How to sell laminate & vinyl to your customer.

There are a number of ways a customer might approach floor choices but for the sake of this exercise lets assume a fairly common occurrence; the homeowner wants “wooden floors”. Now there are several ways you as an in-store consultant could handle this. For a start you should point out that the customer is not limited to so-called hardwood flooring i.e. natural cut wood. The trouble with natural wood though is that it is expensive and requires substantial maintenance which often need sanding and resurfacing after five or six years of use. Another big problem with natural hardwood is that it  stains.

For an almost impervious floor there are wood-look ceramic or porcelain tiles. The new ink-jet produced tiles are particularly impressive but a fairly expensive option.

More likely the customer will be interested in laminate or vinyl flooring. Unlike hardwood floors, laminate floors are resistant to stains and damage.

In general laminate and vinyl floors are more durable and longer-lasting than many of the materials they imitate, and higher-end designs can be used anywhere in the home. Because they have a durable coating on top, they don't scratch or gouge as easily as hardwoods do.

However, if a laminate floor isn't properly maintained, for example, if you let water collect between the planks, edge swelling can result. This isn't typically covered under the warranty. Many budget-brand laminate floors can't be used in bathrooms or kitchens because of moisture issues. If you're installing laminate flooring in a high-traffic area, choosing a budget brand may mean that the wear layer will fade after a few years. This also isn't covered by the warranty.

Both flooring types are made of layers laminated together. The difference is in what those layers are made of and what that implies for performance. There's no point is asking "What's best?", as always it's really a matter of fitness for purpose.

Traditional laminate wood flooring is made of; a transparent wear layer, a printed paper decor layer, high density fiberboard (HDF) and a thin backing layer for stability. Laminate comes in various thicknesses from 7 mm (light domestic) to 12mm (commercial grade) and is fairly rigid.

Luxury Vinyl Tile or LVT, is made of a thick wear layer then a Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC) layer onto which the design is printed directly. A sound-proofing EVA foam layer is mounted to the bottom. LVT is somewhat flexible.

The big difference between them is that Vinyl is waterproof whereas Laminate is only water resistant; flooding may well cause swelling and warping so laminate cannot be installed in bathrooms and other wet areas.

Laminate is cheaper than composite or vinyl, but it does require more surface preparation as it has a tendency to reflect any imperfections in the underfloor over time.

Underlayer. Composite and Luxury Vinyl generally have an integrated foam rubber (EVA) layer that cushions the floor and adds to thermal and sound insulation whereas Laminate requires a separate underlayer and thus more complex pre-installation preparation.

Both laminate and vinyl are generally supplied with a modern glueless locking systems like our licensed and patented 1Lock system which make it very easy to install and prevents slippage in both directions.

In summary; traditional laminate is cheaper but more difficult to install. It is inclined to separate if exposed to water. Vinyl is somewhat more expensive but waterproof and easier to install. Luxury Vinyl in particular is very forgiving of imperfections in the base floor.

In addition both laminate and vinyl floors have the following advantages:
 

• They are an eco-friendly choice because they are largely made from recycled material.
• They are hygienic and allergen free and do not easily harbor house mites the way that carpets do.
• They don’t need special cleaning machinery like polishers or special products like oils and polishes.
• They are highly impact resistant yet will not easily crack.
• They are stain resistant, especially from simple water spills that would mark hardwood flooring.
• They are burn resistant and will not ignite.
• They are fade resistant and colour stable even to UV light.
• They are scratch resistant and will not splinter.
• They are easy to clean and maintain with simple cleaning materials and basic cleaners.
• Lastly they are easy to install or deinstall. Laminate or vinyl can be undertaken as a DIY project if the instructions are followed carefully.

Download our laminate & vinyl brochures here