The decision
Hardwood vs vinyl vs laminate — without the showroom lighting.
We do not install vinyl or laminate. That is exactly why this page can tell you when vinyl is the smarter product. Most of the time, it is not.
| Hardwood | Vinyl plank | Laminate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it actually is | A solid or engineered wood floor you can sand, stain, and keep. | A printed photograph of wood, usually with a wear layer measured in mils. | A paper photo on fibreboard that swells when it gets wet. |
| Refinish in year 12 | Yes, if the wear layer is real. That is the whole point. | No. You replace it. | No. You replace it, and you hope the batch still exists. |
| Stairs | Matched treads, nosings, and a rail that can pass inspection. | Vinyl on a stair is a slip and a resale problem. | Worse. Do not. |
| GTA resale (2026) | Still the floor buyers walk in and stop on. | Fine in a rental basement. A discount in Forest Hill. | A concession in the listing notes. |
| Dogs, kids, winter grit | Hickory and a 2K finish win. Maple shows every insult. | Wear layer wins until it doesn’t — then the photo peels. | Swells at the patio door. Every time. |
| Water | Boards can be replaced and blended. We do this weekly. | Some products claim waterproof. The underlayment and the walls do not. | A leak is a new floor. |
| 20-year cost | Higher day one. Lower if you planned to stay. | Cheaper twice. Then you have bought two floors. | Cheapest twice. Then you have bought two floors that never looked like wood. |
| When we recommend it | Almost every house we are proud to put our name on. | Rental basement, true wet room, or a budget that cannot take oak. We will say so. We will not install it. | Almost never. There is a better product in every other category. |
If you have a true wet basement rental and a number that cannot take oak, buy a good vinyl from a retailer and hire a vinyl installer. If you have a house you intend to live in — or sell to someone who cares — install hardwood, and install the stair as millwork.