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Hardwood Vs LVP (Luxury Vinyl Planks)

For the longest time, the debate over “which flooring was superior” was a fairly lopsided one. Hardwood floors were just a cut above the rest when it came to looks, performance, durability and longevity. The one area where choosing laminate was the better fit for the project was price point.

However, a lot has changed in the past decade, and even more in the past several years. Fast-forward to today, we now have a number of LVP options suited for modern luxury builds.

What is LVP, anyway?

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LVP stands for luxury vinyl plank, a flooring made of a durable composite material cut into planks as it would compare to wood. It should not be confused with LVT, which is luxury vinyl tile.

The planks are obviously made to look and feel like hardwood and have interlocking grooves making for a simple installation. Additionally, they can be cut like wood, so fitting and styling can be as seamless as hardwood.

In recent years, LVP manufacturers have been able to challenge the benefits vs hardwood line by line, to the point where now, there are many reasons to choose LVP over hardwood beyond the bottom line.

How LVP Looks

Perhaps the most important metric to measure the comparison is the way LVPs look nowadays. Traditionally, laminate flooring carried the burden of looking cheap, but today’s vinyl planks are made to look and feel more like hardwood, and in convincing fashion.

LVPs come in various grains and finishes, including ones that can be even pricier to achieve with traditional hardwood. They also come in varying sizes in both width and length. Since the planks are manufactured, you can also get longer planks without issue, which is harder to achieve with traditional hardwood.

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Is LVP Durable?

LVPs have also come a long way in the durability department. In some of the higher-end cases, they may even surpass the durability of hardwood due to the outer “wear” layer designed to absorb impact and traffic, including large pets.

The outer layer helps to prevent dings and scratches, which has been a drawback for LVPs in the past due to their inability to be repaired. Now, the comfort of the durable outer layer might outweigh the labor involved in hardwood repair, which is doable, but tedious.

For these reasons, LVP is now considered a great option for longevity of life.

What Kind of Maintenance Does LVP Require?

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Another check in the “pro” category for LVPs vs Hardwood is their low-fuss maintenance. The floor is waterproof because of the outer polyurethane “wear” layer, making it easy to clean in addition to the added resistance to damaging scratches. It doesn’t need to be refinished, which means you aren’t paying to have it sanded and sealed, two costly and time consuming measures that aren’t optional if you want longevity out of your wood floors.

Price of LVP vs Hardwood

The one point hardwood could never compete with is the price. On average, hardwoods are between five and ten times more expensive than LVPs per square foot, with the caveat that there is a lot of range in there for both. However, even the highest end LVP option is going to beat the cheapest hardwood even before installation.

Hardwood Reigns Supreme

Let’s set the record straight: we love hardwood. As far as look and feel are concerned, it’s still very much the benchmark for luxury.

But, with the cost of materials on the rise together with the vastly improved look and performance of LVPs, you’ll certainly hear about the merits of choosing LVPs from our in-house design team when we discuss your luxury build or remodel.

Have additional questions?

We’re Here to Guide You Every Step of the Way

We believe that building your home should be a pleasant experience, one to look forward to with excitement, and we are here to make sure that’s exactly how your home build goes. 

Let us know what other questions you have about getting started on your dream home build!

  • October 10, 2025
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