Winner: Draw?
Both vinyl plank flooring vs porcelain tile are beautiful choices for the home. Which is best for your home depends on your personal preferences.
The beauty of luxury vinyl is that you can choose between flooring that looks like wood or stone-look vinyl tiles that mimic the appearance of real tiles that are significantly easier to install yourself.
Yet vinyl planks or tiles will never capture the full essence of the genuine product, so if natural is what you prefer, porcelain tiles may be the best choice for you.
Flexibility
Winner: Luxury vinyl
Porcelain tiles aren’t just harder to install, they’re also significantly harder to remove compared to luxury vinyl.
Removing tiles when you want to change your flooring requires a chisel and hammer. This can destroy the tiles and potentially the floor underneath.
Whereas removing vinyl planks is much easier, as the planks can simply be unclipped and even re-used in another area of the home.
Warmth
Winner: Luxury vinyl
Luxury vinyl tiles with padding (not cork) retain heat exceptionally well via a cushioned layer beneath the plank. This can help with interior insulation, as once a room is heated, it can stay warmer for longer with luxury vinyl.
While porcelain tiles won’t necessarily let the warmth out of your home any more than luxury vinyl, tiles feel significantly colder underfoot.
This can be particularly uncomfortable in colder climates or in areas of the home where you walk barefoot, like in the kitchen or bathroom.
Thermal conductivity
Winner: Porcelain tiles
There’s no reason why you can’t install underfloor heating with luxury vinyl plank flooring or porcelain tiles.
Yet tiles have a high thermal conductivity, so tiles are more efficient when paired with underfloor heating compared with luxury vinyl planks.
Luxury vinyl heats up slower compared to porcelain tiles, which can make it slightly less efficient in the home.
However, it’s important to remember that vinyl planks are naturally warmer underfoot compared to tiles, so even though they don’t warm up as quickly, they’ll still feel warmer than tiles.
FAQs
Is Vinyl Plank Flooring Better Than Vinyl Tile?
Vinyl plank flooring isn’t necessarily better than luxury vinyl tile. Both options are strong, water-resistant, easy to maintain, and generally inexpensive. Provided the floors are installed properly, they both last just as long as each other.
The main difference lies in the appearance. Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) flooring comes in long, rectangular-shaped boards. It mimics the look of natural wood, offering a rustic, homely aesthetic.
Whereas luxury vinyl tile (LVT) generally mimics the appearance of real tiles. Collections can look like porcelain tiles, ceramic tiles, marble tiles, or patterned tiles.
Is It Cheaper to Install Tile or Vinyl Flooring?
It’s cheaper to install luxury vinyl flooring compared to tile. Vinyl flooring is easy to install yourself with minimal tools or prior experience.
You can usually cut boards using measuring tape and a utility knife. It’s also hard to get it wrong and mistakes are easy to fix. For example, if you cut a board to the wrong length, you can normally reuse it somewhere else.
Whereas installing tile requires significantly more time and skill. Specialist tools are needed to cut through tiles, like a sharpened tile cutter, and you need to undertake more preparation work before installation.
Mistakes can also be costly when installing tiles yourself. An unsharpened blade can shatter a tile, or an unlevel placement can be difficult to fix. Professional installation is recommended, which adds to the costs of tile installation.
Find Your Match Today
Luxury vinyl takes the lead in terms of its benefits, which is why it’s seen as the modern choice in America’s homes today.
Ready to find your perfect match? Explore our collection of luxury vinyl planks and luxury vinyl tiles for your home today.
Read about tile vs. laminate flooring.
Need inspiration? Use our room visualizer to test different floors in your home and find your style.
