Home & Property — Calgary

Vinyl Plank, Hardwood, or Laminate: What Calgary Homeowners Are Actually Installing in 2026

Flooring is one of the most visible decisions a homeowner makes, and in 2026 the options have never been wider or more confusing. Calgary flooring contractors are seeing clear patterns in what’s being chosen — and the reasons aren’t always what the showroom sales pitch suggests.

YYC Today spoke with Norbert Hamar of Admirari Solutions, a Calgary-based renovation company that installs all three flooring types across the city, to get a ground-level view of what homeowners are actually choosing and why.

Vinyl Plank: Why It Dominates — and Where It Doesn’t

“Vinyl plank is winning in most rooms for most budgets,” Hamar said. “It handles moisture better than hardwood and laminate, it’s more forgiving on subfloor irregularities, it installs faster, and mid-grade products look genuinely good now.” LVP is the dominant choice for Calgary basement renovations, main-floor refreshes, and investment properties. Where it loses ground is in homes where homeowners want to extend existing hardwood, or in higher-end properties where the material choice is a deliberate statement.

Hardwood: Still the Prestige Option, but With Caveats

Engineered hardwood has largely replaced solid hardwood in new Calgary installations. It tolerates Alberta’s humidity fluctuations better and can be installed below grade. Admirari Solutions’ hardwood flooring Calgary service covers both engineered and solid installations.

Laminate: The Misunderstood Middle

“The laminate installed in Calgary homes fifteen years ago was scratchy and looked dated fast. What’s available now is genuinely different.” Modern laminate — particularly thicker, AC4-rated products — occupies a meaningful price gap below LVP while outperforming older categories.

Installation Quality Matters More Than the Product

Admirari Solutions handles all three flooring types across Calgary and Airdrie, with flooring installation focused on subfloor prep, layout planning, and clean transitions. The company also serves NW Calgary flooring and specializes in vinyl plank flooring across the city.