COREtec Vinyl Flooring | Installation, Cleaning & Prices

Over the past few months we’ve received a number of emails and comments about COREtec Plus engineered LVT plank and tile flooring, so in response here’s our in-depth COREtec flooring report on the company and their flooring products. For further vinyl flooring options click here. You may also be interested in our core vinyl flooring guides

Updated for 2021

The COREtec brand was created by USFloors. Based in Dalton, Georgia, the company was established in 2001 primarily importing and marketing cork and bamboo flooring, and then developing its innovative resilient LVT flooring.

More recently USFloors was acquired by the Shaw Industries Group (aka Shaw Floors) and has developed into a key player in the flooring market, offering a large range of flooring products for both commercial and residential use. And one of their largest product ranges is now their COREtec resilient luxury vinyl flooring.

CORETEC CONSTRUCTION

There are now several different COREtec collections including COREtec Plus and COREtec Pro Plus flooring range, each featuring a specific look or style, but all of them share the same construction.

Let’s take a look at their specifications.

• A wear layer of at least 0.5 mm/20 mil which is rated for commercial use protects the durable and resilient luxury vinyl top layer.
• A luxury vinyl design layer – the wood or stone textured image that mimics the look and feel of the real thing.
• The core structural layer that is 100% waterproof and gives the plank or tile its strength. Depending on the product this core is either a mineral compound or a polymer product.
• The final layer that sits against the subfloor is an integrated cork underlayment which works both as additional soundproofing and is resistant to mold and mildew.
• Either Lifetime Limited or 25-year Limited warranties on all COREtec products for residential use.
• All COREtec products have achieved the GreenGuard Gold Certification for low chemical emissions, so COREtec is one of the safest LVT products currently on the market.

Note that there is also the COREtec One range – the very first of the COREtec products – which has a similar construction to other COREtec flooring except that it does not have a cork backing, and it has a thinner wear layer.

Note also that different COREtec ranges have different warranty conditions, so its worth checking before you buy.

CORETEC INSTALLATION

Installing COREtec products is straight forward. You can hire a professional contractor to do the job or save yourself that cost and do it yourself. Let’s look at the important features of COREtec installation.

• Easy to install. As with many LVT products on the market, COREtec is easy to install and can be done by an experienced DIYer. The instructions provided on their website are very detailed and even tell you what tools you’ll need.
• No acclimation needed. One big advantage is that you don’t need to wait for COREtec products to acclimate to the local environment; however, the company do recommend that when you install COREtec you keep ambient temperature controlled to around 70°F (21°C).
• Floating Floor Method: All COREtec products can usually be installed as a floating floor but should always be installed with the direct glue-down method if heavy furnishings or loads are going to be used on the floor; the company naturally recommends using their own brand flooring adhesive.
• Underlayment not always necessary: COREtec luxury vinyl tiles have an integrated cork underlayment on each plank so, depending on your floor, you may not need extra underlayment.
• Compatible with radiant heating: COREtec can also be installed over some radiant heating systems.

Assuming instructions and recommendations have been followed carefully, the robust 4-layer construction will result in a great floor that should last a long time.

CORETEC CLEANING & MAINTENANCE

Because COREtec floors are waterproof, they are just as easy to keep clean as other non-porous flooring such as ceramic tiles. To keep your COREtec floor looking its best here are our top tips:

• Vacuum or sweep with a broom regularly to remove dust and debris; be sure to use a vacuum cleaner that is optimized for use on hard flooring surfaces.
• For more stubborn dirt and spills, you can then mop with a suitable floor cleaning detergent such as Bona.
• Use felt pads under furniture legs, and be careful when moving furniture around to avoid scratching your floor.
• LVT floors can be susceptible to discoloration when in direct sunlight, so consider adding drapes or blinds in rooms that get the most sun.

CORETEC OPTIONS

Now let’s take a closer look at the different product lines in the COREtec flooring range:

CORETEC PLUS

This is the main collection of COREtec products for regular residential use. Within this collection are 11 ranges such as Plus Design, Plus Enhanced, Plus Premium and Plus HD. Understanding the different ranges is a bit complicated at times, in our opinion.

Sometimes the different ranges are defined by different design values in terms of either size or aesthetics – for example COREtec Plus Enhanced tiles and planks have more detailed, realistic stone or wood looks due to a 4-sided painted bevel.

And in some of the ranges the construction method is slightly different, for example COREtec Plus Premium planks are made of an enhanced version of the patented COREtec construction to offer a softer, warmer and quieter plank.

With these 11 different ranges the COREtec Plus collection provides a HUGE choice of styles and sizes in both in wood look planks and stone look tiles, including some super wide and extra long planks at 21” x 180”.

COREtec Plus products range in price from $6.50 to $8.55 per square foot.

CORETEC ONE

The original COREtec collection is still in production and still offers a good alternative to glue down LVT. Plank dimensions are 6” x 48”and the range comes in 12 nicely varied colorways.

COREtec One products are currently priced at $5.45 per square foot.

CORETEC PRO PLUS

The COREtec Pro Plus collection is essentially an improved version of the Plus collection, with a construction method that gives a tougher product suitable for high traffic residential or commercial use.

The Pro Plus collection divides into 7 ranges, including the COREtec Pro Plus Enhanced HD that have a remarkably realistic look and texture; and the COREtec Pro Plus XL ranges which feature extra long planks.

COREtec Pro Plus products are available in both wood look and stone look versions and the products retail between $4.90 and $5.99 per square foot.

CORETEC PRO GALAXY  

The COREtec Galaxy collection was the first Pro series that was produced by COREtec, to offer a better performing LVT product for high traffic areas.

There are 10 wood look planks (pine or oak) in the collection, offering enough differences in color and style to suit most homes. All the planks in this collection are 7” x 48”.

This is great option for essentially commercial grade flooring at a value price as COREtec Galaxy planks cost around at $4.69 per square foot.

CORETEC WOOD AND CORETEC STONE

Thes COREtec products were launched in 2019 and feature – as you might guess – extremely beautiful and realistic wood look planks or stone look tiles with a brand new construction method: the COREtec mineral core.

Like the polymer core that other COREtec products have, the mineral core is 100% waterproof, so that they can be installed in any environment including in the basement and the bathroom without any fear of buckling or warping over time.

The collections currently come in 14 different wood look designs (oak and hickory) in a range of colors including deep browns, grays, tans and creams; and some 26 different stone designs including, somewhat oddly, a couple of designs that look more like distressed wood (perhaps they are meant to be fossilized?).

Visually COREtec Wood and COREtec Stone products are at the top end of the COREtec product line, and they are slo at the higher end of the market, priced between $8.58 – $9.79 per square foot.

CORETEC COLORWALL

This COREtec collection was launched in 2021.  The main difference is in its construction method, with a fully waterproof foamed core at its center to offer a softer feel underfoot – ideal for anywhere in the home but particularly bedrooms and playrooms.

The collection is all classic wood look, with plank szies of 7.13” x 59.84” and a choice of 48 designs in a large range of colors, with something to suit everyone. The collection is currently retailing at $5.99 per square foot.

CORETEC ONE PLUS

The other COREtec One collection is a more select collection with just 12 designs, all of them wood look featuring oak and chestnut planks, with a more distressed/ weathered aesthetic than the Colorwall collection.

This collection also has the new waterpoof foamed core center, for more comfort under foot. The planks here though are thinner and shorter – 5.91” x 48.03”, and retail for a little less at $5.65 per square foot.

CORETEC TRANSITIONS

To finish off your COREtec flooring project there is also a good range of moldings to match each style of floor. The moldings are 94” long and are available in Quarter Round, T-Mold, Reducer, Baby Threshold, Stair Cap and Stair Nose.

CORETEC PRICES

The recommended retail price for the USFloors COREtec flooring is as described above, depending on the collection between $4.69 and $9.79 but we have seen some options for sale at a number of different retailers priced between $3.80 and $8.59 so it is worth taking the time to shop around for the best prices.

PRICE COMPARISONS

COREtec Plus floors are just one example of a new breed of luxury vinyl flooring that falls under the generic name of EVP rigid core flooring. There are many other rigid core products competing for your attention and below is a table showing how COREtec Plus prices compare to other leading brands.

You can purchase COREtec online at Flooring Inc or in person from local flooring retailers.

CONCLUSION

Over the years COREtec has grown to become a major player in the Luxury Vinyl flooring market, offering very comprehensive collections of products to suit every home.

We think that COREtec Plus is a good quality vinyl tile brand and well worth your consideration. For areas with heavy traffic, such as the kitchen, COREtec Pro Plus products are worth investing in.

We also certainly like the look of the COREtec One Plus collection, but as it is so recent to the market, we don’t have enough data to tell you how well it performs over time.

Having said that, COREtec is a trusted brand and COREtec customer reviews on several prominent flooring and renovation websites suggest customers have been happy with the look and feel of their COREtec flooring.

On the whole, those customers that have had a negative experience with the product have also agreed that the product was badly installed in the first place. In fact, as with many flooring products, it is highly recommended that you work with a tried and trusted flooring installer.

If you have any COREtec flooring reviews of your own that you would like to share please leave them in the comments section below.

About the Author:

Greca Fotopoulos

Greca is the lead style writer at Home Flooring Pros (more), with a BA in Technical Art, she’s focused on flooring trends, flooring ideas, and flooring brand reviews.

“There’s nothing more satisfying than creating a home that you love. The hardest thing about this job is trying not to covet all the great floors I get to review; if I could remodel my home every month, I would!”