Luxury Vinyl vs Hardwood – How to Decide the Best Flooring

Luxury Vinyl vs Hardwood – How to Decide the Best Flooring

The cost of a hardwood floor will run a typical homeowner anywhere from $2,500 to $6,740—Thats’ roughly between a third to up to a half of a 2020 household’s annual budget for home improvements. 

So when you consider luxury vinyl flooring vs. hardwood cost, look to pay a third less for the manmade product. And there’s still a misconception that when it comes to luxury vinyl vs hardwood, the homeowner is cheaping out. Yet this isn’t the case.

Hardwood floors are undeniably beautiful and stylish. But improvements in luxury vinyl flooring have increased its style options and made it almost indistinguishable from wood.

In the following article, we’ll compare the benefits of hardwood flooring to luxury vinyl flooring and when best to use each material. 

Contents

The Style Luxury Vinyl vs Hardwood 

Even people who manufacture and install luxury vinyl flooring say there’s something special about hardwood flooring. 

With its many styles, colors, and variations in installation techniques, hardwood vs luxury vinyl flooring often wins hands down.

But luxury vinyl has raced to match the beauty of hardwood floors. One of the layers of the product is actually a photographic image. So anything you can photograph can be used as a base print for the flooring.

That means that you can reproduce any natural style represented by hardwood as LVP. With the constant improvements in digital photography and reproduction techniques, the quality of this layer has only improved over the years.

Of course, the color and style were rarely the complaints with luxury vinyl flooring. Often it was the fell and texturization that was the tell-tale difference.

However, now LVP employs a range of techniques to try and match hardwoods’ tactile responsiveness. So much so that the very best of these products would need someone to venture down on their hands and knees to tell the difference.

(Visit this link for more about LVP flooring styles and considerations.) 

Which Lasts Longer?

In high-traffic areas, luxury vinyl flooring is the hands-down winner over hardwood floors without constant upkeep.

Since wood is porous, liquids can stain it, and dirt and grime can become embedded from daily wear and tear. Hardwood flooring is treated with a protective coating that seals it and gives it its luster. However, without the constant upkeep, this coating wears — often unevenly.

This also means that hardwood floors are not recommended for areas like bathrooms subjected to moisture. 

LVP requires little upkeep and maintenance besides normal cleanings and is made to endure high-traffic areas. Some LVP products boast warranties for up to 20 years. 

Environmental Consideration

While you may consider trees a renewable product, deforestation worldwide has made some varieties of hardwood endangered. It can take years for you to replant and bring a hardwood tree to maturity.  

Fortunately, many luxury vinyl flooring options are made from recycled material. You’ll actually reduce your carbon footprint by employing luxury vinyl vs engineered hardwood.

A Tough Decision

When it comes to luxury vinyl vs hardwood, a homeowner or business owner has several factors to consider. But as stated above, one of the most important of these is price. 

The cost of LVP, matched with its lengthy durability, and variety often make it the hands-down winner against hardwood options. This is especially true if you don’t have the time or resources to maintain this product constantly.

Did you find this article useful? Search this website for more about home improvements and flooring options. 

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