COREtec Plus – Waterproof Luxury Vinyl
COREtec Plus is the perfect blend of form and function. It’s a high quality luxury vinyl that looks like real wood, and it’s designed to hold up in spaces that may have moisture/ water concerns. It comes in luxury vinyl planks that look like hardwood and luxury vinyl tile that looks like tile, natural stone and concrete. These high-end vinyl planks (and tiles) are individual pieces with beveled edges and real texture and graining, so they look real (unlike sheet vinyl or laminate which has simulated graphics). The planks are installed in a randomized way so they also look more like real hardwood.
COREtec Plus gives you a high-end look and provides the perfect solution when you want a hardwood look, but don’t want to worry about moisture/water. It’s a great product because it solves many challenges at once so that homeowners don’t need to compromise. This is probably the most innovative flooring product of this decade.
How is COREtec Plus constructed?
COREtec Plus is a rigid luxury vinyl constructed in 4 layers – 3 you can see and 1 you can’t. The top layer you can see is the luxury vinyl. It’s designed well from a color, graining and texture standpoint, so it looks and feels real. On top of this, there is the clear wear layer (.5mm) which protects against excessive wear and makes it easier to clean. The middle layer is recycled limestone, wood and bamboo dust and the bottom layer is an attached cork underlayment. All 4 layers are waterproof.
The cork underlayment helps in a few different ways. First, it adds a bit of cushioning. So, the floor has a bit more give and is easier on your feet. Also, it can help camouflage minor imperfections in the floor. Cork is naturally antimicrobial so it’s resilient to mold/mildew. And, the attached cork backing will also help with sound absorption.
How is COREtec Plus installed?
COREtec Plus is a floating floor, meaning that it clicks together (in the same way that a laminate is installed) and is secured at the edges of the room via the base molding/shoe molding. Because it’s a floating floor (and does not need to be nailed or glued), it has more flexibility as to where it can be installed.
It can be installed directly on top of concrete, and if you have minor discrepancies in the floor, you don’t need to worry about floor prep and smoothing the area out. Because COREtec Plus is rigid and thick, it will hide the minor imperfections in the floor. The attached cork underlayment helps with this as well.
Because it’s a floated floor, COREtec can be installed in any direction. It can be done in straight lay, or diagonal and it’s not dependent on your joist direction. Generally, it’s recommended to follow the longest length of the room as that is more aesthetically pleasing and makes your space look larger. You can change direction of the floor in different rooms, but usually, it looks better to just choose one direction and stick with it.
Originally appeared on TheFlooringGirl.com