LVP vs. Laminate: Which Flooring Is Right for Your Home?

When homeowners start shopping for new floors, one of the first decisions they face is whether to go with luxury vinyl plank (LVP) or laminate. Both can look like real wood, both are budget-friendly alternatives to hardwood, and both are popular choices across Central Ohio homes. But they are not the same — and choosing the wrong one for your space can lead to regret.

Quick Answer: Which Should You Choose?

For most Central Ohio homeowners, luxury vinyl plank is the better all-around choice. It's 100% waterproof, more durable against scratches and dents, and performs equally well in kitchens, bathrooms, basements, and living spaces. Laminate can be a good budget option for low-moisture areas like bedrooms, but it has critical limitations you need to understand before buying.

Water Resistance: The Biggest Difference

This is where LVP wins decisively. Luxury vinyl plank is made from 100% waterproof materials — a rigid core (usually SPC or WPC), a printed design layer, and a clear wear layer on top. Water cannot damage it. Spills, pet accidents, mopping, and even minor flooding won't cause it to swell, warp, or buckle.

Laminate flooring, by contrast, has a high-density fiberboard (HDF) core — essentially compressed wood fibers. When water penetrates the seams or edges, the core absorbs moisture and swells. Once laminate swells, it doesn't go back. You'll see bubbles, raised edges, and permanent damage. This is why laminate manufacturers explicitly warn against installing their products in bathrooms, laundry rooms, or basements.

Bottom line: If you want the same flooring throughout your entire home including bathrooms and kitchens, go with LVP. If you're only doing bedrooms and living rooms on the second floor, laminate can work.

Durability: Scratch, Dent, and Wear Resistance

Both products use a wear layer to protect the decorative surface, but they perform differently:

• LVP: The wear layer is a clear urethane coating measured in mils (thousandths of an inch). Residential LVP typically has 6–12 mil wear layers; commercial products go up to 20–30 mil. More importantly, LVP has a slight give to it — dropped dishes may bounce rather than shatter, and the floor resists denting from heavy furniture.
• Laminate: The wear layer is aluminum oxide, which is extremely hard and scratch-resistant. But the rigidity of laminate means it's more susceptible to chipping at the edges and can feel harsh underfoot. Heavy objects dropped on laminate are more likely to chip the surface.

For homes with pets, kids, or heavy furniture, LVP generally holds up better over time. For an office or adult-only household with moderate traffic, both perform well.

Cost Comparison

Material costs are comparable at the entry level, but diverge as you move up in quality:

Installation costs are similar for both — typically $2.00–$4.00 per square foot depending on subfloor condition and job complexity. Laminate is sometimes slightly cheaper to install because it doesn't require as precise subfloor preparation, but the difference is marginal on most projects.

Our Recommendation for Central Ohio Homes

For the vast majority of Columbus-area homeowners, we recommend luxury vinyl plank. Central Ohio's climate — with humid summers, dry winters, and the occasional basement seepage — plays to LVP's strengths. You get the wood look you want with none of the water anxiety. Install it in your kitchen, bathrooms, laundry room, basement, and living spaces without worrying about where the moisture is.

Laminate has its place: it's a solid budget option for low-moisture areas, and premium laminate can look fantastic. But if you want one floor that works everywhere in your home and will look great for decades, LVP is the answer.