All three click together, all three come in wood-look finishes, and marketing photos make them look interchangeable. They are not. Vinyl plank is the only one of the three that is genuinely waterproof, laminate cannot be refinished, and solid hardwood is the only floor that ages by getting sanded down rather than replaced. This guide compares them on the things that actually matter for a room-by-room decision, not on how they look in a showroom.
What's in this guide
Quick Answer, Room by Room
If you only read one section, read this one. Vinyl plank (LVP) is the safest all-around choice — it is fully waterproof, click-locks together, and tolerates basements and bathrooms that would ruin the other two. Laminate is the budget pick for dry rooms where you want a hard, scratch-resistant surface. Hardwood — solid or engineered — is the floor to choose where resale value and the ability to refinish matter more than upfront cost, and never where standing water is a realistic risk.
See coverage, boxes and cost for any of the three
Open the Flooring Calculator →Cost per Square Foot
Material cost is the widest gap between these three, and installed cost widens it further because solid hardwood is the most labour-intensive to lay and finish.
| Material | Material Cost / Sq Ft | Installed Cost / Sq Ft | Typical Lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laminate | $1 – $4 | $3 – $8 | 15 – 25 yrs |
| Vinyl plank (LVP) | $2 – $6 | $4 – $9 | 15 – 25 yrs |
| Engineered hardwood | $4 – $10 | $8 – $14 | 20 – 40 yrs |
| Solid hardwood | $5 – $12 | $9 – $16 | 50 – 100+ yrs |
These are planning ranges, not quotes — they move with region, plank width, and finish quality. Solid hardwood costs more per square foot installed than everything else here, but it is also the only one still standing in fifty years without being torn out and replaced. See our flooring cost guide for what actually drives those ranges, including removal, subfloor repair, and installed-vs-DIY labour.
Water Resistance
| Material | Water Resistance | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Laminate | Water-resistant at best | Core is compressed wood fibre — swells if water sits on it |
| Vinyl plank (LVP) | Fully waterproof | Rigid WPC/SPC core plus a urethane wear layer, sealed edges |
| Engineered hardwood | Low | Real wood veneer on top — reacts to moisture like solid wood |
| Solid hardwood | Poor | Solid wood expands and contracts most with humidity swings |
This is the one category with a clear winner. Standard laminate is water-resistant, not waterproof — a spill wiped up quickly is fine, but water sitting at a seam overnight will swell the core permanently. A few laminate lines marketed as "waterproof" exist with sealed edges and a different core, but treat that as a claim to verify on the specific product, not a property of laminate as a category. LVP is the only one of the three rated for a full bathroom or a below-grade basement without qualification.
Durability and Wear
Laminate is rated by AC class, from AC1 (light residential) to AC5 (heavy commercial); AC3 covers most homes including kitchens. Vinyl plank is rated by wear-layer thickness in mils — roughly 6 mil for light residential, 12 mil for standard residential, and 20 mil or more for pet-friendly or light-commercial use. Hardwood durability comes down to the wood species and, for engineered product, the thickness of the real-wood veneer on top, which typically ranges 0.6mm to 6mm.
Surface scratches are most visible on solid and engineered hardwood, since both show the grain and any finish damage clearly. Laminate and LVP wear layers resist scratches well at their rated AC/mil level but show damage differently — a deep gouge in laminate exposes the printed pattern layer underneath, which cannot be sanded out.
Refinishing and Repair
This is where solid hardwood pulls decisively ahead, and it is the single biggest long-term argument in its favour.
- Solid hardwood can be sanded and refinished 4 to 10 times over its life, each sanding removing roughly 1/32 inch. A worn or scratched solid floor is rarely a replacement job.
- Engineered hardwood can sometimes be refinished, but only if the veneer is thick enough — products with a 2mm or thicker veneer typically tolerate one to three light sandings, while thin veneers (0.6–1.5mm) cannot be sanded at all without going through to the plywood core.
- Laminate cannot be refinished under any circumstances — the wear layer is a thin, printed pattern under a clear coating, and once it is through, the floor is done in that spot.
- Vinyl plank also cannot be refinished. Damaged planks are replaced individually rather than sanded.
Practically: keep a few spare boxes of laminate or LVP for plank replacement, since that is your only repair option for either. For floating installs of any of these, see our underlayment guide for the cushioning layer that protects the click-lock joints and, over concrete, a moisture barrier that has nothing to do with wear at all.
DIY Difficulty
| Material | Typical Install Method | DIY Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Laminate | Click-lock, floating | Easy — most common first flooring DIY project |
| Vinyl plank (LVP) | Click-lock, glue-down, or loose lay | Easiest — click-lock version tolerates minor subfloor imperfections |
| Engineered hardwood | Floating, glue-down, or nail-down | Moderate — floating is easy, nail/glue-down is not |
| Solid hardwood | Nail-down, then site sand & finish | Hard — needs a pneumatic flooring nailer and finishing skill |
Click-lock laminate and LVP are the two genuinely beginner-friendly options here. Solid hardwood is usually a professional job unless you already have experience with a flooring nailer and a drum sander — the finishing step in particular has a low tolerance for mistakes on a surface you will look at for decades. If you have settled on laminate, see our step-by-step laminate install guide for the full process, including the subfloor and expansion-gap details that trip up most first-timers.
Resale Value
Appraisers and buyers still treat these three differently, even where the wear performance is comparable.
- Solid hardwood carries the strongest resale perception, particularly in higher-priced homes and older housing stock where buyers expect it.
- Engineered hardwood is a close second and is often preferred over solid in regions with humidity swings or over a concrete slab, where solid hardwood is a poor fit regardless of budget.
- Vinyl plank has become widely accepted, especially in kitchens, basements and rental-adjacent markets, and rarely hurts a sale — but it is not a substitute for hardwood in a formal living or dining room in most markets.
- Laminate carries the lowest perceived value of the four, and some buyers and appraisers discount it visibly compared to any of the other three, fair or not.
Room by Room: What Actually Belongs Where
| Room | Best Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Bathroom | Vinyl plank (LVP) | The only fully waterproof option of the three |
| Basement (below grade, on slab) | Vinyl plank (LVP) | Handles slab moisture; laminate and hardwood are both risky here |
| Kitchen | Vinyl plank or AC3+ laminate | Both handle spills and foot traffic; solid hardwood risks moisture at the sink |
| Entryway / mudroom | Vinyl plank (LVP) | Grit and tracked-in water are a daily reality here |
| Living room / bedrooms | Any — hardwood for resale | Low moisture risk; hardwood adds the most resale value |
| Laundry room | Vinyl plank (LVP) | Appliance leaks are a matter of when, not if |
The pattern holds across every row: moisture risk decides the winner far more often than budget does. Where a room genuinely has none, hardwood is worth the premium for the resale value and the refinish option alone.
Work out boxes, underlayment and cost for your choice
Open the Flooring Calculator →Frequently Asked Questions
Which is more durable, laminate or vinyl plank?
It depends on the spec, not the material name. A high AC-rated laminate (AC4/AC5) can outlast a thin, low-mil vinyl plank, and vice versa. Compare AC rating for laminate against wear-layer mils for LVP rather than assuming one category beats the other by default.
Can hardwood be installed in a bathroom?
It is not recommended, solid or engineered. Bathrooms have standing water risk from tubs, sinks and showers that both wood types handle poorly. Vinyl plank is the appropriate choice for a full bathroom.
Is engineered hardwood as good as solid hardwood?
It is more dimensionally stable and cheaper, but it is not equal on refinishing. Engineered floors with a 2mm or thicker veneer can be lightly refinished a few times; solid hardwood can be refinished 4 to 10 times. Engineered is often the better technical choice over a concrete slab or in a humid climate, where solid hardwood struggles regardless of budget.
What is the difference between laminate and vinyl plank flooring?
Laminate has a compressed wood-fibre core with a printed image layer under a clear wear coating, so it is only water-resistant. Vinyl plank has a rigid or flexible plastic core (often WPC or SPC) that is fully waterproof. Both click together the same way, which is why they get confused.
Which flooring adds the most resale value?
Solid hardwood, followed closely by engineered hardwood. Vinyl plank has become widely accepted and rarely hurts a sale, especially in kitchens and basements. Laminate carries the lowest perceived value of the four and some buyers discount it visibly.
Can I install vinyl plank over concrete?
Yes — vinyl plank is one of the best options over a concrete slab because it is fully waterproof, though most manufacturers still want a moisture test done first and may specify a vapour barrier depending on the product.
How many times can hardwood flooring be refinished?
Solid hardwood typically handles 4 to 10 refinishes over its life, since each sanding only removes about 1/32 inch and a standard board is 3/4 inch thick. Engineered hardwood manages far fewer — often just one to three, and only if the veneer is at least about 2mm thick.
Is laminate flooring waterproof?
No, standard laminate is only water-resistant. The core is compressed wood fibre that swells if water sits on it for long. A few laminate lines are marketed as waterproof with sealed edges and a different core — check the specific product rather than assuming.
What is the best flooring for a basement?
Vinyl plank (LVP), without much competition. Basements sit below grade against a concrete slab that wicks moisture upward even when it looks dry, and LVP is the only one of the three that is fully waterproof and unaffected by that.
Which is easier to DIY, laminate or vinyl plank?
Both are beginner-friendly click-lock floating floors, but click-lock LVP is slightly more forgiving — it tolerates minor subfloor imperfections a little better and the planks are more flexible to work with around obstacles. Neither requires the nailing or finishing skills that solid hardwood does.