Coretec Flooring Reviews
We have yet to find a home improvement challenge that is quite as frustrating as taking care of old, worn floors. It’s easy to add accessories to your home, paint the walls or replace furniture, though when it comes to replacing flooring, the job can be costly and time-consuming.
Plus, you’re never really sure if your flooring is going to last you…
That’s why we wanted to talk about one of the best flooring companies on the market today, which is Coretec Flooring.
Coretec Flooring has plenty of different options for both homeowners and business owners who are looking for durable, affordable, and long-lasting flooring.
Let’s dive in and check it out!
What Is Coretec?
COREtec is a flooring brand that is under the USFloor manufacturer. The company is based in Georgia and was founded back in 2001. Before expanding their flooring products, the company mainly focused on manufacturing and selling cork and bamboo flooring. They eventually developed their innovative LVT flooring, which they are known for today.
The company was later acquired by Shaw Industries, which is a well-known flooring manufacturer, so that they could help market their products.
It is important to note that COREtec single-handedly brought the wood polymer core (WPC) to the market, which has become one of the hottest and groundbreaking categories in the flooring market.
COREtec Waterproof Flooring Construction
There are a wide variety of COREtec collections, the COREtec Plus and Pro Plus being the most popular two. All of the COREtec collections have unique looks or styles, though they each have the same construction qualities.
All COREtec products come with a wear layer. The wear layer sizes run from 0.5mm to 20 mil, depending on how durable you need your floors to be.
The thicker the wear layer, the more durable and scratch-resistant the floors. COREtec floors also come with a luxury vinyl design layer. This top layer mimics the look and feel of stone or wood using special imaging techniques.
The real meat of COREtec flooring is at the rigid core. The rigid core layer is 100% waterproof and utilizes either a polymer or mineral compound to provide each plank with added strength. Just underneath this layer lies a cork underlayment, which sits atop the subfloor. Not only does this underlayment act as soundproofing, but it also protects against mold and mildew.
All COREtec floor products have a residential use warranty, though the warranties do vary depending on the product. You either get a 25-year limited warranty or a lifetime limited warranty.
If you are serious about keeping your home eco-friendly, you’ll be happy to know that COREtec flooring is constructed with GreenGuard Gold Certification, meaning they have low chemical emissions. In fact, COREtec may just be one of the safest forms of LVT on the market today.
It is important to note that the COREtec One range is a bit different from the rest. While this original COREtec product shares many of the same construction qualities as the other COREtec flooring collections, it does not utilize a cork backing. It also has a much thinner wear layer compared to the others.
Installation Process
The beauty of COREtec products is that the installation process is easier than ever. There is no reason to spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars hiring a contractor when you can perform the installation yourself.
COREtec provides all of the necessary instructions for installation on their website. You don’t need many tools either, meaning even a DIYer who is not very experienced should be able to pull off this installation.
COREtec flooring does not require any sort of acclimation as well. It is important to note, however, that the company does recommend that you keep your room temperature closer to 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the installation process for best assurance.
COREtec products can be installed as floating floors too. With that said, if you are planning on placing heavy loads or furnishings on your floors, you might want to use the glue-down method instead. In that case, we would recommend purchasing the adhesive from COREtec.
One of the cool things is that you might not need to add extra underlayment depending on the type of floor you have already. This is because COREtec luxury vinyl tiles come with an integrated cork underlayment. You can also install your COREtec planks atop radiant heating systems as well.
If you install your COREtec floors properly, they should last you a very long time. Of course, it is important to maintain them once they have been installed as well.
COREtec Flooring Maintenance
Thanks to the fact that COREtec floors are 100% waterproof, maintaining them is very easy. In fact, maintaining COREtec flooring is very similar to maintaining ceramic tile flooring. Here are a few tips to follow when cleaning your COREtec floor:
Make sure to regularly get rid of dust and debris. You can either sweep with a broom or use a vacuum. If you are dealing with stubborn stains, you might want to consider using a mop instead. Just make sure that you use a soft soap solution without harsh chemicals that could damage your flooring.
We recommend using felt pads under the legs of your furniture. If you plan on moving heavy furniture around at any time, felt pads are a necessity, as they will help to keep your COREtec flooring scratch-free. Either that or keep area rugs on top of your floor.
Lastly, try not to install your floors in direct sunlight, as this could lead to discoloration. If you have rooms that get a ton of sun, you may want to consider adding some sort of window treatment.
COREtec Plus Flooring Review
The COREtec Plus collection is the top COREtec product. There are 11 different flooring categories to choose from in the COREtec Plus line, including COREtec Plus Premium, COREtec Plus Enhanced, COREtec Plus Design, and more. Each of these is great for residential use.
The different categories are separated by design and style. The COREtec Plus Enhanced tiles, for example, make use of realistic wood or stone styles.
COREtec Plus Premium planks, for example, are made with enhanced cores. This makes them a bit quieter and softer underfoot.
There is a wide variety of sizes and styles to choose from in the COREtec PLUS collection, some of which resemble stone and wood, some that are extra wide and long, and some that are more neutral for modern homes.
You can expect to pay anywhere from $6.30 to $8.50 per square foot.
COREtec Pro Plus Review
The COREtec Pro Plus collection is an enhanced division of the standard Plus collection. The Pro Plus is different in that it is made for commercial use or high-traffic residential use. COREtec Pro Plus uses a much thicker wear layer for added durability.
The COREtec Pro Plus range has seven different categories to choose from. Some of those categories include the COREtec Pro Plus XL, which makes use of extra-long planks, and the COREtec Pro Plus Enhanced HD, which makes use of ultra-realistic wood and stone textures.
The great thing about the COREtec Pro Plus flooring line is that it runs a bit cheaper than the standard COREtec PLUS line at $4.90 to $5.90 per square foot.
COREtec ONE Review
COREtec ONE is the original product from the COREtec collection. It was one of the first alternatives to the standard LVP floor that required glue-down construction. The planks in the ONE collection have 6”x48” dimensions. There are twelve different colors to choose from as well.
Expect to spend around $5.45 per square foot for COREtec One planks.
COREtec ONE Plus Review
The COREtec ONE Plus collection is a brand-new COREtec collection.
There are twelve different designs to choose from in this collection, featuring tons of different wood looks.
These include chestnut planks, oak planks, and a variety of “weathered” planks for that traditional, rustic look.
The COREtec ONE Plus collection has all of the same qualities as the regular ONE collection, though it utilizes a new foamed core center that is 100% waterproof. The foam helps to add a bit of underfoot comfort as well.
Do note that these planks are a bit thinner than the ONE planks at 5.91”.
Expect to spend around $5.65 per square foot on COREtec ONE Plus planks.
COREtec Vinyl Floor Plank Colorwall Review
The COREtec Colorwall collection is another brand-new collection from COREtec flooring. The construction method is a bit different from the rest of the collections except for the ONE Plus collection, in which it shares a soft, waterproof foam core. This makes the Colorwall collection perfect for children’s rooms or bedrooms in general.
The Colorwall collection utilizes classic wood looks. The planks hover around 7.13” x 59.84”.
You can choose from a HUGE collection of 48 styles with styles and colors for just about every home.
Expect to spend around $5.99 per square foot on the Colorwall collection.
COREtec Pro Galaxy Review
The COREtec Pro Galaxy collection was one of the very first collections in the COREtec Pro series. The idea with Galaxy floors is that they are much better for commercial spaces thanks to the added durability.
There are ten different planks to choose from in the Pro Galaxy collection, including Pine and Oak. The planks in this collection range sit around 7”x48”
If you are looking for commercial-grade flooring, COREtec Pro Galaxy is where it’s at.
COREtec Wood and Stone Review
Lastly, we have the COREtec Wood and Stone collection. This collection is filled with ultra-realistic wood and stone planks and tiles that utilizes the unique mineral core construction method. If you have real wood or real stone look in mind for your flooring, these are excellent styles to choose from.
The mineral core is very similar to the polymer core that is found in other COREtec products, as it is also 100% waterproof. This means that you can install it in just about any room you can think of, including bathrooms, kitchens, or basements, without having to worry about your flooring warping as time goes on.
There are 14 different wood-style designs to choose from in the COREtec wood collection, including Oak and Hickory. You can expect to find tans, creams, grays, and deep browns, perfect for both modern and traditional homes. In terms of the stone collection, there are a whopping 26 different styles to choose from!
Some of the stone styles look very similar to distressed wood, which could potentially make them a great choice for traditional homes or cabins.
In terms of pure aesthetic, the COREtec wood and stone options are near the top. Of course, you will have to spend a bit extra to enjoy that added visual appeal, as the lines run from $8.58 to $9.79 per square foot.
Final Verdict - Is COREtec Worth It?
COREtec has been around for almost two decades now and the company has made quite a name for itself in the flooring industry. They have a very comprehensive collection of styles that could work within a variety of residential and commercial spaces.
In our opinion, COREtec is a great product and one of the top vinyl tile brands around and the flooring is well worth investing in. The flooring is easy to install, utilizes high-quality cork backing, has many wear layer options, and has may real wood lines to choose from.
There are so little bad reviews about COREtec online too, which says something about the company and its longevity. We hope that our review has helped narrow down your new flooring choices. Good luck!
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