Let’s delve into the difference between these two popular floorings
Linoleum is sustainable, durable, and can last up to 40 years with proper care.
Laminate is easy to install, available in numerous styles, and lasts 10 to 30 years.
The best fit for your home comes down to personal preference, budget, and location.
If you are thinking about updating your flooring, laminate and linoleum are two affordable options that probably ping your flooring radar. Though they are both highly adaptable, sold in hundreds of different styles, and durable to boot, they also differ in a few subtle (but important!) ways. Knowing the ins and outs of each of these materials will help you determine which one is right for your setup, whether you prioritize comfort and do not mind paying a bit extra for it, or are more concerned with sustainability than just having somewhere cozy to put your feet.
Keep reading to learn about linoleum versus laminate, and to find out everything you need to know about these floorings, including which one is best for your home.
Though you may know linoleum as the flooring in your grandma’s house—and it is common to confuse it with vinyl—this all-natural, fully biodegradable material is making a comeback for many reasons. It can be made from any combination of linseed oil, flax, cork dust, and wood flour over a backing of canvas, jute, or burlap. The materials are colored, pressed, and printed on to form large decorative sheets that take several weeks to dry and harden.
Making linoleum requires no chemicals or synthetic ingredients, making it both affordable and incredibly sustainable. It has a reputation as being somewhat institutional, largely because linoleum makes an appearance in medical settings, thanks to its natural antibacterial and nonallergenic properties. Linoleum is easy to maintain, but it does require a buffer or liquid polish every five to eight years to protect its porous surface.
Linoleum’s benefits are many, but as much as we love this option, it has a couple of downsides to consider as well.
Affordable and durable: At $3 to $7 per square foot, linoleum costs a fraction of flooring materials like hardwood and feels slightly softer underfoot, yet it is just as durable. If well cared for, you can enjoy linoleum floors for 40 years or more.
Hypoallergenic: Unlike carpet or wood flooring, which are prone to dust and dirt, debris does not gather on top of linoleum to the same degree. This, and the fact that linoleum emits fewer volatile organic compounds (or VOCs) than laminate or vinyl flooring, makes it an excellent option for anyone with persistent allergies or concerns about air quality and microplastic pollution.
Environmentally friendly: Linoleum is made from 100% organic, biodegradable materials. Production does not require a lot of carbon to produce, making it an impressively sustainable flooring choice.
Not always moisture resistant: Some linoleum brands are waterproof, but not all are. Check before you make your selection and choose your installation location accordingly.
High installation costs and low ROI: While the cost of materials is low, installation can come with a higher price tag. Unlike other composite floorings, linoleum is sold in sheets rather than panels, making it trickier to install and not particularly conducive to DIY. (Some brands, however, now make smaller tiles that click into place, which are easier to install.) On average, you will pay a professional roughly $36 per hour to install linoleum flooring. Despite difficult and sometimes costly installation, this material will not increase your home value.
Susceptible to certain damages: While linoleum is scratch-resistant, it can change color with too much sun exposure and form dents from heavy furniture.
Laminate flooring has a lot going for it, including the fact that it is among the most affordable types of flooring and is sold in countless styles and textures. This composite flooring material consists of three or more layers—a base, image layer, and wear—that are fused together to form a single substance. The base layer, made of particleboard, has an image layer that mimics the look of hardwood or other flooring materials. A final transparent wear layer protects the image and particle board from damage.
For many years, laminate had a reputation as an economy flooring, but technological updates have changed its look and durability, changing that perception. Thanks to sharper image layers and deeper embossing, laminate is found now in homes large and small, luxe to starter. Many pick it for the look of another more expensive material at a lower price.
Laminate is extremely durable, but it cannot rival hardwood in the durability department. It is more easily damaged and less easily repaired, but can have an impressive lifespan.
Easy installation: Laminate flooring is a type of floating floor that is made of interconnected planks. Smaller planks are much easier to manage than a huge sheet of linoleum, so it can be DIYed.
Huge variety of styles: Because almost any texture or color can be printed onto laminate with success, it is not hard to find a style that suits your tastes. Everything from wood to marble-look laminate can help you achieve your desired aesthetic.
Can increase home value: Laminate flooring can have a moderate ROI if and only if you are replacing a preexisting laminate, vinyl, or linoleum flooring right before selling. You may see no increase in home value if you are swapping out hardwood floors for laminate, for example.
Difficult to repair: Because laminate cannot be refinished like hardwood and is not easy to repair without special tools, repairs are tough to do on your own.
Noisy: Like other types of floating floors, laminate flooring will echo and creak more often than something like linoleum, which muffles sound and softens the space.
Less sustainable: Laminate floorings are primarily less sustainable because they use petroleum-based materials with a high carbon footprint and can potentially release VOCs and microplastics into indoor air.
We used the pros and cons of each type of composite flooring to determine which is best in a series of categories. Whatever your priorities are, whether appearance or durability, you will find what you are looking for below.
| Linoleum | Laminate |
|---|---|
| Costs $3–$7 per sq. ft. | Costs $0.70–$2 per sq. ft. |
| Emits fewer VOCs | Easy to install |
| Can last 40 years | Lasts 10–30 years |
| Can dent and be damaged by the sun | Customizable |
Both linoleum and laminate are sold in countless styles, though laminate does a better job of mimicking completely different materials, like marble or wood. Traditionally, linoleum sheets sometimes had an undesirable shine, but modern designs have largely eliminated the telltale shininess. Furthermore, the development of linoleum planks and tiles in a wide range of colors, patterns, and even metallics lets this material disguise itself just as well as laminate does.
Most visually appealing: Tie
While linoleum and laminate are available in many styles, laminate is almost infinitely customizable. You can scour the seemingly endless catalogs of options to find your perfect fit, or work with a professional to develop one that is totally unique.
Most customizable: Laminate
Though linoleum and laminate are equally scratch and damage-resistant, linoleum has at least a decade longer lifespan. You can enjoy linoleum floors for practically your whole life (40 years), while laminate floors have a maximum of 30 years or as few as 10 years to give—and generally will not look very good by the end.
Most durable: Linoleum
Linoleum and laminate are both affordable, but laminate wins this category for costing only $0.70 to $2 per square foot compared to the $3 to $7 per square foot of linoleum. Keep in mind, however, that laminate will likely need to be replaced sooner than linoleum, which increases the cost.
Most affordable: Laminate
The only linoleum option used to be enormous sheets that were difficult for the average person to install and required a professional. However, the development of smaller linoleum tiles and planks that click and lock together and float over the floor without adhesive now make linoleum much more user-friendly and suitable to DIY. You do not even need a hammer to do this project yourself. As long as you go with the click-and-lock system, either of these floorings is doable for homeowners.
Let flooring like hardwood and laminate acclimate to your home's humidity before installation to ensure it won’t warp or shift. Your flooring pro can guide you on how long to let it adapt.
Easiest to install: Tie
Linoleum wins this round for being made of nothing but organic, biodegradable materials (that are hypothetically edible!) and emitting no VOCs.
Most sustainable: Linoleum
Either of these two materials can make an attractive floor that stays with you for years. Making the right decision comes down to what you want from the floor, the look you are going for, and where it is located in your home. Linoleum might cost more, but it is incredibly durable and easy to clean. Expect some discoloration if it is located in direct sunlight (similar to hardwood), and watch out for heavy furniture. Contact a local flooring company to get an estimate because linoleum installation can be tough to DIY, unless you buy smaller tiles that click into place.
Laminate might be the right option for you if you have some DIY skills and you want the look of hardwood, stone, or other pricey material but sport a smaller budget. Plus, you can customize it to your distinct style. This floating floor can leave a room echoey, so if you have a high-traffic home, you might want something quieter like linoleum.
