Everyone loves a floor with a glossy surface because it adds some level of aesthetics to the home and makes it comfortable.

Using a premium flooring comes with a whole lot of benefits. However, with milions of options, it’s easy to choose wrongly when buying flooring for your house, office or other location.

In addition, making the wrong flooring decision will cost you a lot and that’s why it is a paramount that you, as a buyer, understand the nitty-gritty of the diverse materials out there.

What is Smartcore Ultra Flooring

Smartcore vinyl plank qualifies as a lifeproof vinyl plank reviewed which ranks as a flexible flooring system that can be used in any condition. It comes with a lot of exciting and eye-catching features for households.

Furthermore, Smartcore Ultra features a vast range of options to choose from, such as Canberra Acacia, Stillwater Oak, Rustic Hickory and others. 

In fact, it is possible to make use of various types if you are interested in being creative or when you have flexible layouts that allow you to pattern your floor just the way you wish.

Smartcore floorings are made of high-quality materials and the cost is reasonable and competitive. It is a perfect mix of quality and reduced cost which combine to give the best value to the end-users.

The product is durable and can last some 8 to 12 years and even longer when treated with love and care. This is true, perhaps, because laminate flooring can last for a long time, generally.

Smartcore vinyl plank flooring can be purchased only at Lowes and it is made by COREtec, a floor-finish product line specialized in the production of diverse basic, better and best product lines. 

Smartcore is ranked as “Better” class and can be installed either by interlocking/floating method or by glueing it down.

The material is made of a floatable vinyl which does not glue and can be fixed on most hard surface subfloors. As such, there is no need to take off the previous tiles, laminate or any other flooring material.

Most certainly, there are quite a number of good flooring materials out there in the market, however, Smartcore is quite spectacular because it features a patent-awaiting solid build. It is built in such a way that the lapses on your subfloor are well hidden.

This special fabrication stops telegraphing which at times occurs when the subfloor is dirty and filled with debris. Yet another exciting feature of Smartcore is that it is totally waterproof and does not sag or swell up should water touch it. 

As such, it’s great as a kitchen flooring that makes a home look luxurious. It can be installed in kitchens, bathrooms as well as basements. 

Besides this waterproof core feature, Smartcore comes with a sturdy and durable topmost layer of high-quality vinyl as well as a 12-millimetre wear-proof layer that makes it stainless.

The product features a waterproof fabrication with a long warranty on the wear-proof. The warranty on the product, when used for commercial purposes, is for a period of five-years. Smartcore is also an environment-friendly option for people interested in building a green economy.

Benefits of Smartcore Ultra Flooring

Smartcore Ultra flooring is a special flooring brand with some distinguishing benefits, some of which include:

Waterproof

Smartcore has made all of their vinyl flooring products to be completely waterproof such that they don’t swell up when in contact with water. This feature makes it possible to use a vacuum for hardwood floors that doesn’t damage them. 

It is the most befitting flooring for locations where the home or surroundings are usually wet, such as bathrooms and kitchens. The manufacturer ensures that it doesn’t take up water when in contact with moisture.

Flexible and Adaptive

Of course, Smartcore vinyl material, aside from being waterproof, is also flexible and adaptive to a large extent. It is possible to set it up on quite a number of solid, strong surfaces without much ado. It can equally be fixed on ceramic tiles as well as laminate floors.

It is possible for you to use it just about anywhere and this can be done easily with no need for special skills as a result of the glueless floating floor build. This quality removes the burden of having to pay expensive bills and spending huge cash on floor removal and disposal strategies.

Hides Imperfections

Just as best Pergo flooring review, Smartcore is designed to mask all of your floor imperfections – whatever they are. Furthermore, as opposed to most of the firm locking and firm glue LVT planks, Smartcore isn’t besieged with issues like telegraphing.

The planks and tiles are such that it is possible to set them up on all the contours on the hard floor surface and you only need simple DIY skills to attain this.

Protects Household

The Total Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) generated a lot of concerns among different manufactures in the world of flooring. A lot of people worry that flooring bad impact on the environment is immense. 

Smartcore has corrected this by prioritizing their green credentials. They ensured this by subjecting their products to rigorous testing procedures and all the flooring pieces they sell have been sanctioned by the Greenguard Gold. 

The implication of this is that Smartcore products definitely have no formaldehyde as well as some other VOC emissions and this allows the company in developing a good relationship with buyers who care about a green-oriented lifestyle.

Smartcore equally leverages on the fact that all their products are CARB-compliant. This implies that any vinyl flooring products sold by Smartcore are within the approved limits for VOC emissions. Using mop on laminate floors becomes easy with Smartcore Ultra vinyl flooring products.

Types of Smartcore Vinyl Plank Floorings

Basically, there are two known lines of Smartcore vinyl planks – Ultra and Pro.

Ultra

Smartcore Ultra LVP is equally referred to as WPC flooring option. WPC stands for wood, polymer core. It represents a mix of wood fibres as well as polymer plastics. Floors made of WPC are usually softer. 

The most advisable way to use the WPC floor is in a residential location, however, Smartcore comes with a special feature – a 5-year warranty on the vinyl products when used in commercial apartments. It is 7.5 millimetres thick and the wear layer is 12 mils.

Smartcore Ultra can be most-accurately qualified as medium-grade LVP/LVT quality type and comes in less styles and variants when compared to other major brands available. However, the cost of other vinyl plank floorings of this quality is still within fair means.

For such a residential-type vinyl plank material, the average range of thickness is 6-12 mil. Besides, with this product type you don’t have to incur the cost to refinish hardwood floors again.

Smartcore combines great quality with reasonable price. It sports waterproof LVP which makes it adaptable to just about any room type and level – it can even be used in basements.

If you have plans of staying in your house for more than 5 years, it is advisable that you use Smartcore Ultra. This way, you’ll get best of value for the money. Nevertheless, if you’re soon going to leave your present location, the cheaper LVP will make a better choice finance-wise.

Pro

Smartcore Pro is somewhat thinner than the ultra version (6mm) but then, it is more resilient because it has a solid stone and centre polymer build. The wear layer is 20 mils and this is within the range for normal commercial-type LVP.

Smartcore vinyl Pro is a flooring product which allows laminate floor cleaning with a vacuum and it is equally referred to as SPC flooring. The SPC refers to stone, polymer, core mixed with the polymer material for extra solidification and rigidness. 

The floors are quite solid and not prone to faults and fissures. SPC flooring sports a 10-year warranty when used in commercial settings but the warranty is for a lifetime for residential apartments. The thickness is 6 millimetre and the wear layer is 20 mils.

Smartcore Pro is a pad-attached vinyl flooring which is waterproof and very adaptable to wet locations in houses as well as commercial apartments. There are about 15 different styles available but the material is wood only.

A lot of them sport a rustic look such that appears to be a modified wood. Some of them have that conventional hardwood floor appearance too. 

Smartcore Pro has three main color themes – light, medium and dark hardwood. However, there are variants with mixed colors and those are referred to as multitonal. The plank sizes are 7’’ by 48’’. Vacuum for rugs and carpets can be conveniently used on the Smartcore Pro flooring.

Interestingly enough, Smartcore Pro can be used both at home and in commercial settings because it has a lifetime residential warranty.

The perfect location to use Smartcore Pro flooring is a commercial building because, for this setting, the seller guarantees 10-year usability without faltering. 

Naturals

Smartcore Naturals is a great choice for genuine waterproof hardwood and bamboo vinyl making use of a protective film layer. The product is a new flooring alternative which maintains the natural grain impressions and feels such that each plank is unique in its own sense. It also allows steam mopping for all types of tiles.

Smartcore Ultra vs Smartcore Pro

Smartcore Ultra LVP is equally referred to as WPC  flooring while the Smartcore Pro is referred to as SPC flooring. The WPC stands for wood, polymer core and it is a mix of wood fibres as well as polymer plastics while the SPC stands for stone polymer core and it contains pulverized limestone mixed with polymers which fortifies it for additional strength and rigidity.

In Smartcore Ultra, the WPC floors are more and less resistant to faults while SPC floor is quite rigid and not prone to dents. SPC flooring comes with a 10-year warranty  for commercial use and a lifetime warranty when used in homes while Smartcore Ultra is most adapted to home use only because the warranty on commercial floors is just 5-years.

Generally, Smartcore is a premium COREtec flooring with a broad spectrum of variants buyers can choose from. It features simplicity in installation as well as the flexibility of usage.

Smartcore Ultra Flooring Style Options

Smartcore sports diverse dimensions of planks and different categories of the 12” by 24” tiles. It is equally possible to call for the moulding and trim pattern to give an impressive finish appearance.

Smartcore is a vinyl plank which features different grades of brown and grey color such as Tahitian Walnut, Canberra Acacia, Rustic Hickory, as well as a host of oak colours. It is possible to select vinyl tiles which look like stone.

Smartcore comes with myriads of looks to satisfy the diversity in buyers’ taste and design preferences. As such, be it that you prefer a more modern look or you would rather have a classic, old-style, Smartcore gots you covered – you will certainly find a style that you like.

Additionally, this floor features a customer-friendly price. While it is true that vinyl plank can last for a long time, it is equally true that it is very simple and easy to set up such that it needs no technical knowledge to lay it.

How to Install Smartcore Ultra Vinyl Plank Flooring

Smartcore comes with different sizes of tiles, however, installing them takes one simple pattern – the drop/lock. It is quite easy to set up the vinyl flooring pieces regardless of how intricate the pattern you want to achieve is.

Step 1 – Prepare the tools

Get all the tools you need ready for the job. You might need to have simple tools like the saw, rubber mallet, tape measure and maybe spacers.

Step 2 – Set the tiles on the surface

Set the tiles and planks on the hard surface flooring and organize them how you want.

Step 3 – Create a pattern or shape

If you wish, make a staggering pattern on the surface to form an aesthetically-pleasing neatly-laid floor. You can muddle the box of planks and tiles as well to obtain a perfect blend of diverse shapes.

Step 4 – Make sure tiles are secured and firm

Use a rubber mallet to gently hit the tiles to obtain firm hold and clean up the surface afterwards. Smartcore is mostly a kitchen flooring that makes a home look luxurious.

How to Clean and Maintain Smartcore Ultra Vinyl Plank Flooring

One of the good things about Smartcore floor is that it is not only simple to install, it is equally easy to maintain. The only caveat is that you ensure they aren’t in locations where they are exposed to direct sunlight. Again, it is also vital that you make use of the floor protectors that came with your furniture items to reduce wear and tear.

Step 1 – Prepare a broom or vacuum

Get the necessary tools ready, be it a good broom or vacuum cleaner.

Step 2 – Pick the right setting

Set the vacuum to hard surface setting.

Step 3 – Remove stubborn stains

Sweep thoroughly or scrub intensely using either the broom or vacuum cleaner. You can make use of mop to take off stubborn dirt and dust but never use harsh chemicals.

Step 4 – Dry the floor

Clean up and dry the floor using a dry cloth.

Does More Spending Mean More Quality

Of course, spending more money makes a home look luxurious, but it does not literally translate to getting more quality. There is a need for a careful review of the type of product you want and what exactly you want to use the vinyl floor for before dashing to the market to invest your money on any product.

Do’s and Don’ts to do With Smartcore Ultra Vinyl Plank

Do’s

• Always set the tiles carefully as they are brittle.
• Use the ideal type for the right location – residential and commercial.
• Ensure that the floor protector of your furniture is working fine.

Don’ts

• Don’t use harsh chemicals to clean the surfaces of the flooring materials.
• Don’t expose the floor surface to direct sunlight.

FAQ

Is Smartcore made by COREtec?

Yes, Smartcore flooring is made by COREtec.

Does Smartcore Ultra need an underlayment?

You do not need an underlay for your Smartcore Ultra to work fine, although you can add it before installing them.

Does Smartcore Ultra flooring need to acclimate?

Smartcore Ultra is adaptable to any floor type and it is flexible such that it can be used on wet and dry floors without the need for special acclimation. As such, vacuum for hardwood floors that won’t damage them can be used to clean it.

Where to buy Smartcore Ultra flooring?

Smartcore ultra flooring can be bought at all Lowell stores. However, the sale is exclusive to Lowell.

Who makes and sells Smartcore Ultra flooring?

Shaw Eloorte makes and sells Smartcore Ultra flooring.

How to cut Smartcore Ultra flooring?

 You can use a circular saw to cut Smartcore through.

How to lay Smartcore Ultra flooring?

Carefully arrange planks in an intricate manner to firm a special design you desire to have. There are no rigid ways of laying Smartcore flooring.

Conclusion

Buying a Smartcore Ultra vinyl flooring won’t break your bank. In fact, getting a high-quality planks at a reasonable price tag is possible. That’s what Smartcore Ultra vinyl flooring products stand for.

Photos from: rades / depositphotos.com and Malleo / depositphotos.com.

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