LVT (luxury vinyl tile) is fully waterproof and easiest to maintain; laminate is cheaper but vulnerable to moisture; engineered wood is the most natural-looking and can be sanded and refinished.
The Key Differences at a Glance
| Feature | LVT | Laminate | Engineered Wood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Material | Vinyl layers | HDF + photographic layer | Real wood veneer over plywood |
| Water resistance | Fully waterproof | Not waterproof | Moderate — avoid wet areas |
| Durability | Very high | High | High — can be refinished |
| Feel underfoot | Warm, slightly soft | Hollow sound possible | Natural wood feel |
| Cost (materials) | £20–£60/m² | £8–£25/m² | £25–£80/m² |
| Fitting cost | £12–£18/m² | £5–£8/m² | £15–£22/m² |
| Best rooms | Kitchen, bathroom, hallway, whole home | Living room, bedroom | Living room, bedroom, open plan |
LVT — What It Is and When to Choose It
LVT stands for luxury vinyl tile. It is a multi-layer vinyl product with a photographic layer that mimics wood, stone or tile, a tough wear layer on top and a backing layer beneath. Karndean and Amtico are the two main premium brands sold in the UK; there are also mid-range and budget LVT options.
LVT is fully waterproof — not water-resistant, fully waterproof. That makes it the correct choice for kitchens, bathrooms, utility rooms, downstairs WCs and any room that might see splashes, wet feet or cleaning with a mop.
Glue-down LVT (Karndean/Amtico style) requires a very flat subfloor — within 3mm over 2 metres. Any deviation shows through the tiles after fitting. This makes subfloor preparation more important and more common with LVT than with any other flooring type.
Click LVT is a floating version that does not require adhesive. It is quicker to fit and easier to replace individual planks. It does not perform quite as well as glue-down in high-traffic areas, but for most residential rooms it is entirely appropriate.
Choose LVT if: you want hard flooring in a wet area, you want a premium wood look without the maintenance of real wood, or you want a single flooring type that works throughout the whole home.
Laminate — What It Is and When to Choose It
Laminate is a man-made product. The core is HDF (high-density fibreboard), with a photographic image layer on top and a clear protective wear layer. It is not real wood at any level.
Laminate is cheaper than both LVT and engineered wood. A decent 8–10mm laminate with good acoustic underlay performs well in living rooms and bedrooms and is hard to distinguish from LVT by appearance alone. It is also faster to fit and easier to DIY than other hard flooring types.
The major limitation of laminate is water. Most laminate swells when water gets beneath the boards — at joins, at doorways, around kitchen appliances. It is not suitable for kitchens or bathrooms. A laminate floor in a utility room with a washing machine connection is a risk.
Some manufacturers now sell "waterproof laminate" (typically an SPC core). These are better, but they are effectively becoming LVT with a different name.
Choose laminate if: you want a cost-effective hard floor in a dry room (bedroom, living room, home office), you are fitting a rental property, or you want the closest look to LVT at a lower price point.
Engineered Wood — What It Is and When to Choose It
Engineered wood is real wood — a top layer (veneer) of hardwood bonded to multiple layers of plywood or HDF. The multi-layer construction makes it more dimensionally stable than solid wood, meaning it expands and contracts less with temperature and humidity changes.
Engineered wood looks and feels exactly like solid wood because the top surface is solid wood. It can be sanded and refinished once or twice over its lifetime, extending its usable life well beyond laminate or LVT. Premium engineered wood floors, looked after properly, can last 30+ years.
The cost reflects this. Engineered wood is more expensive to buy and more expensive to fit, especially in herringbone pattern. Subfloor preparation is important — an uneven subfloor will affect the finish and can cause boards to creak.
Choose engineered wood if: appearance and natural feel matter most, you want a floor that adds genuine value to the property, you are fitting a larger living space or open-plan room, or you want herringbone pattern.
Which Should You Choose for Each Room?
- Kitchen: LVT — fully waterproof, easy to clean, long-lasting
- Bathroom: LVT — the only sensible hard flooring choice in a wet room
- Hallway: LVT or engineered wood — high traffic, needs to be durable
- Living room: All three work. Engineered wood for premium feel, LVT for waterproofing, laminate for budget
- Bedroom: Carpet is still the most popular choice. For hard flooring: laminate or engineered wood
- Open-plan kitchen-diner: LVT throughout gives one consistent waterproof floor