LifeProof Laminate Flooring | Home Flooring Pros
Lifeproof Laminate Review – In a Nutshell
$1.99 – $2.59 per sq/ft
This small but perfectly formed collection, available exclusively at The Home Depot may be the only laminate flooring you need to consider due to its excellent value (under $3 per square foot) and customer satisfaction.
February 22, 2023, by: Greca Fotopoulos
Following our reports on LifeProof vinyl plank flooring, LifeProof porcelain tile and LifeProof PetProof carpet we now bring you our LifeProof laminate flooring overview.
Let’s look more closely at your LifeProof laminate flooring options.
SPECS & STYLES
As with all laminate flooring, LifeProof laminate floors consist of a sealed photographic image layer that is fused to a core layer made of high-density fiberboard and backed with a stabilizing base layer.
Further Reading: What is Laminate Flooring Made Of?
LifeProof laminate scores well in terms of quality since the overall thickness of each board is 12mm, giving it an extra solid feel and rigidity. The top wear layer is scratch resistant, and gives added durability.
Unlike other kinds of composite flooring, laminate flooring is not completely waterproof! However, it can withstand splashes and spills that are dealt with quickly – so you need not be put off from using it in bathrooms or kitchen, see below for more about where LifeProof can be installed.
In terms of style, the current LifeProof laminate flooring is available in only 13 wood look options. This is not a huge range, but all the main color options and styles are represented, including gray and rustic.
However, in our opinion some of the LifeProof laminate designs are more successfully realistic than others. To our eyes the Rustic Brown Oak is way too deeply shaded, giving each board an outline that looks a little like a preschooler drew it!
But on the whole, the designs are pretty attractive. The textures are good – most of the designs have embossed in register textures that replicate the wood grain feel and gives added authenticity to the overall look of the board.
The dimensions of LifeProof laminate flooring depends on the design, with boards ranging between 6”- 8” wide and 48” long.
There are matching trims and moldings for all of the LifeProof laminate floor designs.
Most of the LifeProof laminate planks can be installed either as a floating floor or the glue-down method; however, we found that some designs specified only the floating floor method.
We advise you look carefully at the details of each product to ensure your laminate flooring can be installed in your room, as some rooms are not suitable for floating floors. See more about this and other installation factors to consider below.
PROS & CONS
The advantages of LifeProof laminate flooring are:
- A small selection of 13 designs, so easy to make a choice
- Most designs are quite attractive and will suit most décor
- 12mm boards are more rigid and durable than thinner laminates
- Added scratch resistant wear layer is a bonus
- Very high customer satisfaction
- Affordable at $1.99 -$2.59 per square foot
- Can be installed in most rooms and areas of your home, including basements and bathrooms
- Most – but not all designs – can be installed over radiant heating
- Fairly easy installation
The disadvantages of LifeProof laminate flooring are:
- Exclusively available at the Home Depot
- Not a huge range to choose from, and only wood looks – no stone look laminate
- Not 100% waterproof and not ideal for highly humid rooms
- Need to budget for added underlayment
INSTALLATION
Generally speaking, most consumers found that it is fairly easy to install LifeProof themselves, but if you are doubt about your DIY capabilities you should hire a pro to do it.
LifeProof laminate flooring is installed using the floating floor method, though it can also be installed with the glue-down method if necessary (recommended for bathrooms).
The instructions available on the Home Depot website are quite good, but not always clear about which method to choose, so be sure to ask at customer care for clarity on that point.
WHERE CAN I INSTALL LIFEPROOF LAMINATE?
LifeProof laminate flooring can be installed on, above or below grade – so it’s OK for any room in our house including your basement.
It is not 100% waterproof, but you can install it in bathrooms and kitchens – provided that you are the type of person that will quickly deal with spills and splashes.
However, we do not recommend installing laminate flooring in a bathroom that does not have good ventilation or that is prone to high levels of humidity as that could cause it to warp and buckle.
WHAT ABOUT THE SUBFLOOR?
LifeProof laminate can be installed over both wood and concrete subfloors; and most of the LifeProof laminate floors can be installed over embedded radiant heating.
However, we strongly recommend that you read the installation instruction for the plank design that you choose to ensure that it matches your needs, and to ensure that the subfloor is prepared correctly.
Failure to properly prepare the subfloor can result in non compliance with the terms of the warranty. For example, in the case of radiant heating, the heating system needs to be operational for at least 7 days prior to installation.
WHAT ABOUT UNDERLAYMENT?
LifeProof laminate does not have an integrated underlayment pad – so you will need to get a separate moisture barrier and/or underlayment in most installation situations.
DO I NEED TO ACCLIMATE LIFEPROOF LAMINATE?
Yes. LifeProof laminate must be acclimated for at least 48 hours indoors in an ambient temperature for between 60° – 80°F. Do not store laminate flooring in non climate-controlled spaces, for example your garage.
CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE
LifeProof laminate is relatively easy to keep clean and maintain.
The number one thing to remember is that it is not 100% waterproof, so never use a sopping wet mop on it and clear up spills and splashes promptly.
You should sweep or vacuum regularly, and then a damp mop if necessary. Do not use a steam cleaner, scourers, wax, oil or polish on laminate floor.
Use common sense solutions to protect your flooring from dirt and debris, such as area rugs, doormats etc; and consider using felt pads or similar on the bottom of heavy furniture, chairs and tables.
There are more top tips and advice regarding cleaning and maintenance on the Home Depot website.
PRICES AND OPTIONS
LifeProof laminate flooring is towards the upper end in budget for laminate flooring, with current prices of $2 – $2.50 per square foot. Note that you will need to budget extra for underlayment and materials for finishing installation such as perimeter sealant. You can see the full range on the Home Depot website
| BRAND | PRICE PER SQ FOOT |
| TrafficMaster | $0.89 – $2.20 |
| Pergo Portfolio | $1.99 – $2.79 |
| LifeProof Laminate | $1.99 – $2.59 |
| Home Decorators Collection | $1.49 – $2.59 |
| Pergo XP | $2.09 – $3.09 |
| Evoke Laminate flooring | $2.09 – $3.19 |
| Pergo Outlast Plus | $2.79 – $2.89 |
| Quick-Step | $2.50 – $5.00 |
| Newton Laminate Floors | $3.00 – $5.00 |
| Mohawk RevWood | $1.90 – $3.50 |
| AquaGuard | $2.79 – $3.99 |
| Shaw Repel | $2.19–$6.09 |
| Mannington | $3.50 – $3.99 |
CONSUMER REVIEWS
We have seen almost only positive reviews for LifeProof laminate flooring – in fact the small handful of negative reviews seem to be more about bad delivery services rather than the product itself.
Customers like the overall look and feel of LifeProof laminate. They have found it easy to install and durable.
Here is a sample of the reviews we’ve collected:
“We installed this in our bathroom a year ago – it still looks good and no problems at all.” – Nick
“I like the realistic texture, and it definitely is durable! We have kids and pets and there’s a hell of a lot of traffic going through our house daily!” – Carol
“It was fairly easy to install, once we got the knack of it. We had to pull one up which wasn’t that easy and it chipped, but otherwise all good.” – Jenny
“These 12mm planks were much better, more solid and heavy duty than the 7mm ones I’ve used in the past. I really didn’t expect to feel the difference, but you sure do!” – TJ
“Nice and attractive and good value. Perfect for my fixer-upper!” – Sybil
“I wasn’t confident about installing this myself, but actually it was easier than I thought and the finish looks great.” – Graham
Of course we would love to hear your personal LifeProof laminate reviews so please leave them in the comments section below.
Related Posts:
How to Fix Scratches on Laminate Flooring
How to Remove Laminate Flooring
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!”
Can I place Lifeproof Laminate flooring on my kitchen walls including behind my stove?
Can I install them on a porch thats covered? Temperatures are usually between 80-95
Hi Just wondering about office chairs rolling on it in my computer room in my house will it chip on the edge where the chair rolls over it ? Can it be install over OSB plywood ?
I am wondering if this product will be negatively impacted by cold? If there is not a constant heat source is this going to be a problem!
The first batch of flooring we ordered worked great, so we decided to order more to do more rooms with it. Unfortunately, the second batch of flooring we received was not the same as the first batch. It was lighter & less rigid. It also does not lock as well and had a lot of imperfections. I had to stop tapping the flooring directly with my tapping block on the second batch because pieces of the connector would break loose on me. I have noticed that once I put 2 pieces together on the side connection, they tend to separate when I tap the ends together. I was sold on the product until the quality went downhill on my second order.