26/10/2026
In a showroom, under good lights, a laminate plank and a vinyl plank can be almost impossible to tell apart. The difference shows up months later, usually in the kitchen or at the back door.
Laminate has a wood-fibre core, so standing water is its weak spot. Vinyl has no wood in it, which is why it handles spills and damp rooms better.
The trade-offs change from range to range, so ask about the wear layer and the core type on whatever you're quoted.
For a rough budget, laminate runs from R264 to R628,57 per m² and LVT from R235,71 to R725 per m², supplied and installed.
Where you land in that range depends on the product and the room.
Save this for the day you're standing in front of the sample board.