Trying to work out whether vinyl planks or vinyl tiles are right for your home? The short answer is that both are luxury vinyl, and the choice comes down to the look you want and the room you’re fitting out. Vinyl planks give you a warm, timber look and suit open living spaces, while vinyl tiles give you a stone or ceramic look and shine in wet areas like bathrooms and laundries. Below we walk through how they compare on look, installation, cost, durability and maintenance, so you can match the right format to the right room.
At a Glance: Vinyl Planks vs Vinyl Tiles
In our showrooms, the confusion we hear most often is people using “vinyl planks” and “vinyl tiles” as if they’re the same product. They’re close cousins, both part of the luxury vinyl family, but they’re built to mimic different materials and they suit different rooms. Here’s how they stack up before we get into the detail.
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Vinyl Planks
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Vinyl Tiles
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Format
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Long, narrow boards
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Square or rectangular tiles
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Look mimicked
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Timber
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Stone, ceramic, concrete
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Installation
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Usually glue-down, some loose-lay
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Usually glue-down, can be grouted
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Best rooms
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Open-plan living, hallways
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Bathrooms, laundries, entryways
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Water resistance
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Highly water-resistant
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Highly water-resistant
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Aesthetic
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Warm, timber feel
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Cool, tiled feel
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What Is Vinyl Plank Flooring?
Vinyl plank flooring is a long, narrow floorboard made from layered vinyl, designed to look and feel like timber. Each plank is laid to form a continuous floor, and the printed top layer can replicate anything from pale oak to rich walnut, finished with a protective wear layer that stands up to daily traffic. It’s part of our vinyl flooring range, and it’s a popular choice for anyone who wants the warmth of a timber look without the upkeep that real timber asks for.
What Is Vinyl Tile Flooring?
Vinyl tile flooring uses the same layered vinyl construction, but in a square or rectangular format designed to look like stone, ceramic or concrete. Our luxury vinyl tiles (LVT) range gives you the cool, hard-wearing look of a tiled floor with more warmth and give underfoot than the real thing. One point of difference worth clearing up: luxury vinyl tiles are individual, firm-feeling tiles, which is not the same as vinyl sheet, a continuous roll of vinyl laid in one piece. If you’ve seen both called “vinyl flooring” and wondered what separates them, that’s the distinction.
How They Compare
Look and Feel
The biggest difference is the look each one is built to achieve. Vinyl planks give you a timber aesthetic: long boards, wood-grain texture, and a warm feel that suits living areas and hallways. Vinyl tiles give you a stone or ceramic aesthetic, cooler and more structured, and at home in bathrooms, laundries and entryways. Both feel softer and warmer underfoot than the materials they imitate, which is part of the appeal.
Installation
Vinyl planks are sometimes looselaid, though most are glue-down. Vinyl tiles are more commonly glue-down, and some can be laid with grout lines for a more authentic tiled finish. The right method depends on the product and your subfloor, which is something our team can talk through with you.
Cost
Vinyl is one of the more cost-effective flooring options, and both planks and tiles sit in a similar range. The actual cost varies with the product, the wear layer and the installation method, so rather than quote figures that may not match your project, we’d point you to a free measure and quote for a real number on your space.
Durability and Water Resistance
Both vinyl planks and vinyl tiles are highly water-resistant, which is a big part of why vinyl works so well in kitchens, bathrooms and laundries. The layered construction and sealed surface handle spills and splashes, and the wear layer protects the printed design from scuffs and everyday traffic. One honest trade-off to know: neither format can be sanded back or refinished the way timber can, so if a section is damaged, the fix is to replace the affected planks or tiles rather than restore them.
Note that in some states, vinyl flooring is prohibited from being installed in wet areas like bathrooms and laundries, so best to check with your local Solomons showroom first.
Maintenance
Both are easy to live with. Regular sweeping and the occasional damp mop is usually all either needs, and neither requires the sealing or polishing that some hard floors do. The sealed surface means spills wipe up cleanly, which is one reason vinyl is a favourite in busy family homes.
When to Choose Vinyl Planks
Choose vinyl planks when you want a timber look across a larger, continuous space. They’re a strong fit for:
- Open-plan living areas, where long boards create a flowing, spacious feel.
- Hallways and bedrooms, where a warm timber aesthetic works well underfoot.
- Timber lovers after less upkeep, who want the look without the maintenance real timber asks for.
When to Choose Vinyl Tiles
Choose vinyl tiles when you want a stone or ceramic look, particularly in rooms that see water. They suit:
- Bathrooms and laundries, where a tiled look and water resistance both matter.
- Entryways and high-traffic entrances, where a harder-wearing, cooler finish fits.
- Kitchens, where a stone-look floor ties in with benchtops and splashbacks.
- The tiled look with more comfort, for anyone who wants that aesthetic with warmth underfoot.
What About Hybrid Flooring?
If you’ve been researching vinyl, you’ve probably come across hybrid flooring and wondered how it fits in. Hybrid is a close relative. It’s built on a rigid, water-resistant core that gives it a firmer, more solid feel underfoot than most vinyl, and it clicks together as a floating floor. If you like the idea of a timber look with even more structural stability, our hybrid flooring range is worth a look, and our full guide to hybrid flooring walks through how it’s made and where it works best. For many rooms, though, vinyl planks or tiles do the job beautifully, so it comes down to the feel you’re after and your budget.
Final Thoughts
There’s no single winner between vinyl planks and vinyl tiles. Planks bring a warm timber look to living spaces; tiles bring a cool, hard-wearing stone or ceramic look to wet areas. The best choice is the one that matches the room you’re fitting out and the feel you want when you walk in.
The easiest way to decide is to see and feel your options in your own light, against your own walls and furniture. Try our free Shop-at-Home service and one of our consultants will bring samples to you, obligation-free, or book a free measure and quote with the same team when you’re ready to move ahead.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Both are luxury vinyl and share a similar layered construction, but vinyl planks are long boards that mimic timber, while vinyl tiles are square or rectangular pieces that mimic stone or ceramic. The choice usually comes down to the look you want and the room you're fitting out.
Vinyl plank flooring is highly water-resistant, so it can work in bathrooms. That said, many homeowners prefer vinyl tiles in wet areas for the tiled look and the option of grout lines. Both handle moisture well.Check whether vinyl flooring can be installed in your wet areas based on local regulations.
Yes, in many cases vinyl tiles can be installed over existing tiles, provided the existing surface is clean, level, firmly bonded and in good condition. To achieve a smooth, professional finish, a flood coat is normally required to fill the existing grout lines and create a flat, even surface before installation. The best installation method will depend on your existing subfloor and the vinyl product you choose, so this will be confirmed during your free measure and quote.
Vinyl flooring is highly water-resistant, with a sealed surface that handles spills and splashes, which makes it well suited to kitchens, bathrooms and laundries. We describe it as water-resistant rather than fully waterproof, since performance depends on correct installation and the specific product.
Luxury vinyl is available as individual planks or tiles that are glued directly to the subfloor, creating the authentic look of timber or stone with realistic board or tile definition. Sheet vinyl comes in large rolls and is installed as a continuous surface with minimal seams. Both are durable, comfortable underfoot and easy to maintain, but they differ in appearance, installation method and the finished look they create.
