Laminate, LVT, Vinyl, Lino and Carpet Fitted and Finished Properly

Laminate and LVT get compared constantly and behave quite differently. Laminate has a fibreboard core, so it is cheaper and hard-wearing underfoot but does not forgive standing water — which is why it belongs in living rooms and bedrooms rather than bathrooms. LVT is vinyl through and through, so it handles moisture, feels warmer and quieter, and copes with a kitchen or bathroom, but it costs more and is far less tolerant of an uneven subfloor.

Sheet vinyl and lino remain the most practical answer for a small wet room or utility, because there are no joints for water to find. Carpet is still the warmest and cheapest option for bedrooms and stairs, and it hides a slightly imperfect subfloor better than anything hard will. Most houses end up with a mix, and the transitions between them are where the fitting actually matters.

Floating floors follow whatever is underneath them. A dip in the subfloor becomes a soft spot underfoot, and a high point becomes a place where the joints eventually separate. Checking and correcting the base is not optional if you want the floor to stay quiet.

Concrete floors need a moisture barrier. Timber floors need loose boards fixing and any significant unevenness levelling before anything is laid over them.

Expansion gaps matter more than people expect. Laminate moves with temperature and humidity, so it needs room at the perimeter — covered by beading or skirting — or it will lift in the middle of the room.

Boards should also be allowed to acclimatise in the room before they are laid, rather than fitted straight from a cold van.