Hardwood and vinyl flooring: a side-by-side comparison

Composition: real wood vs synthetic PVC

Vinyl consists of multi-layered PVC and fibreglass components, resulting in an extremely durable floor which is 100% free of harmful phthalates.

Hardwood flooring, on the other hand, is a completely natural product. Pergo wood floors are engineered wood, which means they are made up of 3 layers of solid wood covered with a protective finish to guarantee optimum stability and durability.

Appearance: attention to detail

Vinyl and wood flooring: appearance

By paying attention to the smallest details, we ensure that all Pergo vinyl floors have natural-looking authentic designs. Subtle surface textures with fine grain structures provide a natural wood or stone effect.

Of course, we also provide the real deal in the form of hardwood floors, which excel in both authenticity and fine detail and are available in a wide range of colours, gradings and wood species – a natural variation that can only be found in real wood floors. The secret? A true passion for design and a rigorous sourcing process that ensures we only work with the highest quality materials.



Performance: beautiful and strong

Comfort and sound

Luxury vinyl floors feel soft and warm. Treading on them is a pleasant experience in every way. Their acoustic performance dampens unwanted noise from heels, boots, trainers and paws.

In general, hardwood floors are slightly less quiet – but with our SilentWalk underlay, Pergo hardwood floors keep noisy footsteps to an absolute minimum as well.

Underfloor heating

Both flooring types are compatible with underfloor heating, although vinyl is slightly more efficient. Vinyl floors have the lowest thermal resistance of all Pergo flooring solutions and act as excellent thermal conductors.

Moisture resistance

Water-repellent technology prevents water from damaging your vinyl floors. This means that vinyl can be used anywhere in your home.

Although Pergo wood flooring has an increased moisture-resistance thanks to our StayClean technology, which protects and preserves their authenticity and attractive appearance, they are not fully water resistant. Therefore, we do not advize placing them in wet areas.

Wear and tear

Pergo vinyl floors top the charts in terms of impact resistance, durability and scratch resistance. Smart technologies such as the superior protective top layer give our floors a significantly higher scratch resistance.

Hardwood floors are traditionally slightly more sensitive to scratches and scuffs. However, Pergo’s lacquered wood floors are treated with 7 layers of UV-cured, water-based lacquer as well as the moisture- and dirt-repellent StayClean technology, making them more robust than other wooden floors. Our oiled floors are well-protected too, thanks to two layers of first-rate oil.

Installation: floating or glued down

Whatever installation method you prefer – loose lay or glued down - both vinyl and hardwood floors are easy to install, thanks to our innovative PerfectFold click system. In fact, both Pergo wood and vinyl are so easy to install, you can do it yourself!

Vinyl and wood flooring: a side-by-side comparison



Maintenance: keeping up your floor’s appearance

Vinyl floors are easy to clean. Regular vacuum cleaning and mopping with a damp cloth along with cleaning products from the Pergo cleaning kit will suffice.

A hardwood floor, on the other hand, needs some tender loving care to preserve its beauty. Lacquered wood flooring only requires standard cleaning thanks to the combination of StayClean technology and the layers of lacquer. Oiled wood flooring needs some extra care: it should also be treated regularly with the manufacturer’s cleaning products and maintenance oil.

Budget & warranty: a floor that lasts a lifetime

Compared to hardwood floors, vinyl is economically priced. Because there’s no endless supply of wood, an authentic wood floor comes with a higher price tag.

What’s more, both Pergo vinyl and parquet come with extremely long warranties: up to 20 years for vinyl and lifelong coverage for hardwood.

Help me choose

Still having trouble choosing between vinyl and parquet? Check out our FloorFinder. After you answer 4 easy questions, our tool will guide you towards your ideal flooring type and select your ideal floors within our range.

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