When you’re building or remodeling a home, choosing the flooring is one of the most important decisions you can make. Flooring is foundational to the many other design elements of your home, so getting it right should be a high priority.
You want flooring that is beautiful, but it must also be practical and durable to meet the demands of your busy home. Luxury vinyl plank flooring and hardwood are some of the most popular options, but which one is best?
If you are considering hardwood flooring vs luxury vinyl plank, let us help you make the best decision by pointing out:
- What luxury vinyl plank floor is
- What hardwood flooring is
- How they compare in 10 key aspects
Table of Contents
- Is Hardwood Better Than Luxury Vinyl Plank?
- Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring vs. Hardwood
- Hardwood Floors vs. Luxury Vinyl Plank: 10 Differences Explained
- Let Interior Motives Flooring Guide You on Choosing Between Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring vs. Hardwood
Is Hardwood Better Than Luxury Vinyl Plank?
There’s no one right answer to this question. Hardwood and luxury vinyl plank flooring both have pros and cons. Deciding which option is best for your home depends on many details, such as:
- Budget
- Design style
- Lifestyle
- Aesthetic goals
- Installation choices
- Resale value
- And more
In the end, whether you decide to go with hardwood floor vs luxury vinyl plank will be an individual choice. Take some time to learn what both flooring options have to offer and set the criteria that are most important to you. Thinking those things through on the front end will make the choice easier.
Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring vs. Hardwood
You can’t really make a decision on flooring until you know what the options are. Comparing luxury vinyl plank flooring and hardwood is not an apples-to-apples comparison. Let’s take a look at what the two types of flooring are, how they’re made, and what they have to offer.
What Is Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring?
Made from layers of polyvinyl chloride, luxury vinyl plank flooring is a cost-effective flooring option known for its durability, stability, and waterproof capabilities. Though some luxury vinyl plank flooring options may contain more layers, all vinyl flooring planks include these four basic layers:
- Wear layer – protects against scratches
- Image layer – embossed to look like wood
- Core layer – provides impact resistance
- Backing layer – helps with sound absorption and insulation
Luxury vinyl plank can be made to look like hardwood, tile, or stone and is generally budget-friendly, typically costing between $2 to $5 per square foot.
What Is Hardwood Flooring?
Hardwood flooring has long been used because of its beauty, durability, and variety.
The National Wood Flooring Association has defined hardwood flooring as “any flooring product that contains real wood as the top-most wearable surface of the floor.”
Hardwood flooring comes in a variety of options, including:
- Solid hardwood – cut from a solid piece of wood
- Engineered hardwood – made from real wood with veneers or slats glued together in opposite directions
- Composite-engineered hardwood – real wood on the surface only with a backing and core made of a type of composite material
Hardwood floors are an excellent option with a long lifespan. Solid wood floors can last from 30 to 100 years, while engineered hardwoods can last from 20 to 30 years.
No matter what type of flooring you desire for your home, the team at Interior Motives Flooring can make your flooring dreams come true. For over 30 years, we’ve been expertly installing our high-quality flooring options and offering customer service that’s personal and professional. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Hardwood Floors vs. Luxury Vinyl Plank: 10 Differences Explained
Now that you understand what hardwood flooring and luxury vinyl plank flooring are and how they are made, let’s compare both flooring options using the following 10 criteria.
#1: Cost
Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) is less expensive than hardwood, considering both material and installation costs.
Depending on the type of LVP, this flooring choice can cost between $2 and $7 per square foot. It’s also fairly easy to install, so those with DIY leanings can save some money by installing it themselves.
In contrast, hardwood flooring is one of the more expensive flooring options. Hardwood flooring costs can range from $8 to $15 per square foot, with more exotic woods — like Brazilian Cherry, Teak, Acacia, or Tigerwood — costing anywhere from $25 to $100 per square foot.
Prefinished hardwood can make installation easier, and it can also eliminate some additional labor costs that come with unfinished wood.
#2: Scratch Resistance
Though LVP is considerably scratch-resistant, over time, it can show scratches and dents. The degree of scratch resistance LVP delivers depends on how thick the protective coating is. Some LVP flooring manufacturers offer options with an extra protective layer with additives like quartz, ceramic beads, and aluminum oxide to increase durability.
If LVP is your choice, you may also have a warranty that may last for 15 to 20 years.
Hardwood often shows scratches more than LVP, especially if you have a large indoor dog. If you decide to go with hardwood, you should be extra careful when moving furniture or other heavy items across the floor.
Harder wood, like oak, maple, or hickory, generally also improves scratch resistance. Engineered hardwood may also offer more scratch resistance than a solid wood option.
#3: Water Resistance
If you’re concerned about moisture, LVP is decidedly your best option. LVP floors are waterproof, so you can use them anywhere throughout your home, including bathrooms, laundry rooms, kitchens, and basements.
Hardwood is generally not made to be waterproof, but some options, like engineered hardwood, are water-resistant. This means it can resist limited amounts of water but can’t handle excessive amounts. Spills on hardwood floors should be wiped up immediately to avoid lasting damage.
Since LVP floors are waterproof, cleaning them with a wet mop is acceptable without fear of damage. Depending on the type of finish — especially on engineered hardwood floors — light mopping may be a possibility. But wet mops should be avoided for other types of wood flooring to avoid buckling, cupping, or even mold growth.
Though hardwoods aren’t considered waterproof, some flooring manufacturers are producing waterproof hardwoods. Depending on the manufacturer, waterproof features are added either via enhanced technology or other added dimensions of protection.
In the end, if water resistance is a major priority, or if your floors experience regular spills from family members, LVP might be the way to go.
#4: Installation Process
When you’re hoping for an easy install, LVP is hard to beat for these reasons:
- Planks can be easily cut using a utility knife, which cuts back on the time needed to pull out tools and other equipment like table saws or circular saws.
- Luxury vinyl plank flooring can be installed on top of an existing floor, taking away the need for demolition and subfloor prep.
- Click installation is simple and easy.
- As a floating floor, the existing surface doesn’t have to be completely level, unless you use glue to put the floor in place.
Installing a hardwood floor is a little more involved than LVP for these reasons:
- To cut hardwood planks to size, you’ll need heavy-duty saws, which will probably require taking the flooring back and forth to the saw, eating up precious time.
- Though a hardwood floor could be installed over an existing floor, that’s usually not the practice. Most hardwood installs require removing the existing floor, which requires more time, money, and manpower.
- A level subfloor is crucial to ensure stability, since hardwood can bend over time.
Even with these differences in installation, hardwood planks employ a tongue and groove method held in place by nails, providing a long-lasting floor you can enjoy for many years.
Both LVP and hardwood flooring can be DIY projects, though installing hardwoods may require extra tools and equipment. For expert hardwood or vinyl flooring installation in Auburn, leave it to the pros at Interior Motives Flooring.
You can rest assured the job will be done right and to your specifications. Your satisfaction is our priority.
#5: Aesthetics
Both LVP and hardwood flooring make an appealing and aesthetically pleasing impact. Even with the newest technologies used to create unique LVP flooring, nothing quite beats the natural warmth and texture of authentic hardwood floors.
Hardwood planks usually come in seven-foot lengths and contain natural elements that LVP doesn’t, like knots and grain patterns. These aspects help make every wood piece unique.
That being said, LVP technologies are extraordinary, and some are able to duplicate the look of different species of wood, making it difficult to distinguish it from the real thing. LVP usually comes in lengths of four feet and widths of six to nine inches. Though it’s not actually wood, LVP is digitally designed to still be able to get the wood look in a repeatable pattern.
#6: Style Options
Style options abound for both hardwood and LVP flooring. Choosing the right flooring for your home comes down to deciding the style you desire for the individual rooms in your home.
Luxury vinyl plank flooring is available in many styles, colors, and designs, making it possible to find that particular design element you’re looking for.
Hardwoods bring natural beauty into your home with a variety of wood species, cuts, grades, finishes, and textures. Depending on your needs and style goals, you can get solid wood and engineered hardwoods that are prefinished or unfinished.
With unfinished wood, you can create the look you want with stains and finishes and can match them to other existing floors in your home. That’s harder to do with LVP.
#7: Maintenance
Luxury vinyl plank flooring wins in the maintenance category. Regular cleaning is easy with a broom, vacuum, dust mop, or mop. Though LVP flooring can fade over time, the shine can be revived with special polishes made for LVP floors. To limit fading and dulling, try strategically placing rugs on LVP flooring where it receives heavy traffic or excessive sunlight. If your LVP is damaged, replacing planks is fast and easy.
Maintaining hardwoods requires more effort and care. Because of their low water resistance, they shouldn’t be cleaned with a wet mop. Instead, regularly clean them by sweeping, dust mopping, or vacuuming to remove small particles that can increase scratching. For deep cleaning, research specific cleaning products designed for wood floors.
Remember, when the floors begin to look dull or damaged, hardwood can be repaired and refinished. Most professionals recommend refinishing wood floors about every 10 years.
#8: Environmental Impact
LVP has a higher impact on the environment because:
- It uses petroleum in the manufacturing process.
- Of the energy used to manufacture the product.
- It can leave behind toxic byproducts.
- Volatile organic compounds may be released in your home.
For all these reasons, if you decide to use LVP flooring, buy from someone with a LEED credit for low emissions.
The environmental impact of hardwoods is far less because wood is a renewable resource, can be recycled, and is biodegradable.
#9: Durability
Here is where LVP and hardwood flooring may come out in a tie, since they are both equally durable.
LVP is a synthetic material designed to be durable, and the hard wear layer adds extra protection.
Hardwoods are naturally hard, and there is also a coating applied in the manufacturing process which adds extra protection and durability.
#10: Resale Value
How the type of flooring affects resale value depends on the buyer’s wants and what their lifestyle is like. Buyer preference can go a long way when it comes to resale value. Sometimes, LVP is preferred, but generally, hardwood has a higher resale value.
LVP may have higher resale value because of these qualities:
- Offers more soundproofing
- Is easier to maintain
- Availability of high-end style options
Resale value with hardwoods may be higher for these reasons:
- Hardwoods can be viewed more highly by home buyers.
- Hardwood floors have a long lifespan.
- Buyers who prefer hardwoods may shy away from homes with vinyl flooring due to the cost and hassle involved in replacing them.
Let Interior Motives Flooring Guide You on Choosing Between Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring vs. Hardwood
Once you decide on the type of flooring that works best for your home — whether it’s luxury vinyl plank or hardwood flooring — let the father and son team at Interior Motives Flooring make your vision a reality.
When you choose Interior Motives Flooring for your new installation, we cover all the bases. Here’s what you can expect:
- You’ll visit our showroom to look through the styles available, and our team will help you choose the one that fits your needs.
- We’ll schedule a free consultation and provide an accurate estimate of the project.
- Our experienced team will complete your flooring installation, including tearing out and disposing of the old flooring and prep work.
- After the installation, we’ll do a final walkthrough with you to make sure you’re pleased with your new flooring.
Look at our gallery of projects and let our work speak for itself. Then call for your free consultation and take the first step toward getting the new flooring you’ve been dreaming of.
