Are your current floors in desperate need for a replacement? Not sure whether it is better to go with linoleum flooring or should you buy vinyl flooring? What’s the difference between the two, if there is any?

Although many think vinyl and linoleum flooring are the same thing, in reality the only thing they have in common is that they are both resilient floors and come in sheets. Linoleum flooring was first discovered in 1861 by accident by Frederick Walton and quickly became a popular flooring option, both for residential and commercial use. The fact that linoleum flooring came in variety of colours and was sturdy, static-free, made of natural material and water resistant, were just few of the reasons growing number of people began installing this type of flooring in their hallways, kitchens and living rooms. Linoleum flooring continues to be among more commonly used flooring types, but will probably never reach the popularity of its successor – vinyl floor.

Vinyl floor was discovered in the 1960s and super fast replaced linoleum flooring. It is translucent, thus can come in greater variety of colours and patterns, which is not the case with linoleum flooring. But this is not the only reason homeowners buy vinyl flooring. Vinyl floor is far more forgiving when it comes to wear, thus is more durable. The more durable, the longer it lasts. The longer it lasts, the higher the return on investment. So, when we sum it all up, vinyl floor is a cheaper option. It is cheaper per square meter and is also easy and cheap to install. These are just few of the reasons why everyone prefers to buy vinyl flooring over linoleum.

But which one is better? Both have advantages and disadvantages and remain one of the more popular residential and commercial floor types. However, only one gets the title ‘best flooring’, and it is vinyl floor. Of course, the type you choose depends solely on your preferences and available budget. But if we were to believe the recent industry reports, vinyl floor is at the moment No.1 choice of many home and small business owners. There are few reasons for this.

Linoleum floor is more expensive. Not only is its cost per square meter higher, but so is the installation process. In fact, linoleum flooring can only be installed by a professional, while vinyl floor can be an easy weekend DIY project. Also, although both floor types are water resistant, only vinyl floor is waterproof. This makes vinyl floor ideal for bathrooms, kitchens, restaurants, hospitals, schools, etc. Moreover, vinyl floor is easier to maintain. While linoleum flooring requires special care, vinyl floor can easily be cleaned with just soapy water or any other chemical cleaning solution without getting damaged.

Let’s review. Linoleum flooring is more expensive, harder to install, more sensitive and tougher to maintain. Vinyl floor is cheap, can be installed by almost anyone, it is water resistant and waterproof and is super easy to maintain. And we have the winner. Because of these and many more benefits, growing number of new homeowners and small businesses buy vinyl flooring. But as we said earlier, the type of floor you choose for your home or office depends only on you.