What Are the Top Reviews for Vinyl Plank Flooring

This post shares affordable vinyl plank floor reviews from a homeowner perspective. I have researched affordable vinyl plank floor for months and desire to share my findings with y'all, plus the line nosotros decided to put on our concrete slab in the basement. This post may comprise affiliate links. You can read more about that here.

x of the Best Vinyl Plank Floor Reviews From a Homeowner

I have been researching affordable vinyl plank flooring reviews for months. I've read endless websites—shop, large make, and blogger reviews—asked for input in Instagram, and asked for input on my personal Facebook page.

I asked friends at work and grilled flooring store employees (nicely) nearly the pros and cons of each selection. Basically I am insane. Just beingness insane can lead to well-informed decisions, which I am confident we've made!

If you're looking for honest affordable vinyl plank flooring reviews from a homeowner, yous're in the right place! Much like my recent DIY or Hire Out: Lessons from the Staircase mail, this one is going to exist long. Buckle up and get prepare to take some notes!

Why Choose Vinyl Plank Flooring For My Basement?

First I want to cover why we're going with vinyl plank floor for our basement. Some people notwithstanding have the view that vinyl flooring is disgusting and ugly, merely that elementary isn't the case. It volition be a huge step upwardly from the gross carpet we have.

Hither are my reasons:

• Cost. It's half the cost of the engineered hardwoods we thought about trying to match. It'south more than laminate, but…
• Durability. Information technology'south waterproof. We take a kid and pets, and this space leads to the backyard, where we spend a lot of time. It'southward also tough and easy to clean.
• Ease of Installation. About use an easy click-lock floating method and only require a few tools. Handy homeowners tin can handle installing it.
• Warmth. We're putting ours on a physical slab, and so I'm not sure how much this will hold true, but I'one thousand positive it will be warmer than tile.

All-time Vinyl Plank Flooring Reviews Criteria

To begin my search, I created a list of flooring brands and lines I was interested in researching. Hither were my requirements:

• Piece of cake to install.
• $3 or less per foursquare pes.
• Can be laid on a concrete slab.
• First-class reviews—how does information technology hold up?
• Available for me to buy myself—I didn't want to get through a distributor. I wanted to see large samples, bring them abode, feel them, etc.
• Color—the perfect greyness-brown to necktie in our existing coffee-colored flooring without looking similar nosotros were trying to match. Not besides much colour variation (not my loving cup of tea), and not too embankment-y looking.

I quickly nixed some options due to my requirements. At that place are some really slap-up higher end vinyl plank flooring brands that can cost upwards of over $v/sq ft. Mannington, Karndean, Congoleum, Cali Bamboo, and some of the brands I looked at take college-end vinyl plank lines. I looked at all of them, just almost were out of my toll range.

ane. SMARTCORE (Lowe'southward)

• Cost: $51.61 for a 20.01 sq ft carton ($2.58/sq ft)
• Thickness: 5.five mm thickness with a 12 mil acrylic wear layer
• Health Factors: GREENGUARD Gold Certified for depression 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. It'due south 100% waterproof, and the website says it will never swell when exposed to h2o like laminate can. (Annotation: I question this because its core layer is MDF. Is it truly waterproof?).

The gentleman at Lowe's said this is the best option to hide very minor imperfections in subflooring. Information technology meets standards for depression emissions, has a durable double coat of UV acrylic finish, and has a 12 mil habiliment layer for loftier traffic. Limited lifetime-residential warranty.

The planks expect amazing and felt substantial. Ane detractor, yet, is that its backing didn't seem as cushy as some of the others. The shop associate also said I needed an additional underlayment—no biggie, but adds to the cost calculations.

I considered Cottage Oak and Huntington Oak, ultimately favoring Cottage Oak because it had a bit more gray in information technology. Your phone call for what you're looking for, simply both are great.

2. Mowhawk Luxury Vinyl Plank (Lowe's)

• Cost: $47 for an 18.22 sq ft carton ($2.58/sq ft)
• Thickness: 4.v mm thickness with a xx mil urethane wear layer
• Health Factors: No mention
• Made in: USA

While the Mohawk Luxury Vinyl Plank was thinner than the SMARTCORE, it has a thicker wear layer, so I idea it was worth checking out. Especially since the colors online looked beautiful. I was disappointed that merely one colour was available in stores—thankfully one I was interested in—and there were no samples.

The Mohawk planks accept a low gloss surface finish, which I like. They have some really cute patterns that I thought looked more authentic online. Mohawk also markets a painted bevel edge for a more authentic look. Express lifetime residential warranty, simply no mention of reviews for wellness hazards.

I considered Tybee Island and Due north Sound. Luckily Tybee Island was in the store and the package was already open, so I took them out to investigate. The color and blueprint were stunning—exactly what I was looking for.

Just they felt very flimsy and I worried about how comfortable they've be on our physical subfloor. The associate also said they wouldn't exist dandy for surfaces with any imperfections. Bummer.

three. STAINMASTER (Lowe's)

• Cost: $47.19 for a 19.03 sq ft carton ($2.48/sq ft)
• Thickness: four mm thickness with a 12 mil urethane wear layer
• Wellness Factors: Flooring Score certified for indoor air quality
• Made in: China

Less thickness and habiliment layer than the Mohawk floors, so why did I even consider information technology? The colors looked lovely online, and the reviews were great. The cost was excellent, too.

STAINMASTER is a recognizable brand. They market their planks every bit having a protective urethane coating to provide enhanced durability. Limited lifetime residential warranty.

I considered Washed Oak Dove, Done Oak Umber, and Done Oak Cottage. Washed Oak Dove was my favorite, but unfortunately Lowe's didn't have any samples. I also thought the planks felt very flimsy, much like the Mohawk planks. I had the same concerns about our physical subfloor and comfort.

4. NuCore Waterproof Flooring (Flooring and Decor)

• Cost: $2.69–$ii.99/sq ft
• Thickness: 5.5-six.5 mm thickness with a 22 mil wearable layer
• Wellness Factors: GREENGUARD Gilded Certified for low emissions
• Made in: China

Full disclosure, I have worked with Floor and Decor in the past on our master bathroom. They provided me with the tile, and we had a great experience. Then when a friend mentioned that they loved their NuCore vinyl plank flooring, I added it to the list.

Withal, the reviews online were spotty, and I didn't take time to get down to a Floor and Decor to run into the planks in person and talk to someone, and then I nixed them. Sorry, Flooring and Decor! I do have a friend who used their vinyl plank flooring recently, and he was very happy with them.

5. LifeProof (Domicile Depot)

• Cost: $59.97 for a twenty.06 sq ft carton ($2.99/sq ft)
• Thickness: 6.five-8 mm thickness with a 6–12 mil wear layer
• Health Factors: Floor Score certified for indoor air quality
• Fabricated in: Cathay

This was one of the highly reviewed options from some of my friends who have the floors and alive on them every day, so I was excited to cheque them out. LifeProof planks have an "innovative highly engineered" closed-cell foamed PVC core (ISOCORE) that makes them very rigid.

Dwelling Depot also markets the attached underlayment every bit able to minimize sounds and enhance warmth. They also say that the planks have a treatment that inhibits the growth of mold and mildew on the attached underlayment and acme surface layer.

The planks are phthalate- and formaldehyde-free. The clothing layer is a bit thinner than the others, but Home Depot says information technology's "enhanced with ceramic bead" that "resists scratches and enhances durability." Lifetime residential warranty.

I considered Sterling Oak, Ocala Oak, and Option Oak. Ocala and Choice ended up being way besides lite and dark, respectively. So difficult to tell online. Sterling oak seemed to be a great mix of grey and chocolate-brown, though. All of the planks felt very substantial, much like the SMARTCORE planks at Lowe'southward.

A downside of this line is that it doesn't accept equally many colour choices, and the article of clothing layer seems a bit thin for the cost point. (Updating this post to add this annotation: Information technology's now 2021 and they have TONS more colors. And then this might not exist a downside anymore!)

six. Shaw Kalahari (Home Depot)

• Cost: $80.03 for a 27.58 sq ft carton ($2.90/sq ft)
• Thickness: three.ii mm thickness with an half dozen mil clothing layer
• Health Factors: No certifications specified
• Fabricated in: China (bold)

A lot of the Shaw vinyl plank floors at Home Depot were over my price threshold of $3/sq ft, but this one wasn't. Available in 6 colors. 15 twelvemonth wear warranty. Unfortunately I wasn't able to see it in the store—fifty-fifty a sample—and I really couldn't justify the high price for such a low mm thickness and mil habiliment layer.

7. Home Decorators Drove (Abode Depot)

• Cost: $1.99–$2.49/sq ft
• Thickness: 4 mm thickness with an 8 mil wear layer
• Wellness Factors: Floor Score certified for indoor air quality
• Made in: China

I view this as the upkeep option of LifeProof. The reviews are excellent, but the store associate said these floors are best over subfloors that have very fiddling, if any, imperfections. For what it's worth, he said he'd put these in a rental property and put LifeProof in his ain home.

Planks are phthalate- and formaldehyde-gratis. Unlike a lot of the other vinyl planks, these require a 48-hour acclimation time, I assume earlier installation. That could exist problematic if y'all don't have anywhere to store all the floor. Lifetime residential warranty.

I loved the colors Coastal Oak, Crystal Oak, and Quiet Oak online (view all colors here). They were too all beautiful in the stores, and this line has a much wider selection of colors. But like some of the others, I thought they were also flimsy for my needs.

eight. TrafficMASTER (Habitation Depot)

• Cost: $45.33 for a 24 sq ft carton ($1.89/sq ft)
• Thickness: 3.8 mm thickness with a four mil wearable layer
• Health Factors: Flooring Score certified for indoor air quality
• Made in: People's republic of china

Dandy customer reviews on Home Depot's website and not bad diverseness of colors. Installation uses grip strips merely is still a floating floor. 25 year express residential warranty. I considered Brushed Oak Taupe, which looks like a really lovely taupe-y grayness.

Like some of the other brands, though, I couldn't get samples or actually see the planks. Given how thin the planks and their vesture layer are, though, I nixed them. (Though it'south worth noting that with comparable specs to Shaw's Kalahari line merely a much lower price, this one would be a improve bet.)

nine. Tranquillity (Lumber Liquidators)

• Price: $45.78 for a 19.99 sq ft carton ($two.29/sq ft)
• Thickness: 5 mm thickness with a 20 mil wear layer
• Health Factors: Floor Score certified for indoor air quality
• Made in: China

I was peculiarly excited nigh this floor because of the lower price, the keen reviews, and the personal testimonial from a few friends. I had a lovely experience at my local Lumber Liquidators, where I was able to see larger samples of the floors and chat with the shop associate about the differences.

The Lumber Liquidators website says the planks are also phthalate-safe. I'thou wondering if that means phthalate-gratuitous or is a tricky mode of saying they have some but not much? 🙂

One drawback of these floors is that they take no preattached padding, which you can purchase separately if you want. You likewise have to buy a moisture barrier, which is required. I considered Riverwalk Oak, which was really lovely.

10. CoreLuxe (Lumber Liquidators)

• Cost: $55.26 for a nineteen.12 sq ft carton ($2.89/sq ft)
• Thickness: 7 mm thickness with a 20 mil clothing layer
• Health Factors: GREENGUARD Gold Certified or Flooring Score certified for indoor air quality
• Fabricated in: China

A scrap of a pace upward from the Serenity line in terms of thickness, the CoreLuxe line has a solid polymer cadre and a high-density 1mm attached pad underneath. Although it has the same clothing level of thickness as the Tranquility line, the website claims CoreLux has an enhanced wear layer that protects against damage.

It as well has superior paring resistance. Same comment as the Tranquility line nigh existence phthalate-rubber. l-year residential warranty. I considered Beach Cottage Oak and Driftwood Hickory, and I tin can tell you that these planks are dandy. Very thick and sturdy.

I was really impressed by how realistic the samples looked and how substantial the planks felt, particularly with the attached pad. Information technology felt like information technology would hold upwardly very well and "felt" more like wood to me.

However, I had some trouble finding the perfect colour. I too didn't like that a dissever moisture barrier was required, and the shop was also selling an insulated underlayment; these things would push me up over my $iii/sq ft upkeep.

My Top 3 best affordable vinyl plank flooring options

Later researching these 10 options and spending more time in stores and staring at samples than I'd similar to admit, here are my top three choices for overall bank for my basement buck:

• CoreLuxe EVP in Embankment Cottage Oak at Lumber Liquidators
• LifeProof Luxury Vinyl Plank in Sterling Oak at Habitation Depot
• SMARTCORE Luxury Locking Vinyl in Cottage Oak at Lowe's

But I'thousand going to leave you hanging on what I chose. As of writing this post, this is what my basement looks like comparing my top 3 flooring options. If y'all listen hard enough, y'all can hear Mike whispering "just make a damn decision already." 😉

2021 Update: We honey our floors!

Hi anybody! I get a decent number of letters nigh this mail service, and so I wanted to pop dorsum in and practise an update. Which flooring did I choose? When I left this post in early 2019, I was just about to decided which floor to put in our basement. I was down to the post-obit:

• CoreLuxe EVP in Beach Cottage Oak (Lumber Liquidators)
• LifeProof Luxury Vinyl Plank in Sterling Oak (Dwelling Depot)
• SMARTCORE Luxury Locking Vinyl in Cottage Oak (Lowe's)

I do believe that all three of these would have been keen options. Nonetheless, we ultimately chose to become the Home Depot route and get LifeProof Luxury Vinyl Planks in Sterling Oak. Here's why we chose LifeProof floor, as well every bit why we didn't choose CoreLuxe or SMARTCORE.

CoreLuxe vs. Lifeproof vs. SMARTCORE

My CoreLuxe review in a nutshell—it was cute, and it honestly felt the most substantial out of all 3 options. It had what appeared to be the best wear layer at 20 mil. Still, it also required a separate moisture barrier, and the salespeople were really pushing an insulated underlayment as well.

This would have just been more things to add to my list to do, and it also would take pushed the price up over what i wanted to spend. Also, on a color annotation, I did recollect the color was just a pilus also brownish for what I was looking for, and I wasn't finding anything that I liked amend there.

As for SMARTCORE, I loved the DIY approach of being able to actually look at the planks and feel them. (Lumber Liquidators has everything in the dorsum in more of a "showroom fashion" store.) This one had a 5.5 mm thickness with a 12 mil article of clothing layer, then less than the CoreLuxe, but more or equal to the LifeProof floors.

All the same, a big detractor for SMARTCORE for me was that the store associate said I'd also demand to buy an underlayment. Again, not a deal breaker, just something else I'd have to do and something else I'd accept to factor in to my costs. And so that left u.s.a. with LifeProof.

The LifeProof luxury vinyl planks at Home Depot seemed very similar to the SMARTCORE planks (five.6-8 mm thickness with a 6-12 mil habiliment layer). And then the wear layer was a bit thinner.

Ultimately, LifeProof won me over for three reasons:

• Despite the thinner wear layer, everything I read suggested information technology was more than than enough for residential use.
• The planks felt great and looked awesome—Sterling Oak is pretty much exactly the color I wanted.
• The color I wanted was in shop in boxes on the shelf. I like the DIY approach. Showrooms stress me out.
• And, finally—no underlayment or moisture barrier required! Just lay the planks right at present—yay!

I'grand actually proud that I did this totally past myself, so if I can do it, I know you can do it. Y'all can also check out more detailed posts on installing LifeProof luxury vinyl plank flooring and our review of LifeProof floors 1 year later.

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**Please know that your particular preferences, state of affairs, room, and handiness may differ from mine. While I promise you found this post helpful and tin apply it to help guide your search, definitely ask shop assembly and read a variety of reviews to ensure you make the best decision for your abode. Too, specs and prices change over time, and so while I've made e'er effort to ensure the information included here is authentic every bit of March 2019, it might change. Good luck on your search! 🙂

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Source: https://www.bybrittanygoldwyn.com/affordable-vinyl-plank-flooring-reviews-from-a-homeowner/

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