1. Aesthetic
The look and feel of your flooring can influence the mood and design of your home. Pick a floor that complements your tastes and style.
Hardwood
Hardwood is made from natural wood species. It looks warm and brings a luxurious, natural touch to a space. With a variety of types, stains and styles, you can choose a hardwood that complements any home design. Modern homes look great with grey hardwood floors, while rustic homes work well with dark or red-toned woods.
Luxury Vinyl
Luxury vinyl can mimic the look of wood, stone or tile. Though it’s a synthetic material, it looks natural and its textures and look can copy any natural wood species. Luxury vinyl is an excellent alternative for anyone who wants the look of wood without the price.
2. Cost
When comparing hardwood vs. luxury vinyl, cost is an essential factor for any homeowner to consider.
Hardwood
Hardwood is more expensive than luxury vinyl. Since it’s a natural material, it costs more to source, install and maintain. Exotic species cost more than domestic ones. You’ll also have to pay to refinish your hardwood when it looks worn. Still, hardwood lasts for decades and can provide you a considerable return on your investment if you sell your home.
Luxury Vinyl
Affordability is one of the benefits of luxury vinyl flooring. Luxury vinyl is an advanced synthetic flooring, so it’s much less expensive than hardwood. After the initial installation, you won’t have to perform any extra maintenance outside of regular cleaning, saving you money.
3. Life Span
The life of a flooring material will also influence your decision. Investing more money upfront in long-lasting flooring can be more cost-effective since you don’t have to pay for new flooring as often.
Hardwood
Hardwood floors last 100 years or more when taken care of properly. To ensure your hardwood lasts a lifetime, clean it regularly and refinish it when it takes on too many scratches or shows signs of fading.
Luxury Vinyl
Vinyl lasts about 25 years. Our vinyl floors are durable, scratch-resistant and waterproof and will hold up to years of wear and tear. It won’t last as long as hardwood, but you won’t have to spend the same time and money maintaining it as you would with natural flooring.
4. Durability
Durable flooring is essential for any home — you’ll use your floors daily, so they should stand up to all the wear and tear of regular use.
Hardwood
Hardwood has excellent durability. It’ll withstand decades of regular use and is a great choice for any home. It’s susceptible to water damage, scratches and fading, but you can increase its longevity with protective measures.
Luxury Vinyl
Luxury vinyl is also highly durable in any room. Its multi-layer, synthetic design makes it capable of withstanding heavy use. It’s also water- and scratch-resistant, so you don’t have to worry about damages other floors deal with.
5. Maintenance
Different flooring has its own maintenance requirements. Maintenance can increase the time and money you spend on your flooring, so ensure the flooring you select meshes well with your budget and lifestyle. Before caring for your floors, always check the warranty and the 50Floor care guide for your given flooring, so you don’t damage your floors or void the warranty.
Hardwood
Simply sweep and damp mop your hardwood floors regularly to keep them clean. Hardwood accumulates scratches and wear over time, so you should refinish it when it starts to look dull.
Luxury Vinyl
Luxury vinyl doesn’t need any extra maintenance outside of regular cleaning. Just sweep and damp clean when it becomes dirty to remove debris and grime. It’s ideal for homeowners looking to install low-maintenance, attractive flooring in their homes.
6. Resale Value
Resale value is critical for homeowners looking to sell in the future. The flooring material you select can influence the resale value of your home. Let’s look at luxury vinyl vs. hardwood resale value and how they can increase the price of your home.
Hardwood
Hardwood has excellent resale value. You can get a return of around 106% on new hardwood floors, making it an excellent material for your home. Buyers love hardwood’s natural look and durability in homes, especially if it’s new or well cared for.
Luxury Vinyl
Luxury vinyl won’t increase the value of your home, but having new, durable vinyl flooring installed can make your home more attractive to potential buyers, as it’ll feel updated and high-quality.
7. Comfort
Comfort might be a factor when choosing new flooring. Softer floors are more comfortable to sit and stand on, but they won’t hold up as well as harder, more durable flooring materials.
Hardwood
Hardwood is made from wood, so it’s not as comfortable as materials like carpet. However, you can place stylish area rugs on hardwood to help elevate the comfort and design of your floors.
Luxury Vinyl
Luxury vinyl feels about as hard as hardwood. It’s also not as comfortable as carpet, but what it lacks in softness, it makes up for in strength.
8. Installation Room
The room you’re reflooring will also affect the material you choose.
Hardwood
Hardwood is a timeless, durable flooring — it looks great in almost every room. However, it’s not water-resistant. You should avoid installing it in high moisture areas like bathrooms and laundry rooms, so it doesn’t become damaged. Instead, install hardwood in bedrooms and living rooms to give each space an elevated, classic look. If you install it in your kitchen, just be sure to clean up any spills immediately.
Luxury Vinyl
Luxury vinyl is water- and scratch-resistant, so you can install it all over your home. Kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, living rooms — wherever you want stylish, affordable flooring, you can install luxury vinyl. Its advanced construction means it’ll easily stand up to use in every room in your home.
Quality Hardwood and Luxury Vinyl Flooring From 50Floor
Once you’ve decided you want new floors, trust the experts at 50Floor to help you every step of the way. Our experienced team will help you find samples, order flooring and install the flooring you choose. If you want to schedule an appointment, contact us today!
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