COREtec Plus Vinyl Plank Flooring Review

Updated: Jan 28, 2021

SUMMARY

Our Verdict

This review is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals

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COREtec Plus Vinyl Plank Flooring Specifications

The COREtec Plus Line is called the "original" luxury vinyl plank collection. Trying to sort through the different Plus products can be a little confusing. The customer service department at COREtec describes the Plus Line as having different groups of products that each have different "features." There are 13 different groups of wood looking plank products within the COREtec Plus Line:

Name Thickness Wear Layer Warranty Colors

One 6mm 12 mil 25 years 7

One Plus 6.5mm 12 mil 25 years 12

Plus 5" 8mm 20 mil Lifetime 14

Plus 7" 8mm 20 mil Lifetime 17

Design 8mm 20 mil Lifetime 4

Enhanced 8mm 20 mil Lifetime 32

XL 8mm 20 mil Lifetime 4

XL Enhanced 8mm 20 mil Lifetime 16

HD 8mm 20 mil Lifetime 25

Premium 7" 12mm 20 mil Lifetime 11

Premium 9" 12mm 20 mil Lifetime 11

Grande 15mm 30 mil Lifetime 10

Enhanced Herringbone 8mm 20 mil Lifetime 4

The different features within each type of group are listed below:

COREtec One

Plank Dimensions: 5.91" x 48.03" x 6.3 mm
Sq. Ft./Carton: 31.73
Installation Method: Float,Direct Glue
Edge Profile: Micro Bevel
Core: Waterproof Polymer Core (WPC)
Attached Underlayment: N/A
Installation Level: Above, On, Below

COREtec One Plus

Plank Dimensions: 6" x 48" x 6.5 mm
Sq. Ft./Carton: 31.52
Installation Method: Floating, Direct Glue
Edge Profile: Micro Bevel
Core: Waterproof Foamed Core
Attached Underlayment: Attached Cork
Installation Level: Above, On, Below

COREtec Plus 5"

Plank Dimensions:5" x 48" x 8 mm
Sq. Ft./Carton: 26.68
Installation Method: Floating, Direct Glue
Edge Profile: Micro Bevel
Core: Waterproof Foamed Core
Attached Underlayment: Attached Cork
Installation Level: Above, On, Below

COREtec Plus 7"

Plank Dimensions: 7" x 48" x 8 mm
Sq. Ft./Carton: 28.37
Installation Method: Floating, Direct Glue
Edge Profile: Accent Bevel
Core: Waterproof Foamed Core
Attached Underlayment: Attached Cork
Installation Level: Above, On, Below

COREtec Design

Plank Dimensions: 9" x 72" x 8 mm
Sq. Ft./Carton:28.06
Installation Method: Floating, Direct Glue
Edge Profile: Micro Bevel
Core:Waterproof Foamed Core
Attached Underlayment: Attached Cork
Installation Level: Above, On, Below

COREtec Enhanced:

Plank Dimensions:7" x 48" x 8 mm
Sq. Ft./Carton: 23.64
Installation Method: Floating, Direct Glue
Edge Profile: Enhanced Bevel
Core: Waterproof Foamed Core
Attached Underlayment: Attached Cork
Installation Level: Above, On, Below

COREtec XL:

Plank Dimensions:9" x 72" x 8.1 mm
Sq. Ft./Carton:26.95
Installation Method: Floating, Direct Glue
Edge Profile: Micro Bevel
Core: Waterproof Foamed Core
Attached Underlayment: Attached Cork
Installation Level: Above, On, Below

COREtec XL Enhanced

Plank Dimensions: 9" x 72" x 8 mm
Sq. Ft./Carton: 26.95
Installation Method: Floating, Direct Glue
Edge Profile: Accent Bevel
Core: Waterproof Foamed Core
Attached Underlayment: Attached Cork
Installation Level: Above, On, Below

COREtec HD:

Plank Dimensions: 7" x 72" x 8.5 mm
Sq. Ft./Carton: 21.27
Installation Method: Floating, Direct Glue
Edge Profile: Accent Bevel
Core: Waterproof Foamed Core
Attached Underlayment: Attached Cork
Installation Level: Above, On, Below

COREtec Premium (7"):

Plank Dimensions: 7.13" x 72.05" x 12 mm
Sq. Ft./Carton: 21.39
Installation Method: Float,Direct Glue
Edge Profile: Accent Bevel
Core: Waterproof Polymer Core (WPC)
Attached Underlayment: Attached Cork
Installation Level: Above, On, Below

COREtec Premium (9"):

Plank Dimensions: 8.98" x 72.05" x 12 mm
Sq. Ft./Carton: 26.95
Installation Method: Floating, Direct Glue
Edge Profile: Accent Bevel
Core: Waterproof Foamed Core
Attached Underlayment: Attached Cork
Installation Level: Above, On, Below

COREtec Grande

Plank Dimensions: 9" x 82" x 15 mm
Sq. Ft./Carton: 20.67
Installation Method: Floating, Direct Glue
Edge Profile: Accent Bevel
Core: Waterproof Foamed Core
Attached Underlayment: Attached Cork
Installation Level: Above, On, Below

COREtec Enhanced Herringbone

Plank Dimensions: 4" x 26" x 8 mm
Sq. Ft./Carton: 25.01
Installation Method: Floating, Direct Glue
Edge Profile: Accent Bevel
Core: Waterproof Foamed Core
Attached Underlayment: Attached Cork
Installation Level: Above, On, Below

Product Description

COREtec Plus Vinyl Plank Flooring has multiple groupings, colors and features. COREtec has 13 distinct wood-looking groups under the "Plus Line." We have given you the main specifications of each style (listed above). Here is a brief written description of each style:

COREtec One

This is COREtec's most economical line. This product is 100% waterproof and will not expand or contract in normal conditions. This line does not require expansion strips in large rooms. The COREtec One line comes with 7 wood looking colors. This group is the only one that does not come with an attached pad.

COREtec One Plus

COREtec One Plus features the innovative COREtec WPC structure, and an attached cork underlayment for sound absorption.

COREtec Plus (5" & 7")

The Plus line comes with both 5" and 7" wide boards. The Plus line features a patented core structure, made from a combination recycled wood, bamboo dust and PVC and limestone. These floors are 100% waterproof, and COREtec states they will never warp or swell when exposed to water. Similar to other COREtec products, the Plus line does not require expansion strips in large rooms. The Plus line also features an attached cork underlayment for a quieter and warmer floor.

COREtec Design

A smaller, design group, featuring embossing technology in multi-tone colors. Similar to the Plus product, Design has the attached cork pad, as well as the patented core structure.

COREtec Enhanced

To capture the most realistic wood looks, the Enhanced Product Group features a 4 sided painted bevel for added depth. Enhanced also has the attached cork pad and COREtec core structure.

COREtec XL

The COREtec brochure states this is the "largest LVT plank on the market." The planks are 9" wide. XL also has the attached cork pad and COREtec core structure.

COREtec XL Enhanced

The big and the beautiful. This collection features 18 beautifully detailed styles with an embossed grain pattern, and an enhanced painted bevel for the look, feel and detail of real hardwood floors.

XL Enhanced also has the attached cork pad and COREtec core structure.

COREtec HD

HD stands for "high definition." This line of products as embossed In register (E.I.R.) technology as well as an enhanced painted bevel for a realistic visual. HD also has the attached cork pad and COREtec core structure.

COREtec Premium (7" & 9")

A very realistic visual floor that is a 12mm product. These floors are 100% waterproof, and COREtec states they will never warp or swell when exposed to water. Similar to other COREtec products, the Plus line does not require expansion strips in large rooms. The Plus line also features an attached cork underlayment for a quieter and warmer floor.

COREtec Grande

An 82" long plank that is a 30 mil product. Similar to other COREtec products, the Plus line does not require expansion strips in large rooms. The Plus line also features an attached cork underlayment for a quieter and warmer floor.

COREtec Plus Enhanced Herringbone

This collection employs a 4-sided painted bevel for added depth in another innovative evolution in WPC. The appearance is backed by the patented COREtec® technology featuring innovative COREtec core structure, which is an extruded core made from recycled wood and bamboo dust, limestone, and virgin PVC.

Product Warranty

The warranty on COREtec Plus Vinyl Plank Flooring is somewhat hard to find. You can download it here:

Lifetime Residential Waterproof Limited

Download • 204KB

Some of the major points of the warranty include:

Installation: The flooring must be installed in accordance with the manufacturer's guidelines. It is very important that you and/or your installer become familiar with these requirements.
Care & Maintenance: The flooring must be maintained in accordance with the COREtec care and maintenance instructions. You will want to make sure you get a copy of these guidelines from your flooring store. you can also download a copy right here:

COREtec Residential Resilient Maintenanc

Download • 197KB

Wear: The vinyl layer of the floor plank is warranted not to wear through under normal residential use during the period of this warranty. Gloss reduction, scratches and dents in the finish are not considered surface wear and are not covered under the warranty.
Original Purchaser: The warranty covers the original purchaser of the material. The warranty does not transfer to another purchaser.

Our Product Opinion

The best feature of the COREtec Plus Vinyl Plank Flooring Product is the unique cork attached pad. We feel this helps provide a quieter and warmer floor, as compared to other similar products. Another great feature of this product line is the variety of products. It is a very large line of products, that have various styles to fit most everyone's need.

The product line is somewhat hard to sort out. But, once you have a chance to look at all of the different grouping of products, you do find a wide assortment of features that are not available in some of the other competing vinyl plank product lines.

COREtec is not available in every floor covering store. You should call ahead to some of your local stores before you start to shop.

One of the neat features on the COREtec Website, is their room visualizer (more about this later in the article). The room visualizer gives you a great opportunity to look at products while at home.

With the product line being so large, it is very important to set up some goals for yourself, before you start to shop. Otherwise, you could end up falling in love with a sty;e/color, and spending much more on your project than you had originally planned.

We have a great blog article, "How To Buy Flooring For Your Home," that would be a good article to read.

No matter the type of product you have, you should be able to find a product in the COREtec Display. They have products for rental homes, starter homes, apartments, as well as products for upper-end projects that are looking for expensive designer products.

When it comes to durability, COREtec Plus holds up just fine (as compared to other similar products). It is our opinion your COREtec Plus floor should last a very long time. Keep in mind, the color you choose will make a big difference in hiding dirt and scratches. If you pick a dark color, it will tend to show scratches much more than the lighter colors.

As it pertains to scratching, please note that no type of flooring is 100% "scratch proof." Some floors are more scratch resistant than others, but no flooring is 100% scratch proof.

The installation process is very simple. If you love doing those weekend home projects, you will find many people install COREtec Plus on their own. Likewise, you can always schedule a flooring professional to install this floor.

Below is a great video that we found on YouTube that shows you some of the patterns and colors of COREtec Plus:

Credit: Coretec Floors

Vinyl Plank Mil Wear Layer Explanation

What is "mil wear layer?" What does it mean? Why should you even care?

All types of vinyl plank flooring come with a factory finish. The purpose of this finish is to protect the flooring from damage (dents, scratching, etc..).

A "mil" is described as one thousands of an inch. The thicker your mil layer is, the more protection you will have with your floor.

The next question that probably comes to mind is: "what mil thickness should I get with my vinyl plank floor?" Manufacturers make flooring that is intended for different purposes. For example, you can purchase a very thin 6 mil vinyl plank product, but that would not be recommended for most residential homes. On the flip side, you could purchase a commercial product (for your home), that would be very expensive, and an over-kill for most homes.

The best vinyl plank residential products should either be a 12 or 20 mil product. The 20 mil is going to give you the best scratch and wear protection. However, in most cases, a 12 mil product will also hold up just fine in most homes.

20 mil products are usually going to be more expensive than a 12 mil. So, when trying to decide which is the best product for you, you need to make your decision not only on the mil wear layer, but also on the price of the product.

Credit: Vinyl Plank Flooring Explained

Bonus #1: Frequently Asked COREtec Vinyl Plank Questions

Where Can I Buy COREtec Vinyl Plank Flooring?

While not every store sells COREtec, they do have a national network of dealers. You can visit their website HERE to find the closest retailer to you.

Can You Find COREtec At The Big Box Stores?

No. The company prefers to sell its products in partnership with floor covering retail stores.

Does COREtec Offer Financing?

Each floor covering store that sells COREtec will have their own policies established toward financing opportunities. You will need to check with your local floor covering store to determine payment options.

Can I Install My COREtec Floor Myself?

Yes. If you're a handy person around the house, with the COREtec click together locking system, you could certainly install your floor on your own. However, as mentioned earlier in this article, your product warranty is subject to following the COREtec installation guidelines. If you are doing a self installation, make sure you comply with these policies.

Can COREtec Floors Be Installed Over Radiant Heat?

Yes. You will want to make sure you check and follow the guidelines in the product installation manual.

How Do I Clean My COREtec Floor?

Simply sweep or run a dry dust mop over it. Here is the recommended cleaning and maintenance brochure, taken from the COREtex Website:

COREtec Residential Resilient Maintenanc

Download • 197KB

How Do I Keep MY COREtec Floor Looking Good?

The single greatest cause of damage to a floor is tracking in dirt from the outside. Make sure you place walk-off mats by your doors, and when possible, have family members take off their shoes.

Bonus #2: Frequently Asked Vinyl Plank Questions

What are the disadvantages of vinyl plank flooring?

With the click together installation method, vinyl plank flooring can be very difficult to repair. If you have one damaged board, it's not as simple as pulling out one board and installing a new one. Sometimes you might need to take out a much larger area, just to replace that one damaged area.

Another disadvantage that sometimes comes into play is not properly installing the product. A lot of people install vinyl plank on their own. If the product is installed, without leaving breathing space around the walls, vinyl plank can sometimes buckle and come apart. While the click together installation is easy to put together, homeowners need to follow the installation instructions, or they will end up with a problem.

Will vinyl plank flooring hurt my home value?

The short answer is: no. Vinyl plank flooring is one of the most popular types of flooring in the floor covering marketplace. Walk into any retail flooring store, and look at the percentage of their retail space that is dedicated to vinyl plank flooring. In today's marketplace, vinyl plank flooring is installed in all types of homes.

Sometimes customers confuse vinyl plank flooring with the old laminate flooring from the 1990's. Back then, it used to be common for most stores to carry cash and carry laminate that costs $0.99 a square foot. However, the product was cheaply made, and ended up having all sorts of installation and maintenance issues. Today's vinyl plank flooring is completely different.

How long will my vinyl plank flooring last?

This really depends on how you maintain your floor. If you do a great job of care and maintenance, your floor will last a very long time. The only reason you would need to replace it, would be if you just get sick of the color and want something different.