https://stock.adobe.com/au/images/worker-laying-vinyl-floor-covering-at-home-renovation/308702578. The COREtec firm makes the Smartcore LVPs. This makes it relatively lightweight, but not particularly durable. For more information,visit this page. Smartcore vs. LifeProof Vinyl Plank Flooring, How to Install Lifeproof Vinyl Plank Flooring? Proximity Mills is our go-to example of a great vinyl floor that isnt sold at a huge markup. 4 SMARTCORE INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS (V.1.1) In-floor Radiant Heat: SMARTCORE can be installed using the floating or glue down method. Thats why most people debating between tile vs. wood floors end up going with something like wood-look tile insteadits just more practical. Q: Can you install any brand of vinyl plank in any room of your home? Its just that simple. So, without delay, lets jump right into it. All the features are explained in our Cali Bamboo LVP Guide, but here are a few of the details: Cali Bamboo Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring Rating. In most cases, it wont even come close to the cost to replace carpet with hardwood or the cost to install engineered hardwood floors. 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. But since we didnt want to just copy-and-paste endless blocks of info and hundreds of comments, weve used them to create this guide to SmartCore flooring pros and cons! There is much more information in our NuCore Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring Guide. The company is all about building performance flooring (a word youll see a lot on their website), and their LVP, in particular, is excellent. Its probably not as easy as peel-and-stick carpet tiles, but the interlocking click-together flooring tabs and optional adhesive dont require a ton of experience. Concerns: The only thing that gives us a little concern is the wear layer. For example, rather listing a brand as the best commercial LVP, we name the specific line: Armstrong Vivero Best. 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. Then again, Smartcore makes up to 4 types of flooring, and the Vinyl lacks in type variation. For example: Lowes cork flooring iswell, it isnt exactly the best cork flooring out there. Because replacing individual SmartCore planks is almost impossible without taking the entire floor apart. ft and 16.54 sq. So, if you sell it to the second person, it will be the end of the warranty. This Shaw Inc. makes floors that have low VOCs and are eco-friendly. However, the pricing isnt that of a deal, as getting something better will always cost you a few dollars extra. Why Cali Bamboo is the Best New LVP Brand. Heres are the reasons COREtec is rated the second-best vinyl plank flooring. The colors are medium to dark, with the oak type in grey. Its durable, affordable, and surprisingly eco-friendly. For 7mm thick vinyl planks there are five color options, Trail Oak, Sterling Oak, Fresh Oak, Scratch Stone, and Biscayne Oak, while the 8mm planks only have two color options: Ocala Oak and Alys Oak. You can get the Smartcore LVPs only at Lowes store. SmartCore Naturals is made of real wood with a bamboo veneer. Required fields are marked *. Also, they come in stone and wood looks. The LVPs have a floating and interlocking make. We hope this chart was helpful and, for a full breakdown of all the best LVP flooring, check out our full vinyl plank flooring review guide! At its budget price, theres no question that SmartCore is superior to LifeProof. It also makes it a bit more sound-dampening, for noise-reduction. smartcore ultra also has a wear layer of 12 mil, but has an attached underlayment. Smartcore Naturals vinyl planks with coverage of 20.01 sq. If youre just starting your research into LVP, our Vinyl Plank Flooring Guide is a comprehensive resource loaded with information that will assist you in your buying decision. Its a surface that clicks together and doesnt have to be attached to the subfloor. Prices are in the range of $3-$4 per square foot, but they give you options for quality LVP that is more affordable. Smartcore is different from LifeProof because of the wear layer. Here, colors range from light to medium. However, the pricing isnt that of a deal, as getting something better will always cost you a few dollars extra. You won't need to buy underlayment for either product, and both are waterproof with a lifetime residential warranty. Shaw Industries, founded in 1967, is a well-known Dalton-based manufacturer and distributor of flooring materials, including hardwood, carpet, laminate, resilient, synthetic turf, tile, and stone for commercial and residential markets. As for the LifeProof LVPs, the costs range from $2.99 to $4.39 per square foot. COREtec products range between $5$10/per square foot and up, making it one of the most expensive LVP options around. Heres How. Linoleum vs. Laminate vs. Vinyl: Differences, Pros, & Cons. And USFloors is actually owned by Shaw Industriesthe second-largest flooring manufacturer in the world. I also have a box of I bought Lifeproof so I could lay out some and see if color/style worked for us. Lets talk about SmartCore flooring. A: Each manufacturer has certain tolerances youll need to stick to when installing LVP or LVT flooring. The second is the commercial warranty. WPC and SPC flooring in several grades, as spelled out above. If you want something great, wed recommend that you look elsewhere. And below, were going to take an in-depth look at SmartCore Pro and SmartCore Ultra to see how they stack up. How Much Does SmartCore Flooring Cost? Prices start at less than $1.00 per square foot, which is a fair price for what you get. Should you avoid any of them for your flooring projects? The first is the 200+ styles in traditional wood looks, but with stone and tile too. The VOC in low-VOC flooring may seem like just another silly acronymbut this ones actually super important. Each guide includes a table showing each collection the brand makes and its cost, key features and warranty. It was started in 2004 and has really grown in the last five years. On the other hand, the Lifeproof Vinyl Plank flooring has a better traditional wood carving look to it. Earlier, we noted that SmartCore flooring is low-VOC certified. This distribution arrangement allows Floor & Decor to keep the cost pretty competitive. The Best Cheap vinyl plank flooring is decent quality but at an affordable price. Both are in wood and stone looks. Piet Dossche was the founder. The overall purchase price ranges from $47.49 to $66.16. A 12-mil wear layer is actually pretty good (ignoring the durability concerns mentioned in SmartCore reviews)but considering that so many top brands offer different wear layer options, its odd that SmartCore doesnt. Smartcore VS. LifeProof Vinyl Plank Flooring Comparison Table. 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. The residential warranty for SmartCore flooring only applies if you hire a professional contractor. The Smartcore flooring has a user-friendly touch, which makes it great for DIY projects. If youre looking for the best cost-to-value ratio, Proximity Mills is an excellent choice. And at 2030 mils thick, theyre seriously tough to scratch. It makes the LVPs 100% waterproof. Yes! What caused its score to drop was a 3 in selection. This could also be called the most expensive LVP, or close to it at least. However, SmartCore flooring doesnt really do anything here thats outside of common industry practice. So, cases of foul smell and odor wont be present. Though a SmartCore Flooring doesnt need any underlayment, you can still improve the life span of it. Method vs Seventh Generation Laundry Detergent, 5 Safety Tips To Remember When Moving Out, Why Hire An Electrician Hartford CT For Your Home Remodel. LifeProof can only be installed as a snap-together floor. Heres how they differ: SmartCore Ultra features a WPC (Wood-Plastic Composite) core. 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. If that name sounds familiar, its because COREtec has been one of the top vinyl plank flooring brands for quite some time. Very waterproof. Mohawk makes three Smart Select flooring lines with 15-year residential warranties and no commercial warranties. Were just trying to give you some context before we talk about it. But: for some reason, this underlayment doesnt protect it from moisture. Armstrong Vivero Best, Shaw Floorte Plus and LifeProof three excellent options for commercial LVP. Smartcore Pro is an SPC flooring made of limestone powder and plastic polymers, making the vinyl planks durable and resistant to dents. (Tips And Tricks), Can You Tile Over Linoleum? Pro version is much more durable and can handle rubber mallet taps and blows during installation. Lifeproof is made of rigid PVC composite materials with an ISOCORE or closed-cell foam core, making the vinyl planks waterproof and lighter. First among them: is there waterproof laminate flooring? Weve narrowed it down to two brands, Smartcore and Lifeproof. All are wood and rustic. A: It depends on what youre looking for from a style standpoint. ft. cost ranges from $3.80 $4.20 per sq. Also, these floors are waterproof. We gave NuCore a combined rating of 4.25 out of 5. Vinyl Plank Flooring vs. Vinyl Sheet Flooring: Whats the Difference? 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. But like we said, youre going to need an additional moisture barrier to protect your subflooring if you want to put it anywhere it might deal with excessive moisture (you know, like anywhere youd usually want to install LVP?). Instead, youll find reasons behind our selections Best overall, runner-up, best selection, best durability, best value, best cheap brand and more. If youre looking for a much wider variety of unique wood floor designs (that are more durable and only marginally more expensive than SmartCores) wed check them out. 2023 FlooringStores, Inc. All rights reserved. Cali Bamboo offers both quality and value. While fixing them, you wont need any help from a pro. When it comes to the looks and feel, the Smartcore flooring will give you a natural wood-like structure. (1) Thickness: This is total plank thickness. Other features include a waterproof vinyl core, attached cork underlayment for softness and sound control and low-VOC GreenGuard certification. Costing less than the Smartcore flooring, the Vinyl Plank flooring breaks the record in being both low-priced and durable. Of course, this isnt a SmartCore issue as much as it is an LVP issue in general. A: No, although most manufacturers would lead you to believe that. , theyre seriously tough to scratch to keep the cost pretty competitive making one. 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