Getting to the CORE
If you’re looking for quality, durable flooring, especially here in Florida, there’s a great option that looks like wood, but performs well with water, heat, and humidity—it’s called Luxury Vinyl Plank or LVP for short. LVP products simulate the natural beauty of hardwood floors but at a more manageable cost. They are also stronger than traditional wood, so they are great for everyday living. One of the most requested brands that customers ask us about is COREtec, a product manufactured by Shaw Floors.
The Collections
There are four different COREtec collections, each with their own styles and benefits. These collections are known as COREtec Original, COREtec Advanced+, COREtec Stone, and COREtec Pro. COREtec is beloved by countless households, but what really sets it apart from other LVP options?
Throughout the years, COREtec has sought to stay true to these three founding principles—style, strength, and simplicity. You find this holds true in each of the product lines that they’ve created. Here’s a quick highlight of each one. COREtec Original is the product that started it all. It is comprised of a WPC, or wood-plastic composite, and comes in hundreds of styles and colors. It has a cork backing, which makes the floors quieter and warmer to walk on. COREtec Advanced+ offers the same features as the original but with ultra-scratch protection. In fact, they believe in it so much it comes with an industry first—a 15-year scratch warranty. COREtec Stone is designed to be a great alternative to traditional tile. It features designer patterns and colors but has integrated grout lines. The product is softer, warmer, and quieter than traditional tile. COREtec Pro is the commercial and high traffic residential option for consumers. It offers a more rigid and denser SPC, or stone-plastic/polymer composite core. It comes with a 15-year heavy commercial warranty and features special top and bottom layers for stability.
Resilient Design and Function
There are dozens of designs and colors in each collection. COREtec literally has something for everyone so finding something that fits your unique style and the way you live is quite easy. COREtec will not only look great the day you have it installed but for many years to come. It is also easy to maintain. COREtec has a UV Acrylic finish, which makes it easy to clean dirt, dust, and any other variety of mess. The UV acrylic finish creates a protective barrier, so messes don’t stain your flooring.
COREtec is scratch resistant, which makes it a great choice for areas that see lots of foot traffic. This also means that heavy furniture is much less likely to damage COREtec floors. The scratch resistance also makes COREtec a great choice for pet owners because they won’t have to worry as much about pets damaging their floors.
Installation
Installation is easy with COREtec as well. It can be installed using one of two methods—floating or direct glue-down. Both methods allow the floors to be installed over almost any even surface, including concrete or pre-existing hardwood floors, without the use of nails and screws. Floating installation involves slotting the planks together and connecting them like a giant puzzle. Direct Glue-Down installation is similar but also involves the use of adhesives to essentially glue the planks to the subflooring. COREtec is waterproof, which means that it can be installed in every room in the house. You won’t have to worry about water causing damage to the planks in more humid areas, such as bathrooms or mudrooms. So, if you favor consistent flooring throughout, this is a great option.
All in all, purchasing luxury vinyl floors for your home is a great investment. It’s easy to see why so many people love having COREtec floors in their homes. To learn about all the options available for luxury vinyl plank floors, see a Flooring Depot of Panama City sales professional at one of our two locations or call us at (850) 785-2216.
