What caused its score to drop was a 3 in selection. SmartCore SCU XL Southern Pecan LX93707206 (Lowe's) ProCore Plus Warm Honey Oak LWD8099RCB (Lowe's) Its because Smartcore has specs. 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. Thick, high-quality wear layers; multiple installation styles; zero-VOC optionsall at an incredibly reasonable price. SmartCore Pro features a much more durable SPC core. 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. Overall: wed still recommend certain types of hardwood over LVP for outdoor use. To be blunt, SmartCore and LifeProof are close in pricebut SmartCore is absolutely the better of the two. From the light touch of ash flooring to the jet-black of ebony flooring, SmartCore comes in a lot of hues and patterns. Does SmartCore flooring require underlayment? Proximity Mills offers the most bang for your buck. Will this flooring dent or crack under weigh if tub? With SMARTCORE Ultra XL, we think you'll agree. The 6-mil layer line more than 12 colors. While fixing them, you won't need any help from a pro. Its because of the WPC. Side note: Newton also produces a few excellent lines of waterproof laminate, if you want the durability of a waterproof flooring option but arent married to LVP. All are wood and rustic. COREtec Plus HD, Design and Premium lines are among the very best luxury vinyl plank flooring available today. It might not win any awards, but its not a bad product. That's why we've 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. And just try not to damage planks when youre taking them aparthah! The residential warranty is just 15 years, among the shortest of any vinyl plank flooring brand. SmartCore is offered in just two collections: Ultra and Pro. Proximity Mills offers both rigid-core and flexible-core options, depending on the product. If youre looking into waterproof laminate flooring, you probably have some questions. It doesnt offer as many varieties, but the SmartCore flooring reviews weve read are much more positive regarding quality and DIY-friendliness. In addition to SmartCore Pro and SmartCore Ultra, Lowes also sells a third collection: SmartCore Naturals. For both 6mm and 7mm thick vinyl planks with a 6 mL wear layer, it costs about $2.59 $3.09 per sq. The price of any LVP is also essential in choosing the best one for your house. So, in terms of getting the floors, this is quite a setback. It also makes the planks durable, and scratch- and mold-resistant. Were impressed with the companys LVP and laminate. The information contained on whatisvinyl.com is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Its design layer is a little more detailed, and youre not paying more money for an SPC core that apparently adds very little benefit. We briefly mentioned this earlier, but installing SmartCore flooring is pretty similar to installing snap-together tile flooring. Several pieces of core and joint on the ultra broke with very little force. 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. Translation: the floors are going to be a bit louder. The warranty for SmartCore flooring is even more limited for DIYers. Both SmartCore and Lifeproof have sound suppression properties. The best warranties are not. Smartcore LVPs can last longer because of a stronger interlocking tab. Then, well take a deep dive into SmartCore flooring reviews, talk about its pros and cons, and help you decide whether its worth purchasing. US floors began the COREtec firm in 2013. It has a 12 mL wear layer, which provides durability and prevents stains, and scratches. The second is the Commercial warranty. All COREtec products are Greenguard-certified, but the company does not offer zero-VOC options. SmarCore offers a wide range of warranty coverage. Every room or your house or place needs to have floors that can last for long. The best underlayment for luxury vinyl plank flooring is from Floorlot blue, Roberts, First Step, etc. Also, they come in stone and wood looks. Both Smartcore and LifeProof have few lines but with many colors and styles. First, lets talk about the perks of SmartCore flooringwhich, to be fair, are pretty much the pros of vinyl flooring in general. (5 Vinyl-Safe Rugs), How to Stagger Vinyl Plank Flooring? The best choice will depend on what you are looking for in an LVP. Engineered Hardwood vs. Vinyl Plank Flooring: Whats the Difference? Look, were not trying to pooh-pooh the product by association. All the best vinyl plank flooring is easy to clean. Thats why most people debating between tile vs. wood floors end up going with something like wood-look tile insteadits just more practical. As it turns out, waterproof laminate flooring is realand some of the best laminate flooring brands make it. It has a wear layer just 6 mils thick thats the biggest concern. Concerns: The only thing that gives us a little concern is the wear layer. The easy answer is, it depends on the features you want the most. Unfortunately, LifeProof reviews tend to mention issues with the locking system. This Shaw Inc. makes floors that have low VOCs and are eco-friendly. Given its questionable construction and mixed reviews, LifeProof vinyl flooring is probably a product to skipespecially at its price point. 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 will depend on the collection you choose. No other brand we reviewed makes a 30-mil wear layer. The Best Cheap vinyl plank flooring is decent quality but at an affordable price. It didn't work for us but I would say its a little more solid than the smartcore. Because both SmartCore Pro and SmartCore Ultra can be installed as floating floors. You won't need to buy underlayment for either product, and both are waterproof with a lifetime residential warranty. As it turns out, thats a little complicated. We gave NuCore a combined rating of 4.25 out of 5. And we mean cool. LifeProof flooring is low-budget vinyl flooring, which has only minor quality compromises. Is Bamboo Flooring Waterproof? The waterproof quality makes this floor great for any room, including areas with high level moisture, such as bathrooms, basements, and kitchens. On the other hand, the Lifeproof Vinyl Plank flooring has a better traditional wood carving look to it. 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. They arent exactly cheap LVP. A: Each manufacturer has certain tolerances youll need to stick to when installing LVP or LVT flooring. 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. Even if you hire someone, the cost to install vinyl plank flooring is usually pretty reasonable. I usually use a non-vinyl . 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). For a lower price than SmartCore, Proximity sells LVP products with better wear layers and high-quality SPC cores. Treat yourself! Moreover, both brands are 100% Waterproof and formaldehyde and phthalate-free, making them an ideal flooring option even for places exposed to water. It also comes with an attached underlayment, cheaper ones don't have that and you'd have to purchase and lay it separately. Compare that with wear layers of 6 to 8 mils on most economy LVP brands. But, if you want to stay within warranty, you cant make it a do-it-yourself flooring project. Lowes markets it under the SmartCore brand name because, like SmartCore Pro and SmartCore Ultra, its supposedly waterproof. There is the 6, 12, and 22-mil wear layer. Heres how they differ: SmartCore Ultra features a WPC (Wood-Plastic Composite) core. SmartCore offers three vinyl plank flooring lines: SmartCore Ultra, SmartCore Pro, and SmartCore Naturals. Certain products can even be recycled. Each collection has different specs that can match your interest. With COREtec technology SmartCore Ultra is 100% waterproof, easy to install, and effortless to clean, handling the daily rigors of your household chores with style and strength. How to Stagger Vinyl Plank Flooring- 2 Easy Tricks, 5 Common Mistakes When Laying Laminate Flooring and How to Avoid Them. Both the Smartcore and Lifeproof flooring is highly durable against heavy foot traffic. The wear layers for both Smartcore and LifeProof help resist stains, dents, and spills. The collections for each LVPs are important in choosing the best between the two. Lifeproof has an already attached underlayment that absorbs impact, which reduces noise and provides insulation too. COREtec is one of the best LVP names in the market. There must be some difference in how long each can floor can last. You get a lot for your money, though selection isnt quite as strong. Yes, they have many similar features that can suit the dcor of your house. However, the user experience may vary depending on best durability, value, runner-up, etc. What is a floating floor? The Smartcore, with all its additional features, is always better than the Lifeproof Vinyl plank flooring. Shaw earned a rating of 4.75 out of 5 based on quality, range of options, installation ease and low-VOC content. You can buy and install them. Side note: if you want an innovative type of underlayment for your floors that also makes for easy installation, its worth checking out magnetic flooring. Then again, the underlayment will give insulation and sound dampening properties to the Smartcore flooring. Then we developed an onlinefree estimate toolto help you get at least 3 local bids in 24 hours. A: At this time, there is no vinyl flooring available that is impervious to scratches, but some brands hold up better than others. It will depend on the use of your floor. Here is the difference in numbers. There are 5 NuCore vinyl plank and tile collections, and they ALL have 22-mil wear layers. Youll pay more for COREtec One and Galaxy than you will for cheaper vinyl plank flooring, but youll get more too. Seriouslyeven some traditional types of floor tiles can be harder to clean than LVP because theyre more porous. The commercial warranty for most LVP products that have a 12-mil-or-thicker wear layer is roughly 10 years. Lifeproof provides a Limited Lifetime Residential Warranty and a 10-year Light Commercial Warranty (though it only applies to the first owner). For even more detail, see our Brand Reviews of all the leading LVP / luxury vinyl plank flooring brands. Prices are in the range of $3-$4 per square foot, but they give you options for quality LVP that is more affordable. The most expensive is just $2.39. So how do you decide which vinyl plank flooring is the right one for you? Both are in wood and stone looks. Now, we wouldnt say that Newtons products are head over heels superior to SmartCores in generalbut at the price, they absolutely are. Installation Both Smartcore and LifeProof are very easy to install. If you plan on using click-lock flooring, the latter wont be an issue, but VOCs can be produced by poor quality products. Remember, the prices of each name will depend on the line, style, size, and color. If youre looking into different types of floor tiles, youre probably in on the secret already. Her work has made her a famous name in this Livingproofmag.com is as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Linoleum vs. Laminate vs. Vinyl: Differences, Pros, & Cons. Check this too: Vinyl Vs Laminate Flooring. The Pro planks a 7 vs 5 regular SmartCore planks; Cutting The VOC in low-VOC flooring may seem like just another silly acronymbut this ones actually super important. Should any LVP brands be avoided? 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. The finish is called Diamond 10 Technology. You can get them at Lowes store. SmartCore is slightly more expensive but has a much better underlayment and a stronger core. 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