Is vinyl or laminate better for Singapore?

LVT, for most homes. Its rigid core is waterproof and stays flat in Singapore's humidity, while laminate's wood-fibre core can swell and lift once water reaches it. Laminate is fine only in dry, air-conditioned rooms.

Is LVT really waterproof and laminate is not?

Yes. LVT is waterproof through the core, so spills and humidity do not harm it. Laminate is water-resistant on the surface at best; its HDF wood core swells if water gets into a joint or edge.

Does vinyl or laminate look more like real wood?

Both use printed grain, but cheaper laminate often repeats the same few boards so the pattern shows. Hana Flooring LVT prints six patterns per design with embossed grain, so no two planks match and the floor reads like real timber.

Can I lay vinyl or laminate over my existing tiles?

LVT clicks straight over sound, level tiles with no hacking, thanks to its rigid core and Välinge 5G glue-free click. Laminate can lay over tiles too, but is fussier about a perfectly flat, dry base.

Guide · Materials

Vinyl vs laminate flooring in Singapore: which is better?

Vinyl and laminate look like twins in the showroom: both click together, both lay over the subfloor, both copy the look of real wood. The difference is underneath. Laminate is built on a compressed wood-fibre core that swells when it meets water; a Hana Flooring vinyl plank sits on a rigid stone core that ignores it. In Singapore's humidity, that one layer decides everything, so start by looking inside the plank.

Updated 10 Sep 2026

100% waterproofThrough the rigid core
Stays flatRigid in 70–90% humidity
Quiet & softNot hard or hollow underfoot
Wood or stoneOak, walnut or micro-cement

What's inside an LVT plank

A 3D illustration of a Hana LVT plank. Hover a numbered layer to open it. Real floors vary in grain, tone and finish by collection.

A vinyl plank is not one slab of plastic. It is a stack of layers, each doing one job. The clear coat and wear layer up top take the daily beating; the décor print gives the wood look; and the LVT (luxury vinyl tile) core does the thing laminate cannot. It is mineral, not wood: a rigid high-density mineral core that is waterproof through and through, so water has nothing to swell. That rigid-core construction is the flooring industry's own category, distinct from flexible LVT (see the Resilient Floor Covering Institute). Hover a layer above to see what each one does.

Where laminate is different

Laminate is built the same way with one big swap: its core is HDF, high-density fibreboard, which is finely compressed wood. It clicks and prints beautifully and often costs a little less, but the moment water reaches an unsealed edge or a joint, that wood core drinks it up, swells and lifts. Unlike a surface stain, a swollen board does not go back down.

In a dry, air-conditioned room that may never happen. In a Singapore kitchen, near a balcony door, or through a few years of 80% humidity, it is a real risk. That is the whole reason LVT exists.

Vinyl vs laminate, head to head

	LVT (Hana)	Laminate
Core	Rigid mineral (powdered limestone).	HDF, compressed wood fibre.
Water & humidity	100% waterproof through the core; stays flat in 70–90% humidity.	Water swells the wood core; edges lift and it is hard to reverse.
Best rooms	Anywhere: kitchens, wet areas, whole home.	Dry rooms only; avoid kitchens and bathrooms.
Underfoot	Soft and quiet, with a little give.	Harder, hollower, clickier underfoot.
Install	Välinge 5G click, glue-free. Lays straight over tiles, no hacking.	Also click, but needs a very flat, dry subfloor.
Look	Embossed grain, six patterns per design, no obvious repeat.	Good prints, but usually fewer patterns so the repeat shows.
In Singapore	Built for the climate.	Fights the climate.

Which should you choose in Singapore?

Choose laminate only if the room is bone-dry and stays air-conditioned, and you want to save a little on a bedroom or study. For everywhere else (kitchens, living areas, wet areas, rentals, or a whole home you want to lay once and forget), LVT is the lower-fuss, waterproof answer, and it lays straight over your existing tiles with no hacking. Planning a kitchen? See our guide to the best flooring for an HDB kitchen, or how to lay vinyl over tiles without hacking.