful to hear. Unfortunately, people getting ready to sell a home are not thinking of long-term performance but merely what will look good for listing the home. This often means the flooring is not selected based on quality but largely driven on price. I see this scenario constantly, and new buyers are very disappointed with the product performance. This holds true for all product categories. Carpet especially!
Pergo and Mohawk both made in USA-Pergo made by Mohawk
Would go for porcelan tiles if i could keep everyone out of the kitchen and livingroom for 24h
LVP (Luxury Vinyl Plank), not LVT
LVP is LVT. LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tile) was the original term and LVP has since become more popular for referring specifically to the longer plank format products. I hope that clears up the confusion from my word choice throughout the video. Thanks for watching!
Laminate crap in basement. All the joint will bevel over the year. Lvt all good laydown is even better
No body comes into my house with shoes on.
Great video! Very helpful….
Sounds like you're promoting to me
Promoting what? I have my preferences but I do try to be objective and I am not partnered with or receiving any type of compensation/incentives for any of my thoughts on these products. Thank you for watching and for the feedback!
👍👍😉
it's LVP not LVT
LVT (luxury vinyl tile) is the original term for the broader category. LVP (luxury vinyl plank) was adopted to differentiate the expanded offerings in wood-look vinyl tiles. Both terms are commonly used today somewhat interchangeably. Vinyl planks, as referenced in my thumbnail, are more specific to longer format products like the wood looks or even some long stone looks. I hope that clarifies. Thanks for watching!
Thumbed down for LVT. Wtf is that?
Lvt is luxury vinyl tile
Lvp is luxury vinyl plank
The fact they put the word 'luxury' in front of it is enough to put me off
I know laminate is very popular now but it still looks fake..hence the title laminate.
😅
He loses all credibility when he says laminate is easier to install. One requires a razor knife while the other literally requires multiple different saws
LVT has far more failures due to improper installation, and it's not close. There are a lot more factors than just which one is easier to cut.
@@RemodelWithRobert that's a straw man. You are talking about issues with not leveling the subfloor during preparation, which should be done regardless of which type of flooring you are installing
You are correct that LVT is less forgiving against subfloor issues, but the integrity of a lot of the locking systems of the stone composite cores also leads to more care in installing the planks without damaging the joints and separately, chipping the veneers. Of course this varies across brands as well and I have to speak in some what generalized terms for brevity, but which product is easier to cut is not the main factor for overall ease of installation. I hope that helps, and thanks for watching!
@@RemodelWithRobertthis is true, seen it first hand. My husband installs both….sure you need a saw with Laminate but the edges hold up better when clicked. Our builder put in LVP with the stone composite and it’s failing. We are going back to Laminate. And the builder went back to laminate, ditching LVP.
@@lblak59 laminate does go together more tightly, but I've still yet to ever put one down that clicks in. You basically just put a hunk of rubber up against it and beat it with a mallet until it is pushed in flush. Most of it, all but the super high dollar stuff, Once you pull a piece out, you have to check it very well before deciding to put it back down and reuse it. Almost always, the tooth that is on the tongue side is ripped off. But to be fair, I'm not too sure that part matters all that much because the tongue always fits so tightly into the groove on the next piece . But I never get a click
Laminate is garbage. Lvp is better in every way. Lvp is way more durable, waterproof, and much easier to install than Laminate. Lvp also feels 10x better underfoot than Laminate. I've installed both for over a decade and I would never recommend Laminate. It's compressed cardboard and will swell up with almost any water contact. Laminate is 100% the worst flooring product ever designed.
I have pergo and I love it. Looks and feels way more natural to me than plastic.
@afterstars pergo is plastic. Lowes claims it's water proof but it's not. Only the surface layer is. Once water penetrates a joint its game over. It's a compressed cardboard with a thin plastic surface layer. I like Tesoro Luxwood the best. Honestly, pergo is 1 of the worst ones. It is notorious for swelling at the joints once it gets wet. Lvp can be thrown in a bucket of water for 10 years and look the same when it comes out.(I've done this at our shop) Laminate wouldn't last 10 seconds. Also, laminate has a hollow plastic feel under foot compared to a quality lvp, which is a solid, more warm, and rubbery feel. We won't even install laminate anymore. Only lvp, hardwood, and tile mainly.
@@ubergsxr01what about mohawk redwood laminate? My store guy is pushing it. I need my entire house done including bathrooms. Im also worried about vinyl scratching. And i live in humid FL😢. Im so confused as to which one to get
@denisemartin3603 i would definitely recommend lvp. Tesoro makes a fantastic product. Their luxwood series is my favorite. Lvp is 100% the way to go, especially in humid climates. Also, it does not scratch easily. I slide my tools across lvp daily. Lvp is superior to laminate in every way. I'm pretty sure laminate will no longer even exist in a few more years, it's just not a good product for any application, especially when moisture is involved. Get a sample and try to scratch it with a screw driver, it's super scratch resistant. Great for pets as well...
people still use plastic floor?? ..PERGO agghhh,,gross
THOUGHT INWAS GONNA SEE THE STAIR WELL AND FLOORS NOT YOUR FACE ON A VIDEO