Laminate vs. Vinyl vs. Tile: Which is Right For My Home?

Each flooring type provides homeowners with a more extended variety in terms of style and also tends to go a little easier on your budget when choosing the former two flooring options. Before settling on flooring for you home, consider the following pros and cons of each type available.

Cincinnati Tile Flooring

Tile flooring is probably the least budget-friendly of the three flooring types listed; however, you can definitely count on getting your money's worth in quality and durability when you choose Cincinnati tile flooring. Tile flooring is much more resistant to damage and moisture when compared to vinyl and wood, which makes it an excellent choice for high-traffic, accident-prone areas of the home. Complementing this feature of Cincinnati tile flooring is the low-maintenance aspect of tile. Tile flooring is difficult to stain and easy to clean, which makes it a perfect choice for busy mothers with rambunctious children running around, or any busy adult without a lot of extra time to devote to housework. Cincinnati tile flooring maintains a consistently beautiful look, which is especially attractive when the tiles are glazed. This can add to the aesthetic appeal of your home as well as the overall value.

One important drawback to consider for tile flooring is a cold feeling underfoot, which isn't always pleasant in the cold winters in Cincinnati. Another con of tile flooring is that it can be slippery when wet, which could be a safety hazard in the home. Finally, tile doesn't inherently come with sound-proofing qualities; however, this can be improved with the addition of a rug.

Cincinnati Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring is probably the cheapest option of the three, and this is not only because the material is usually less expensive to manufacture, but also because the installation process is much easier with laminate flooring. Modern Cincinnati laminate flooring usually involves a click-lock process that uses dry glue, which usually doesn't take longer than a weekend for 300 square feet of flooring. Like tile flooring, laminate flooring is also very durable, but usually isn't quite as strong or durable as tile flooring. Laminate flooring offers tremendous versatility in design and can be made to resemble both hardwood and tile flooring, which gives homeowners on a budget a bigger selection.

A con of Cincinnati laminate flooring is the limited value it adds to your home. This is simply because you paid less for the laminate flooring; however, it should only be a big issue if you plan on selling in the near future. Laminate flooring can also be hard underfoot (though not as hard as tile), which is a bit uncomfortable for some homeowners. Finally, laminate flooring cannot be sanded or refinished, which means that heavily worn laminate flooring must be replaced since repairing is not an option.

Cincinnati Vinyl Flooring

Like laminate flooring, vinyl flooring is comparably easy to install. The flooring is an excellent choice for high-traffic areas because of its high-resistance to wear and tear in addition to its low maintenance and cleaning ease. In terms of durability, vinyl falls somewhere in the middle of tile and laminate, with tile being the most durable and laminate being the least. In terms of value, Cincinnati vinyl flooring also falls in between the two previous flooring options. Unlike the other flooring options, vinyl flooring absorbs sound much more effectively, which is a major plus for noisy homes.

Although Cincinnati vinyl flooringis highly durable, if it is damaged by a sharp object, it can be nearly impossible to repair without replacing through the help of a professional. Preparing the floor surface for vinyl flooring can also be a bit tedious, since it requires a very clean and smooth surface with no bumps and bubbles. Another negative of vinyl flooring is that it emits VOCs, which can cause air quality problems in the home; however, many modern manufacturers have reduced this problem significantly in recent years.