— Compare · 8 min read · Updated July 2026
LVT vs laminate — which is right for your home?
LVT (luxury vinyl tile) and laminate are the two biggest sellers in UK flooring — and the two easiest to confuse. They look similar, they click together similarly, and they sit in overlapping price bands. But choose wrong and you'll be pulling up your kitchen floor in two years. Here's how they actually compare.
What they actually are
Laminate is a photographic decorative layer bonded to a high-density fibreboard (HDF) core, sealed with a melamine wear layer. LVT is 100% synthetic — a printed film sandwiched between a wear layer and a rigid PVC or SPC (stone-plastic composite) core. The difference matters: HDF swells if it gets wet, PVC doesn't.
Waterproofing
This is the decisive difference. LVT is waterproof top-to-bottom — spill a full pint on it, mop it up, done. Laminate isn't. Even 'water-resistant' laminate has an HDF core that will swell if water sits in the joints. In kitchens, bathrooms and utility rooms, LVT wins outright.
Durability
Both use wear layers rated in mils (thousandths of an inch). For UK domestic use, 12 mil / 0.3mm LVT lasts a decade in a busy family home. AC4-rated laminate does the same job in dry rooms. In commercial or heavy-domestic use, go 20 mil+ LVT or AC5 laminate.
Comfort, warmth and sound
LVT with an attached IXPE or cork backing is warmer underfoot and quieter than laminate. Laminate rings hollow without a good underlay — always spec a 3mm+ combined underlay with vapour barrier. Both work over underfloor heating, but the LVT / SPC output rating is typically lower (max ~27°C surface temp), which suits UFH better than laminate.
Cost
Entry-level laminate starts around £9.99/m²; entry-level LVT around £18.99/m². Fitting is similar (£10-12/m²). Over 10 years in a wet-prone room, laminate's replacement cost usually overtakes LVT's upfront premium.
The straight answer
Choose LVT for kitchens, bathrooms, whole-house open-plan, rentals and anywhere with pets or kids. Choose laminate for bedrooms, home offices, dry landings and budget-driven full-house refits. If you're mixing rooms, use LVT downstairs and laminate upstairs for the best £/m² across the whole job.
Frequently asked
Can I lay LVT over existing laminate?
Not recommended — the laminate joints move independently and telegraph through. Lift the laminate, level the subfloor with a self-levelling compound, then lay LVT.
Does LVT devalue a house compared to real wood?
Not any more. Premium herringbone and wide-plank LVT is now specified in £1m+ new-builds. Estate agents in London and the South East report no valuation hit for a good-quality LVT install.
Is laminate really that bad in a kitchen?
It's fine if you never spill, never drop ice, never overflow the dishwasher. In reality, LVT is the safer specification.