Vinyl is not good.
Vinyl means laminate.
If ur house is flooded, all your vinyl floor will be damaged
So vinyl is not suitable in malaysia, Bukit Timah and Jalan Seaview because these places are prone to flood
vinyl flooring has 2 types: sheet (in a roll) and tile or plank. sheet vinyl requires professional installation as a large sheet in a roll needs to be cut to size to fit each room whereas vinyl tiles can be installed by yourself. it is different from laminate which is sometimes referred to as engineered or synthetic wood. vinyl tile is mainly made of plastic and has a soft foamy bottom while laminate is mainly comprised of high density fiberboard (hdf). both can be made to look like wood flooring with a clear coat or “wear” or protective layer at the top followed by a thin photographic or image layer that looks like wood prints. main difference lies in the 3rd and 4th layers: plastic core and soft foam bottom for vinyl tiles vs thin but strong impact layer and thick hdf for laminate tiles.
i know very well because i install both at various properties.
today’s thicker vinyl tiles (previous old thin vinyl tiles can warp or bubble when too much water can cumpromise the seams or get below sub floor and vinyl) are great for areas with high moisture, for example bathrooms and kitchen. but they don’t look and feel like laminate which is hard like hardwood. vinyl feels plastic and sometimes like hard rubber as it can be installed directly on uneven subfloors or bumpy concrete floors. this is because it cums with a soft foam layer at the bottom. one look or touch and i know which is which. bendable. easy install. but very tacky. but it’s great for wet mopping. more sexpensive than laminate. starting from 69c per sqft.
laminate flooring is not great with water and moisture although some are “water-proof” while cheaper tiles are “water-resistant”. they are neither if too much ponding damage the seams. in californicate with a dry climate laminate flooring is the preferred choice. it still requires a foam sealant or backer rod underneath between subfloor and laminate tiles to allow for expansion and contraction day vs night and summer vs winter. the backer rod also fills up gaps and level the subfloor for easier installation. cheaper than vinyl. starting from 49c per sqft.
natural or real hardwood is not recommended for sg. even in californicate with a mostly dry climate i won’t recommend it. firstly it’s too sexpensive. secondly it can easily get damaged with water puddles and ponding. even wet mopping is a no no. moreover, 12mm laminates are so good now that they look and feel like hardwood. cheaper 8mm laminates don’t look as good. in one house, i have all 3: 8mm, 12mm laminates, 6-ft long hardwood planks. laminates for first floor or high traffic areas, hardwood for upper floor or bedroom areas. and marble tiles for bathrooms.
same with parquet flooring. i won’t recommend it. the parquet flooring in older sg properties are now scratched up and warping in some places. too much wet mopping by 6.9 ocd virgins. plus sun sexposure can bleach and damage it. thus all window curtains or shades must close tight (like vested virgins). no wonder the vested virgins are so pale and look like vampires. always stay home and hide behind curtains.