COREtec isnt a household name like Shaw or Mohawk, but flooring experts understand just how good this brand is. Earlier, we noted that SmartCore flooring is low-VOC certified. Thats a weird heading, isnt it? The lines and their wear layers are Floorte (8 mils), Floorte and Floorte Plus (12 mils), Floorte Plus (20 mils) and Floorte Plus (30 mils). The main parts you will be comparing are wear layer thickness, which is in mils, attached underlayment or not, and how thick the image layer is. Seriouslyeven some traditional types of floor tiles can be harder to clean than LVP because theyre more porous. Also, these floors are waterproof. The 6 Best Waterproof Laminate Flooring Brands of 2023, 20+ Types of Floor Tiles: Your 2022 Guide. Shaw offers everything from low-VOC vinyl flooring to just about every wood flooring type in the world, so at least you know SmartCore flooring is being made by people who know what theyre doing. There is much more information in ourHome Decorators Collection Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring Guide. For more information,visit this page. All Proximity Mills products are FloorScore-certified as low-VOC or entirely VOC-free. When gluing floor, use only recommended flooring adhesive. The company combines quality and value with environmentally responsible flooring. Both Smartcore and LifeProof are very easy to install. These are tongue & groove designs that can float or be glued to the subfloor for maximum stability. Why COREtec is the Runner-up Best LVP Brand. This brand scored 4.25 out of 5 in our ratings. Well, you had just laid the first row of 2023 Todays Homeowner Media. SmartCore Naturals is a hybrid vinyl engineered wood composed of actual hardwood and bamboo veneer layers with its top layer sealed with a protective coating. First, this is a relatively new company. Cali Bamboo offers both quality and value. With SMARTCORE Ultra XL, we think you'll agree. These give you options for quality and price. Smartcore LVPs can last longer because of a stronger interlocking tab. Again: dent-resistance is supposed to be a basic part of vinyl plank flooring. Both the Smartcore and Lifeproof flooring is highly durable against heavy foot traffic. Go for it if you want a premium floor. Certain_Cut_6371 1 yr. ago I've used Lifeproof and Pergo, both have worked well for my projects. Lifeproof has an already attached underlayment that absorbs impact, which reduces noise and provides insulation too. Both One and Galaxy lines have 12-mil wear layers. All COREtec products are Greenguard-certified, but the company does not offer zero-VOC options. Both LifeProof and SmartCore offer a range of colors, thicknesses, and styles. LifeProof LVPs comes with an underlayment. Yes. So, you can say bye to the grout lines showing on the floor. EVP Vs. LVP: 10 Main Differences Between Luxury Vinyl and Engineered Vinyl Plank Flooring, Can You Put Rugs on Vinyl Plank Flooring? (1) Thickness: This is total plank thickness. COREtec One is a WPC similar to the Plus lines. Shaw makes two lines with different construction, and both are built very well. ft. For 8.5mm with a 6 mL wear leather, it costs about $3.29 $3.59 per sq. Its the excellent quality and warranty protection combined with competitive cost that makes NuCore the best value in LVP/LVT. Again, dont expect it to look fantastic past 5-7 years unless it gets very light, no-shoes kind of traffic. So how do you decide which vinyl plank flooring is the right one for you? SmartCore is manufactured by COREtec, a brand of luxury vinyl created by USFloors, and now patented and acquired by Shaw Industries. Out of the dozen-or-so SmartCore Naturals products that Lowes offers, only one product has a 5-star ratingand thats on Lowes own website. This is the traditional way that LVP has been made since introduced in the early 2000s. Instead, youll find reasons behind our selections Best overall, runner-up, best selection, best durability, best value, best cheap brand and more. The second is the Commercial warranty. Compare that with wear layers of 6 to 8 mils on most economy LVP brands. Go for it if you want a premium floor. Since 2013, people have known Smartcore as quality floors that look like wood, cork, and bamboo. As in, does it even really exist? With Smartcore, youll get lines with 12 to 20 mil wear layers. Why Vivero Best is the Best Commercial Vinyl Plank Flooring. SmartCore Flooring Reviews Suggest it Doesnt Stack Up Against High-End LVP Brands, Proximity Mills Vinyl vs. SmartCore Vinyl, Conclusion: SmartCore Flooring Is DecentBut Theres Better LVP On the Market, pros and cons of engineered bamboo flooring, USFloors is actually owned by Shaw Industries, cost to install engineered hardwood floors, SmartCores floorings installation directions, find a top-rated flooring store in your area, Wide Plank Wood Flooring 101: Your Total Guide, Advantages & Disadvantages of Engineered Wood Floors. Something very unusual about SmartCoreand particularly SmartCore Prois that its weirdly prone to scratching. Feel free to share with us. For subfloors that are slightly uneven or with some roll, its best to use more flexible products as rigid core flooring requires an almost perfect surface for a clean installation. and SmartCore Ultra only comes with a 20-mil wear layer. Vinyl plank floors provide different style selections at a fraction of the cost. The wear layer and proper care can go a long way towards keeping your floors looking great, so it pays to keep dog nails trimmed and use protection under heavy furniture or appliances. SmartCore offers three vinyl plank flooring lines: SmartCore Ultra, SmartCore Pro, and SmartCore Naturals. Carpet vs. Laminate: The *Real* Pros & Cons, Why Concrete Flooring That Looks Like Wood is So Darn Cool. Each collection has different specs that can match your interest. And just try not to damage planks when youre taking them aparthah! The warranty for SmartCore flooring is even more limited for DIYers. I have Smart-core in my sunroom, holding up well and looks nice. Turn the heat off for 24 hours before, during and 24 hours after installation when installing over radiant heated subfloors SmartCore Pro features a much more durable SPC core. Thats why weve put together this easy-to-understand vinyl plank flooring comparison, stacking up the key features of the 4 brands we get the most questions about: Proximity Mills, COREtec, LifeProof, and SmartCore. To put that in context: buying SmartCore floors is head-over-heels more affordable than buying hardwood floors. Which is more expensive? That said, COREtec is actually owned by USFloors. We do more than list the best LVP brands with trite descriptions of how great they are. It might not win any awards, but its not a bad product. 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. All rigid cores are SPC (Stone-Polymer Composite). Like the Smartcore LVPs, these vinyl floors have a wear layer. So youll still need to buy and install another protective layer before putting SmartCore flooring in a basement, kitchen, or bathroom. With a simple interlock system, installing the planks over wood, concrete, and tile with the proper preparation requires no acclimation, adhesives, or subfloor prep. SmartCore flooring reviews agree: itll get the job done but better options exist. 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. Q: Which vinyl plank brand has the most realistic wood-look styles? Home Depots premium LVP, LifeProof is one of the most popular vinyl plank brands around. Certain products can even be recycled. Otherwise, Mohawk and other leading brands have much more durable vinyl plank flooring collections. 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, []. It also makes the planks durable, and scratch- and mold-resistant. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Flooringclarity.com All Rights Reserved. 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. How to Stagger Vinyl Plank Flooring- 2 Easy Tricks, 5 Common Mistakes When Laying Laminate Flooring and How to Avoid Them. The overall purchase price ranges from $47.49 to $66.16. And, well, reviewers arent fond of SmartCore Pros SPC core. Your email address will not be published. It can also be installed in below-grade rooms, but some vinyl flooring is built for that, whereas others are just sufficient in that regard. As in, does it even really exist? There are 5 NuCore vinyl plank and tile collections, and they ALL have 22-mil wear layers. Each has a waterproof warranty too. ft. Lifeproofs 8mm plank with a 12 mL wear layer costs about $2.79 $3.59 per sq. Smartcore LVPs can last longer because of a stronger interlocking tab. I use it in bathrooms and kitchens. Some have stone looks. And because of a couple of big design flaws, it can actually add to them. 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. You can buy and install them. As it turns out, thats a little complicated. Lifeproof features three thickness categories for their vinyl planks: 6.5mm, 7mm, and 8mm. The flooring tends to be more aggressive when it comes to darker color contrast. Youd expect a major flooring company like Mohawk to have a good selection, and it doesnt disappoint. But, if you resell the Lifeproof flooring to someone else, the warranty will get invalidated, and you will be left with just the product. Q: Is SmartCore or LifeProof a better budget-flooring brand? The difference is that it is reinforced with limestone for added stability and strength. SmartCore flooring, like virtually every LVP product, is almost completely waterproof (well revisit this later on). These collections have many colors and styles. Side note: if youre ever comparing tile vs. laminate, make sure to factor in your cleaning habits. They can make or break the lifespan of almost any types of tile. They are almost the same. How Much Does SmartCore Flooring Cost? Linoleum vs. Laminate vs. Vinyl: Differences, Pros, & Cons. The varieties, such as COREtec Plus HD, are called collections. Bargain shoppers might be interested in two other lines: One and Galaxy. The Best Cheap vinyl plank flooring is decent quality but at an affordable price. (2): Warranty: The first number is the residential warranty. It costs a little more than the most affordable Vivero Best, but has a 15-year commercial warranty too. To be honest, independent flooring stores will be able to sell you a much better product at a much better price than any box store. ft, while an 8mm plank with 22 mL wear layer costs about $4.09 $4.39 per sq. 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. Why is Renting Furniture a Smart Decision? To be fair, Im sure we could find worse LVP if we did an exhaustive survey of every brand produced. When buying any vinyl floors, you should look at the guaranty terms. It was started in 2004 and has really grown in the last five years. 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. No zero-VOC floors products are offered. The majority of COREtecs products feature a super-comfortable WPC (wood-polymer composite) core. The waterproof quality makes this floor great for any room, including areas with high level moisture, such as bathrooms, basements, and kitchens. Theres no way around it! Well, expect the Smartcore LVPs to be more costly than the LifeProof vinyl planks. Halstead firm also produces the Allure and TrafficMaster LVPs. And USFloors is actually owned by Shaw Industriesthe second-largest flooring manufacturer in the world. It will depend on the collection you choose. Both SmartCore and LifeProof flooring are private-label LVP floors offered by big box stores, right? When it comes to waterproofing, you wont see any difference. You get vinyl plank flooring with a lifetime residential warranty and a price that starts below $2.00 per square foot. Shaw earned a rating of 4.75 out of 5 based on quality, range of options, installation ease and low-VOC content. Costing less than the Smartcore flooring, the Vinyl Plank flooring breaks the record in being both low-priced and durable. It also comes with an attached underlayment, cheaper ones don't have that and you'd have to purchase and lay it separately. If you want the wood looks, there are more than a dozen colors. Yes, they have many similar features that can suit the dcor of your house. SmartCore is marketed like its the easiest flooring to install, so youre supposed to be able to install it almost anywhere. Even laminate flooring comes in waterproof options now, like Mohawks RevWood (and you can check out this vinyl plank vs. laminate guide out if youre curious about the differences between the two products). Thats why most people debating between tile vs. wood floors end up going with something like wood-look tile insteadits just more practical. These are cheap luxury vinyl flooring lines. Engineered Hardwood vs. Vinyl Plank Flooring: Whats the Difference? Theres nothing wrong with thatmany national chains have their own private-label brands. Unfortunately, LifeProof reviews tend to mention issues with the locking system. The Pro planks a 7 vs 5 regular SmartCore planks; Cutting Q: Can you install any brand of vinyl plank in any room of your home? But well show you the best LVP between these two. When it comes to the looks and feel, the Smartcore flooring will give you a natural wood-like structure. SmartCore Pro only comes with a 12-mil wear layer. Most arent worth knowing about because of their poor quality or value. For example: Lowes cork flooring iswell, it isnt exactly the best cork flooring out there. If youre looking into different types of floor tiles, youre probably in on the secret already. Both Smartcore and LifeProof have few lines but with many colors and styles. What is the best flooring brand between Smartcore vs. LifeProof vinyl plank? SmartCore Pro, on the other hand, features an SPC (Stone-Plastic Composite) core. 6.5mm thick vinyl planks are available in eight different colors: Seasoned Wood, Walton Oak, Shadow Hickory, Tekoa Oak, Seaside Oak, Essential Oak, Breezy Stone, and Starry Light. Weve discussed a lot of types of flooring here, including many of the best vinyl plank flooring brands. And like Shaw and other brands LVP, the planks and tiles can float or be glued down. A: Thats tough as there are so many lines to consider, but Shaw, COREtec, and Mohawk have some of the more realistic styles available. Smartcore Pro is an SPC flooring made of limestone powder and plastic polymers, making the vinyl planks durable and resistant to dents. 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