Laminate vs. Hardwood Floors: Which are Better? Is Bamboo Flooring Waterproof? Even if youve looked through all the vinyl plank flooring reviews you can find, you still have questions. And if youre hesitant about buying the product because of the well-documented disadvantages of cork flooring, the stuff isnt going to change your mind. The residential warranty is just 15 years, among the shortest of any vinyl plank flooring brand. Also, the body of the LVP has various plastics to make them withstand more traffic. First, lets talk about the perks of SmartCore flooringwhich, to be fair, are pretty much the pros of vinyl flooring in general. Which LVP Is Better: SmartCore Pro or SmartCore Ultra? Why NuCore is the Best Value Vinyl Plank Flooring. The residential warranty for SmartCore flooring only applies if you hire a professional contractor. These are cheap luxury vinyl flooring lines. SmartCore has a separate underlayment item called SMARTCORE Soft and Sound, which reduces noise and protects planks against moisture. Smartcore Naturals vinyl planks with coverage of 20.01 sq. (Easy Step-By-Step Guide), Types Of Basement Floor Drains (A Complete Guide For You). Lowes answer to Home Depots LifeProof, SmartCore is a decent floor for the price. Shaw makes two lines with different construction, and both are built very well. Turns out, you will get everything similar in both cases. ft. COREtec makes great vinyl plank flooring, but the high price tag might not be worth it for many buyersespecially with equally good products available from other brands. Oh, and If you were discouraged from buying wood because of the cost to refinish hardwood flooring, you should know that if your SmartCore gets marked up, your only option is to replace all of it. Plus, every one of their products is low-VOC or entirely VOC-free. Lifeproof is Home Depots in-house brand, manufactured by Halstead New England Industries. And we mean cool. A: Thats tough as there are so many lines to consider, but Shaw, COREtec, and Mohawk have some of the more realistic styles available. ft. Lifeproofs 8mm plank with a 12 mL wear layer costs about $2.79 $3.59 per sq. How to Stagger Vinyl Plank Flooring- 2 Easy Tricks, 5 Common Mistakes When Laying Laminate Flooring and How to Avoid Them. LifeProof flooring is low-budget vinyl flooring, which has only minor quality compromises. Required fields are marked *. Lowes markets it under the SmartCore brand name because, like SmartCore Pro and SmartCore Ultra, its supposedly waterproof. Both SmartCore Ultra and SmartCore Naturals offer a Lifetime Limited Residential Warranty and a 5-year light commercial warranty, while Smartcore Pro provides a Limited Lifetime Residential Warranty with a 10-year commercial warranty. When it comes to durability and built quality, the SmartCore is always better than the LifeProof floor covering. These LVPs are available per square foot. In our lab tests, Flooring models like the SCU XL Southern Pecan LX93707206 (Lowe . For both 6mm and 7mm thick vinyl planks with a 6 mL wear layer, it costs about $2.59 $3.09 per sq. At $3$4/square foot, SmartCore is a clear competitor to LifeProofbut offers a bit more value. Not all of the SmartCore Pro reviews are bad, but if youre looking for the safer option, SmartCore Ultra flooring may be the way to go. If you want something tough, consider looking for some of the most durable wood flooring, or frankly, a better LVP product. This brand is sold exclusively by Floor & Decor, both online and in its stores. My concern is I have an antique lions paw claw foot tub. What brand of vinyl plank flooring is the best? The inventor of WPC flooring, COREtecs products are very well-regarded. Feel free to share with us. All are wood and rustic. Then again, COREtec, Mohawk, Smartcore, NuCore, etc., arent too far behind either. You can buy and install them. Again: dent-resistance is supposed to be a basic part of vinyl plank flooring. Smartcore LVPs can last longer because of a stronger interlocking tab. Additionally: Lowes markets SmartCore Ultra flooring as Hi-Def flooringmeaning theres more detail in its design layer. (Tips And Tricks), Can You Tile Over Linoleum? The COREtec firm makes the Smartcore LVPs. Most have the traditional wood looks. February 20, 2023 SPC, also known as Stone Plastic (or Polymer) Composite flooring is marketed as an upgrade to ordinary luxury vinyl plank and tile flooring, []. The wooden tiles are so amazing and you will like them at the first glance. The best underlayment for luxury vinyl plank flooring is from Floorlot blue, Roberts, First Step, etc. Why have you decided to look up how to stagger vinyl plank flooring? It shows that the LVPs are safe for use. Does SmartCore flooring require underlayment? Most offer a 15-year warranty on their best lines. Alternately, check out some more articles to learn more! SmartCore Naturals is made of real wood with a bamboo veneer. Remember, the firm says that they give you the best LVPs before getting profits. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. SmartCore Ultra and SmartCore Pro are no exception, and are Greenguard Certified as low-VOC options. The best choice will depend on what you are looking for in an LVP. Smartcore also has cons, have a look at them: As for LifeProof, the firm groups the collections in terms of the wear layers. All COREtec products are Greenguard-certified, but the company does not offer zero-VOC options. This makes it relatively lightweight, but not particularly durable. LifeProof vinyl flooring is FloorScore-certified as low-VOC. SmartCores commercial warranty is only 5 yearsand all of the exceptions outlined above still apply. Youll get the firm in Norwalk, CT, USA. However, the user experience may vary depending on best durability, value, runner-up, etc. The Pro planks a 7 vs 5 regular SmartCore planks; Cutting Heres one thing that separates SmartCore flooring from some other budget LVP brands: you can use it as an outdoor flooring option. The difference is that bamboo is more sustainable and greener than wood. But, given all the SmartCore flooring reviews we read through, wed say that SmartCore Ultra probably has a bit of an edge over SmartCore pro. But the SmartCore stands tall if you want a premium option. Yes. What is the most realistic looking vinyl plank flooring? SmarCore offers a wide range of warranty coverage. SmartCore features a wide range of wood species, namely Oak, Pine, Acacia, Maple, Walnut, Eucalyptus, Hickory, Bamboo, and Mixed species, with seven finish options: Brown, Gray, Black, Off-white, White, Copper, and Multiple colors. With a 20 mL wear layer, SmartCore Pro is suitable for places with heavier traffic conditions, such as buildings and restaurants. A: One of the advantages of luxury vinyl flooring is its resiliency. Proximity Mills is our go-to example of a great vinyl floor that isnt sold at a huge markup. Yes, today, people go for the vinyl floors that are easy to clean. The residential warranty is lifetime, and the commercial warranty is 15 years. Both SmartCore and LifeProof flooring are private-label LVP floors offered by big box stores, right? Cali Vinyl Plus has a bamboo and polymer core (BPC). First among them: is there waterproof laminate flooring? 2. For example, rather listing a brand as the best commercial LVP, we name the specific line: Armstrong Vivero Best. Both Smartcore and LifeProof are very easy to install. Now that all the paperwork is out of the way, lets get into the meat of this thing. These two vinyl floors come from different firms. Frankly speaking, there is no true winner in the flooring industry. Both SmartCore and Lifeproof are durable and easy to install, but if you prefer lower-priced vinyl planks with notable warranty coverages, then Lifeproof suits you best. Why COREtec is the Runner-up Best LVP Brand. This brand scored a very solid 4.5 out of 5 in our ratings. I use it in bathrooms and kitchens. Certain_Cut_6371 1 yr. ago I've used Lifeproof and Pergo, both have worked well for my projects. SmartCore is offered in just two collections: Ultra and Pro. Unfortunately, LifeProof reviews tend to mention issues with the locking system. Cork vs Bamboo Flooring: Durability, Styles and Cost, Non-Toxic Flooring Options Best Low VOC Flooring, Floor Transition Strips Ultimate Guide: Cost, Types and Installation. Vinyl Plank Flooring vs. Vinyl Sheet Flooring: Whats the Difference? These are things that can affect the air quality of your home. So, lets dive into it as we start with the info about the two LVP names. COREtec manufactures both SmartCore Ultra and SmartCore Pro. You can also try out QEP, and the results will be somewhat similar. As it turns out, waterproof laminate flooring is realand some of the best laminate flooring brands make it. A: Each manufacturer has certain tolerances youll need to stick to when installing LVP or LVT flooring. You get vinyl plank flooring with a lifetime residential warranty and a price that starts below $2.00 per square foot. Both are also 100% waterproof and offer a lifetime warranty. If youre looking for the best cost-to-value ratio, Proximity Mills is an excellent choice. Smartcore Pro is a pad-attached vinyl flooring which is waterproof and very adaptable to wet locations in houses as well as commercial apartments. Most all LVP and LVT are water-resistant and ideal for damp areas, but if you want something thats truly waterproof, read the fine print and check out the construction of the core. Our opinion? SmartCore flooring, like virtually every LVP product, is almost completely waterproof (well revisit this later on). Thickness varies between 12 and 22 mils, depending on the collection. Its Pretty Affordable! Go for it if you want a premium floor. (1) Thickness: This is total plank thickness. Her work has made her a famous name in this Livingproofmag.com is as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. It makes two well-constructed lines, the same approach as Shaw Floorte and COREtec. SmartCore Ultra features a comfortable WPC core. Take a look at the cons of LifeProof LVPs: You have an idea of who makes the Smartcore and LifeProof LVP. This includes rolling loads, which means exactly what it sounds like it wont be damaged by carts being rolled over it with a heavy load. Shaw Floorte Pro has a stone/plastic core, or SPC. This post may contain references or links to products from one or more partners of our parent company and/or subsidiaries of our parent company. This distribution arrangement allows Floor & Decor to keep the cost pretty competitive. SMARTCORE (Lowe's) Cost: $51.61 for a 20.01 sq ft carton ($2.58/sq ft) Thickness: 5.5 mm thickness with a 12 mil acrylic wear layer Health Factors: GREENGUARD Gold Certified for low emissions Made in: Unsure, mixed reports of USA and China SMARTCORE is exclusively sold at Lowe's and is marketed as their best vinyl plank. We hope this chart was helpful and, for a full breakdown of all the best LVP flooring, check out our full . Will this flooring dent or crack under weigh if tub? Finally, its a cost-effective choice for areas that dont get heavy use. This tool is powered by our partner Networx which has been specializing in collecting, vetting and rating vinyl flooring contractors for more than 20 years.Comparing the 3 bids can help you get the reasonable installation cost and avoid getting ripped. Given its questionable construction and mixed reviews, LifeProof vinyl flooring is probably a product to skipespecially at its price point. It can be overwhelming to compare them all, especially because so many brands use rigid cores these days. Though a SmartCore Flooring doesnt need any underlayment, you can still improve the life span of it. The list goes on. COREtec Makes Both SmartCore Ultra and SmartCore Pro, But COREtec is Owned By USFloors Which Is Owned by Shaw, SmartCore Flooring Reviews Are Mixed OverallBut Most Say the Product Is Decent, SmartCore Flooring Is Waterproof (Like All Vinyl Plank). It really helps other visitors to estimate the cost of flooring project. What about the LifeProof LVPs? How to Install Luan Under Vinyl Floor? But with LifeProof, they have a 6, 8, 12, and 22-mil wear layer. Lifeproof provides a Limited Lifetime Residential Warranty and a 10-year Light Commercial Warranty (though it only applies to the first owner). 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