LVP vs Hardwood Flooring: How to Choose for Your GTA Home

Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) and hardwood are two floors homeowners often weigh against each other. They can look similar once they are down, but they behave very differently when it comes to water, wear, repairs and cost. The right choice depends on the room, the household and how long you plan to keep the floor.

This guide compares the two honestly, room by room, with the installation prices we typically charge across Toronto and the GTA.

The quick comparison

Those are installation prices only. The flooring itself is not included, and the product you choose is a separate cost for both.

What luxury vinyl plank is

LVP is a manufactured plank built in layers: a core for stability, a printed layer that gives it the wood look, and a clear wear layer on top that takes the traffic. Most LVP clicks together as a floating floor, which keeps installation fast.

Where LVP shines

• Moisture. LVP handles spills, wet boots and damp areas far better than wood, which makes it a common choice for basements, kitchens and entries.
• Busy households. A good wear layer stands up to kids, pets and chairs.
• Lower installation cost. With us, LVP and laminate installation typically runs $2.50 to $4.00 per sq ft, compared with $4.00 to $7.00 for hardwood.
• Commercial spaces. We have installed vinyl plank in offices as well as homes.

Where LVP falls short

• No refinishing. You cannot sand LVP. If a plank is badly scratched or gouged, it has to be replaced.
• It needs a flat floor. Dips and humps show through or cause planks to separate, so levelling is often part of the job.
• Quality varies. Thin wear layers and cheap cores wear out faster. The product matters as much as the installation.

What hardwood is

Hardwood is real wood. Solid hardwood is one piece of wood all the way through. Engineered hardwood has a real wood top layer bonded to a more stable core, which helps it handle changes in humidity. Both have the warmth and variation that only real wood gives.

Where hardwood shines

• It can be refinished. Worn or scratched hardwood can be sanded and refinished, which gives it a very long life.
• The look and feel. Real grain, real texture, and a floor that feels solid underfoot.
• Main living areas. Living rooms, dining rooms and open-concept main floors are where hardwood is at its best.

Where hardwood falls short

• Water. Standing water, leaks and high humidity can cup, swell or stain hardwood. It is not the floor for a basement that has ever been damp.
• Scratches and dents. Softer species mark more easily, especially with pets and furniture.
• Higher cost. Installation costs more per square foot, and the material usually does too.

Room by room

Basements

For most basements, LVP is the practical choice because it handles moisture far better than wood. If your basement has had water problems, fix the source first, whatever floor you choose.

Kitchens and entries

These rooms see spills, wet boots and heavy traffic. LVP is the lower-risk choice. Hardwood can work in a kitchen that flows into a hardwood main floor, as long as you are comfortable wiping up spills quickly. Floor tile is another option for entries.

Bathrooms

Hardwood is a poor fit for bathrooms because of the water. Floor tile is the usual choice, and LVP is an option in a powder room or a lightly used bathroom.

Living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms

This is where hardwood makes the most sense, especially on a main floor where you want one continuous floor through the living space.

Stairs

Whichever floor you choose, the stairs should match. We cap stair treads and risers, including turning carpeted stairs into oak treads, at $90 to $200 per step. Unlike our other flooring prices, stair capping includes materials.

Questions to ask yourself before you choose

• Has this room ever been wet? If the answer is yes, or it is below grade, lean toward LVP or tile.
• Who uses the floor? Large dogs, young kids and office chairs are hard on any floor. A thicker wear layer or a harder wood species helps.
• How long will you keep it? Hardwood can be refinished and kept for a long time. LVP is replaced plank by plank when it wears.
• Should it flow into other rooms? One continuous floor through a main level looks cleaner than several floors meeting at transitions.
• What is under it now? The subfloor decides how much prep the job needs, which is why we check it on the site visit.

What installation costs

Here is what we typically charge for installation, before HST:

• Laminate or vinyl plank: $2.50 to $4.00 per sq ft
• Hardwood: $4.00 to $7.00 per sq ft
• Floor levelling: $3 to $7 per sq ft
• New subfloor: $8 to $15 per sq ft
• Stairs: $90 to $200 per step to cap treads and risers, materials included

For example, installing 500 sq ft of flooring on a main floor typically costs about $1,250 to $2,000 for LVP or about $2,000 to $3,500 for hardwood, plus the flooring itself and any levelling or subfloor work the floor needs. Every job gets a written quote after a site visit, where we check the subfloor so there are no surprises.

How long installation takes

Flooring usually takes 1 to 2 days per room, 2 to 4 days for a main floor, and 4 to 7 days for a whole house. Levelling or replacing a subfloor adds time, because the floor has to be flat and solid before anything goes down.

Frequently asked questions