- Vinyl plank (SPC) wins anywhere water is a real risk: basements, laundry, entries, bathrooms, rentals.
- Good laminate wins on scratches. If you have big dogs and the room is dry, it holds up better than most vinyl and often costs less.
- Neither one is "waterproof" the way people think. The plank might be. Your subfloor isn't.
- Cheap versions of both are where people get burned. Spend on the wear layer (vinyl) or the AC rating (laminate), not the picture on the box.
This is the question we get the most, on almost every visit. Somebody's standing in the kitchen with two samples, one from a store and one from Costco, asking which one. So here's what we actually tell people, after installing both for years in houses, basements and condos all over Surrey, Langley and White Rock.
What they actually are
Laminate is a photo of wood pressed onto a high-density fibreboard (HDF) core, with a hard clear layer on top. That top layer is basically melamine and aluminum oxide, and it's really hard. That's why laminate is so good at shrugging off dog nails. The weak spot is the core: it's wood fibre, and wood fibre swells when water gets into it.
Vinyl plank (LVP, luxury vinyl plank) is a photo layer with a clear vinyl "wear layer" on top, on a plastic-based core. Today most of what's sold is SPC (stone plastic composite, a rigid limestone and PVC core) or WPC (a foamed, softer core). The core doesn't care about water. The top is softer than laminate's, so it scratches more easily.
So the whole debate comes down to this: laminate has a harder top, vinyl has a waterproof core. Everything else follows from that.
Where vinyl plank wins
- Basements. Lower Mainland basements are on concrete and a lot of them have had water in them at some point. Vinyl doesn't care if a slab is a bit damp, as long as it's within the product's limits and there's the right underlay. Laminate on a basement slab with a moisture history is a bet we won't make for you.
- Bathrooms, laundry rooms, mudrooms. Water on the floor is normal there. Vinyl is the right call (or tile).
- Rentals. Tenants don't wipe up spills. Vinyl survives that.
- Kitchens with kids. Juice, dog bowls, the dishwasher that leaks a little. Vinyl lets you relax.
- Quiet, if you pick the right one. A thicker SPC with an attached pad is usually quieter than budget laminate, which can sound clicky and hollow.
Where laminate wins
- Scratches. A decent AC4 laminate shrugs off things that leave marks on a 12 mil vinyl. If you've got a 90-pound dog that runs to the door every time the mail comes, laminate is genuinely the better floor for the main living areas.
- Looks. This is subjective, but good laminate usually has deeper embossing and a more convincing wood grain than vinyl at the same price. Up close, a lot of vinyl looks a bit plasticky. Laminate looks more like a wood floor.
- Price for performance. In a dry room, a mid-range laminate often beats a mid-range vinyl on durability for less money.
- Heat and sun. Some vinyl planks expand in hot direct sun, like south-facing patio doors or floor-to-ceiling windows. Laminate handles that better. If your living room bakes in the afternoon, mention it before you buy vinyl.
The new "waterproof laminate"
Over the last few years, many brands have released water-resistant laminate with sealed edges and treated cores. Some of it is really good. But read the box: it's usually rated for a set number of hours of standing water (24, 36, 72…). That's great for a spilled glass of water or a dog bowl. It's not the same as surviving a burst pipe. For a kitchen or open main floor with kids and dogs, this is often the best of both worlds. For a full bathroom, we'd still go vinyl or tile.
The stuff the box doesn't tell you
1. The wear layer is what you're paying for in vinyl
Vinyl wear layers are measured in mil (thousandths of an inch). 6–8 mil is builder-grade and wears fast. 12 mil is okay for bedrooms. With kids or dogs, we'd want 20 mil or more. Thickness of the whole plank matters less than people think. A 7 mm plank with a 12 mil wear layer will wear through sooner than a 5 mm plank with a 22 mil one. Here's the full breakdown on wear layers and AC ratings.
2. The AC rating is what you're paying for in laminate
AC1 to AC5. AC3 is fine for most homes. AC4 is what we'd want for busy main floors and pets. AC5 is commercial-grade and usually overkill at home.
3. Both need a flat floor
Click floors float. If the subfloor has dips and humps, the joints flex every time you walk on them and eventually separate, squeak or crack. Most warranties ask for something like 3/16" over 10 feet, and some vinyl asks for flatter. Floor prep is the most-skipped step in the industry, and it's the reason a lot of "bad floors" are actually good floors installed over a bad base.
4. "Waterproof" is about the plank, not your house
Water still runs through the seams and sits underneath. On a wood subfloor, that's how you get rot and mould under a perfectly fine-looking vinyl floor. We wrote a whole page on this because it catches so many people.
Side by side
| Vinyl plank (SPC) | Laminate (AC4) | |
|---|---|---|
| Standing water | Plank unaffected | Standard: swells. Water-resistant: OK for a set number of hours |
| Dog nails / scratches | Okay to good (depends on wear layer) | Very good |
| Dents (chairs, dropped pans) | Good (SPC), fair (WPC) | Good |
| Feel underfoot | A bit warmer, slightly soft | Hard |
| Sound | Quiet with a good pad | Can be clicky without good underlay |
| Realistic look | Good on better lines | Usually better at the same price |
| Hot sun through big windows | Check the warranty | Fine |
| Basements on concrete | Yes | Only water-resistant types, after testing |
| Repairs | Planks can be swapped | Planks can be swapped |
What we'd actually put in
- Basement: SPC vinyl with a decent wear layer, after we check the slab for moisture.
- Main floor, big dogs, no real water risk: AC4 laminate, ideally a water-resistant one.
- Main floor, young kids, open kitchen: water-resistant laminate or a 20+ mil SPC. Honestly both work, so pick the one you like the look of more.
- Bathroom or laundry: vinyl (or tile through our trade partners).
- Rental suite: SPC vinyl, 20 mil, every time.
- Big south-facing windows: laminate, or a vinyl that specifically allows that in its warranty.
Still stuck? Take the 1-minute floor quiz or put them head to head.
Common questions
Is vinyl plank better than laminate?
Not overall. Vinyl plank is better where water is a risk (basements, bathrooms, laundry, rentals). Laminate is better at resisting scratches and usually looks more like real wood for the money. Pick by room, not by brand hype.
Which is better with dogs, vinyl or laminate?
For scratches, a good AC4 laminate usually beats vinyl. For accidents and water bowls, vinyl wins because the core can't swell. Many dog owners do water-resistant laminate on the main floor and vinyl in the basement and laundry.
Can you put laminate in a basement?
Only a water-resistant laminate, only after testing the slab for moisture, and with the vapour barrier or underlay the maker requires. If the basement has ever had water in it, we'd put vinyl plank in instead.
Does vinyl plank look cheap?
Budget vinyl can look plasticky and repetitive, especially with only a few plank designs on repeat. Better lines have more unique planks, embossing that lines up with the grain and a matte finish. Always look at a few full planks on the floor, not just a small sample.
Is vinyl plank bad for resale?
Not in most Lower Mainland homes. Buyers here expect vinyl in basements and suites. On a main floor of a higher-end home, real hardwood or engineered still helps more with resale.
Who's writing this: Rose and Thorn Flooring is a flooring company in Surrey, BC. We install floors for a living, so yes, we'd love to do yours. But nobody pays us to say nice things about a product, and we don't earn commission from any brand. If something here is wrong or out of date, text us at 604-716-4160 and we'll fix it.