Tile vs luxury vinyl
Both are waterproof, which is why they meet in the same rooms: kitchens, baths, laundry, mudrooms. Tile is harder, colder, louder, longer-lived and far more expensive to install. Vinyl is warmer, quieter, cheaper, faster and a floor you will replace in twenty years.
| Porcelain tile | Luxury vinyl plank | |
|---|---|---|
| Installed cost | $13.50–$24 / sq ft | $6–$9.50 / sq ft |
| Water resistance | Excellent | Excellent |
| Durability | Excellent | Good |
| Maintenance | Good | Excellent |
| Lifespan | 50–100 years | 15–25 years |
| DIY difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Pets | Excellent | Good |
| Kids | Good | Good |
Choose porcelain tile when
Choose tile for a bathroom floor that will see standing water, a room with radiant heat, a hot climate, or a floor meant to last the life of the house. It is the right answer when the labor is in the budget.
Choose luxury vinyl plank when
Choose vinyl plank when the budget is half of tile, when the room is upstairs in a house that flexes, when warmth and quiet matter, or when you are doing the work yourself. A waterproof plank in a bathroom is now a normal choice, not a compromise.
Common questions
Can vinyl plank go in a bathroom?
Yes, a rigid-core one. Seal the perimeter and the toilet flange; the plank is waterproof, the subfloor is not.
Why is tile so much more expensive if the tile is cheap?
Labor. Flattening the floor, backer or membrane, setting, cutting, grouting and sealing are skilled hours priced by the square foot.
Don’t start with the flooring. Start with your home.
Eight questions about the rooms, the household, the subfloor and the budget. A ranked shortlist with the reasons, the watch-outs and a project estimate.
8 questions · about 2 minutes · no obligation
Ready to talk to an installer?
Your flooring choice is only half the equation. Installation, subfloor preparation, removal and transitions change the final price. Local professionals quote the same scope, and you decide whether to talk to any of them.
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