Carpet, vinyl, laminate and hardwood; which flooring is best for you?
Choosing flooring can be tough. Let our handy guide help you along the way.
In this guide
- Comparison table
- What’s the difference between laminate and vinyl?
- What is hardwood flooring?
- What is engineered wood flooring?
- How do I join carpet and laminate flooring?
- Best flooring per room
- Best flooring for pets
Comparison table
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Carpet | Carpet tile | Vinyl | Laminate | Hardwood |
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Cleaning |
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Look |
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Durability |
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Warmth |
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Noise |
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Cost |
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Easy to replace? |
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Ease of installation |
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Resale value |
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Cleaning |
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Carpet |
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Carpet tile |
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Vinyl |
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Laminate |
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Hardwood |
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Look |
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Carpet |
Wide variety of different colours and patterns available. |
Carpet tile |
Available in various different colours and patterns. |
Vinyl |
Vinyl can imitate wood, tiles, concrete and stone in look. |
Laminate |
A great way to get a contemporary wood finish in your home. |
Hardwood |
A great way to get a contemporary wood finish in your home. |
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Durability |
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Carpet |
A great way to get a contemporary wood finish in your home. |
Carpet tile |
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Vinyl |
Durable in high traffic areas. |
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Hardwood |
Durable as long as cleaned and maintained properly. |
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Warmth |
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Carpet |
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Carpet tile |
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Vinyl |
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Laminate |
Not as warm as carpet. |
Hardwood |
Underlay and rugs can be used to increase warmth. |
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Noise |
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Carpet |
Can absorb up to 10 times more noise than hard floors. |
Carpet tile |
Reduces noise better than hard floors. |
Vinyl |
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Laminate |
Noisier than carpets, though can be reduced with underlay/rug. |
Hardwood |
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Cost |
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Carpet |
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Carpet tile |
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Vinyl |
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Laminate |
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Hardwood |
Most expensive of the group. |
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Easy to replace? |
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Carpet |
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Carpet tile |
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Vinyl |
Small areas can be replaced without affecting the entire floor. |
Laminate |
Small areas can be replaced without affecting the entire floor. |
Hardwood |
A lot of work involved in removing and replacing hardwood. |
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Ease of installation |
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Carpet |
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Carpet tile |
Quite simple to install as long as instructions are followed carefully. |
Vinyl |
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Laminate |
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Hardwood |
Best to get a professional to install traditional hardwood floor, not least because you are spending the extra money, so should make sure the flooring is installed properly; poor installation can cause damage or lead to quicker wear. |
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Resale value |
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Carpet |
Carpet has made a comeback in recent years and is considered to be increasingly popular. |
Carpet tile |
In a home, carpet tiles are considered of lower resale value than alternatives. |
Vinyl |
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Laminate |
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Hardwood |
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What’s the difference between laminate and luxury vinyl tiles?
The main difference comes down to the material:
Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT)
Vinyl is plastic and very waterproof. Although it is plastic, luxury vinyl mimics real wood boards. Vinyl now has improved embossing techniques and features joinery that allow boards to click together. Luxury vinyl creates a great looking floor, suitable for contemporary homes.
United Carpets and Beds stock an amazing array of high quality, luxury vinyl.
Laminate
Laminate is made of resin and fibre board. It is more vulnerable, though reasonably water-resistant if installed properly. However, joins between the plans are susceptible to water damage. Originally laminate was more natural looking, but with progression in technology, vinyl has caught up.
What is hardwood flooring?
Hardwood flooring is flooring made from planks of timber. It was used traditionally to add structural support, though is still popular for aesthetic reasons. It’s thick, durable and can withstand several finishes designed to protect it.
What is engineered wood flooring?
Engineered wood is similar to traditional timber flooring, but has two planks on top of each other rather than one, increasing the stability of the floor.
How do I join carpet and laminate flooring?
When joining a carpet and laminate flooring between rooms, you will want to purchase and install a door bar. A door bar has two purposes:
- Protects the ends of the flooring
- Provides an attractive transition between flooring
Door bars can be made of different materials, such as PVC, aluminium or stainless steel. Choose your material based on the style you’re looking for. Metallic transition strips are more resistant against foot traffic or heavier equipment rolling over the area.
We also offer adapting profiles in a colour matched wood for each of our laminate: Find out more here!
Best flooring per room
Bathroom
Vinyl suits bathrooms as vinyl is the most waterproof compared to the alternatives. It is easily cleaned and can provide the durability needed to withstand heavy use. If you are looking for carpets for your bathroom, certain considerations are needed including waterproofing. You can find out more by visiting our guide: carpet for the bathrooms

Nevada stone effect vinyl flooring
- High quality
- Long lasting
- Excellent underfoot comfort
- Slip resistant
- 18 stone effects
£21.99 m2
Bedroom
Carpets are the ideal flooring for the bedroom as they provide warmth and comfort under foot. The style of carpet depends on your taste, but a twist pile carpet not only provides style, but comfort too.

Lush twist pile carpet
- Durable and luxurious
- 100% bleach cleanable
- Twist pile
- Stain resistance
- Five year warranty
£5.97 m2
Looking for more carpets for the bedroom? Visit our guide: finding the best carpet for your bedroom
If you are looking for carpets for your children, visit our guide: How to choose a carpet for your kids’ bedroom or playroom
Kitchen
Hard floors (eg. vinyl) are the best for kitchens as they make it easier to clean up spills and crumbs. With the range of styles and colours available for vinyl, you can transform your kitchen.

Luxury Step tile effect vinyl flooring
- Heavy duty PVC
- Slip resistance
- Hard-wearing
- Works best with underfloor heating
- Five choices available
£13.14 m2
Living room
Carpets create a cosy environment and keep the warmth in the room. If your living room is a high traffic area, ensure to get a durable carpet to resist the footfall.
Find out more about living room carpets by visiting our guide: choosing the perfect carpet for your living room

Temple Soft deep pile saxony carpet
- Hardwearing and can resist high traffic areas
- Luxuriously soft pile
- Comines comfort and style
- 100% bleach cleanable
£12.99 m2
Best flooring for families, young children or babies
Carpets are more suitable for babies and toddlers as the softness provides a layer of safety for them. Plus, if your baby lies on the floor a lot, carpet will be much more comfortable.
Carpet is also good for toddlers since it softens trips and falls unlike harder flooring. Stains can be harder to remove from carpet, however, stain-resistant carpets are available.
Carpets are also less likely to get damaged by toys and movements of furniture unlike laminate or vinyl, which can be susceptible to rips or scratches.

Stormcloud twist pile carpet
- Lifetime stain-free guarantee for life
- Family-friendly
- Long lasting and durable against constant footfall
- Ideas for the busy 21st century home
£13.14 m2
Best flooring for pets
The type of carpet you own depends on the type of pet. Generally, harder floors like vinyl are favoured as they are easily cleaned and less likely to collect hair. Some animals, such as house rabbits find the hard floor uncomfortable, which will need considering.
Loop carpets (such as Berber) are not recommended as pets if their claws become caught in the tightly woven pile, it can damage both the carpet and your pet’s claw.
Best flooring for cats
Cats are happy on vinyl floors, however, they can scratch and damage some floors so make sure you go for a quality vinyl. Equally, cats are happy with carpet, enjoying the warmth and comfort provided, but they can also scratch and pull at it.
Best flooring for dogs
Vinyl works well for puppies. This is because vinyl is easy to clean and water-resistant, meaning little accidents are easily cleaned away. Choose a high quality vinyl as they are more durable against scratching.
Well-trained adult dogs are perfectly happy on carpets, and actually prefer the comfort of soft carpet under paw.
For more information, have a look at pet-proofing your carpet
Best vinyl for pets

New Jersey wood effect vinyl flooring
- Low maintenance
- Slip resistant
- 15 year wear warranty
- Powerback for great resilience
£19.99 m2
Best carpet for pets

Xtron Opulance Twist Pile Carpet
- Resistant to heavy domestic use
- Stain resistant
- Nine modern colours
£12.99 m2
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