"I have near zero knowledge when it comes to PCB design."
On a high performance converter, the PCB design is one of the top-three most important design considerations.
On a ZVS circuit, the parasitic elements work for you, not against you. But you have to keep them under control. A four layer board, with its dedicated power and ground planes, provides low impedance current paths for all of the circulating currents. That not only helps efficiency and overstressing the components, but reduces EMI as well.
Additionally, all that copper is an integral part of thermal management.
Surface mount components allow for the shortest possible current paths, and also avoid drilling too many holes in the power and ground planes. True, there will be vias to connect the top and bottom planes, but with good judgment and forethought, one can arrange the layout to minimize those.