Home » Flooring » Beaulieu Vinyl Plank Flooring Review
Beaulieu Vinyl Plank Flooring Review

Beaulieu Vinyl Plank Flooring Review

by Dylan Johnson

You should probably ask yourself, Why should I consider Beaulieu vinyl plank floor for the house?

Isn’t vinyl floor lousy and cheesy?

Why would I want to make my house ugly?

You aren’t alone. A lot of homeowners may have the same thought of yours when it comes to vinyl flooring.

This is a complicated type of flooring, really. You know that it has a better waterproof quality when compared to hardwood, but you aren’t really sure about how it looks.

After all, aren’t all vinyl floors always ugly and bad? Right?

If you have such a thought, it probably because you haven’t checked into the latest trend in the flooring industry.

You’d probably be surprised to find out that luxury vinyl flooring is actually increasing in popularity, and it all happens because of some good reasons.

Gone the days where vinyl floor is always associated with something ugly or cheesy.

In fact, today’s luxury vinyl floor is absolutely beautiful and gorgeous able to imitate the look of hardwood and stone just perfectly.

Remember the ugly floor at your grandma’s kitchen?

Well, you won’t have to worry about that anymore, because today’s vinyl flooring won’t look that downright ugly.

Understanding Luxury Vinyl Floor

The luxury vinyl floor is basically the higher version of regular vinyl floor. It is considered better not only from the look, but also from the construction.

Modern luxury vinyl floor has better construction, thicker wear layer, and more solid core.

Not to mention that the floor is able to imitate the look of stone or hardwood just flawlessly, thanks to the high definition image printed on the top surface and then covered by transparent coating to enhance the strength and to protect the floor from scuff and scratches including from moisture.

Basically, you have yourself a vinyl floor imitating hardwood appearance without the weaknesses of the hardwood.

Sounds like a good deal, right?

Read Also: Duraclic Vinyl Plank Flooring Review – Pros and Cons

Beaulieu Brand

So, what should you know about Beaulieu vinyl plank?

First of all, Beaulieu is generally a Canadian brand.

Beaulieu Canada is a popular carpet producer in the country, and they have been in the business (manufacturing and distributing) of floor covering for more than 55 years. The numbers of years alone speak volumes of their quality and craftsmanship.

In 2018, the company merged together with BIG (Beaulieu International Group), which is a Belgium conglomerate manufacturing raw materials of finished flooring all over the world.

BIG is also responsible for providing supplies for the floors in the global scale. One of the divisions in BIG is to manufacture and distribute floor covering, and vinyl planks are parts of that division.

Beaulieu Canada provides several plank types imitating the wood. They even have their own product categories, which include luxury, laminate, engineered luxury vinyl, vinyl, and engineered hardwood.

In these categories, you should be able to find several product variants with their own signature appearance and colors.

If you visit the official website, things may be a bit confusing and overwhelming because there are so many things to choose.

That’s why it is important to know what kind of flooring type you are interested in, and just focus on that.

In this case, we are going to focus on luxury vinyl category only, so ignore the others and only zoom in on that specific category.

For the luxury Beaulieu vinyl planklines, they have 3 different variants, which include PermaLuxe, InterLuxe, and One2Floor.

These lines have various unique finishes, unusual colors, and different wood colors or grains.

Basically, the floor is a laminated composite item imitating wood or other organic materials, including concrete or tile.

Those who don’t know it often mistake luxury vinyl flooring with laminate flooring. Well, both of them do look almost the same, but their core is different.

Laminate flooring comes with melamine resin and wood fibers core, while luxury floor has plastic core.

The problem with wood fibers is the fact that it is organic and porous meaning that it will absorb moisture. When it is wet, it swells. The luxury vinyl, on the other hand, has plastic core, which makes it more waterproof.

Moreover, laminate floor can’t be installed on below grade slabs, while luxury vinyl can. And you can’t use steam mop on laminate floor, but you should be able to do it on luxury vinyl and even wet it.

The Beaulieu vinyl plank flooring isn’t plush or cushy unlike cork flooring. But it is still more comfortable to stand on or walk.

Some homeowners say that laminate flooring is somewhat more comfortable, but then again, it depends on the type of luxury vinyl floor that you choose.

Some brands of the vinyl floor may have better performance than the others. But do consider having a fatigue mat if you have to stand for a long time on top of the floor.

You also need underlayment for the luxury vinyl floor. Provided that the floor is flat, you are good to go. Luxury vinyl floor is more flexible.

You can even have heating system embedded on the floor, or install the floor over the radiant heat.

Different Floors and Installation Method

Basically, the collections of Beaulieu vinyl plank consist of three different types leading to different installation mechanisms too.

The options are the floating floor, the glue down type, or the loose lay.

The One2Floor comes as a loose lay floor

It is crucial to have perimeter planks.

Basically, you only need to lay the planks there is no need to deal with interlocking edges or the glue. This is a basic skill that almost all homeowners can do.

The InterLuxe comes as the floating floor

If you have installed a laminate floor before, then you have the idea!

This type of floor comes with interlocking edges. It’s like playing with the puzzle. This installation system is also easy friendly for DIY projects.

The PermaLuxe comes as a glue down type

This type of floor would be perfect for imperfect or badly battered areas or areas with high traffic. The glue down type is more complicated and difficult.

Although this floor may not be the best option for DIYers, it offers sturdy floor you won’t have to worry about planks lifting or curling.

If you find the perfect floor for the heaviest traffic, go with PermaLuxe type having ceramic beads within the wear layer. It will add the durability.

But the three lines of this floor have durable and sturdy polyurethane (wear) layer, making the floor antimicrobial and resistant to pet stain.

Not to mention that it has beautiful look that can improve your house without hurting the banks.

Reasons Not to Use Beaulieu Everywhere

Because of the many advantages, it is only logical to expect Beaulieu vinyl plank everywhere?

First of all, you need to realize that LVP is higher than laminate floor, which may not be so much appealing for homeowners seriously in a budget.

Second, LVP is made from plastic or PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride). It is mostly made from natural gas and crude oil. Manufacturing process also requires tons of heat.

These are the reasons why PVC isn’t considered green for most companies.

But no need to worry, as the One2Step is constructed from recycled PVC designed especially for those interested in recycled items.

Moreover, vinyl is sensitive to puncture which can be problems if you like wearing high heels.

Although Beaulieu products has polyurethane wear layer, it will yellow when exposed to sunlight.

This is another reason why some homeowners don’t consider this brand (and the product) to be quite appealing.

Beaulieu Vinyl Plank Chemical Consideration

When companies make LVP floor, with the use of PVC, this can pose another health consideration.

Some companies may use a pure PVC, while others may mix it up with other materials.

Some may throw in chemicals into the plastic, with the purpose of making the PVC more flexible it is generally known as phthalate.

However, these additions may cause certain medical condition, affecting mostly pregnant moms, kids, and those with sensitive breathing issue.

So, how should it be done?

Well, most companies may remove the extra chemicals to make their products safer. Beaulieu vinyl plank with the One2Step collection is phthalate free.

But what about the PermaLuxe and InterLuxe collections?

The company doesn’t say anything.

Read Also: HSC Woodland Creek Vinyl Plank for the Elevated Appearance

Final Words Beaulieu Vinyl Plank

As you can see from the previous description, this flooring brand does have some good features and benefits especially for budget-conscious homeowners.

The floor is definitely cheaper when compared to hardwood. It is super easy and convenient to clean and maintain. It is also durable able to last quite long with proper care.

The floor is constructed from different layers so it should be able to withstand the traffic and any kind of beating of daily activities.

Whether you have super busy foot traffic with kids and pets, the floor should be able to handle everything just well. Installation is also made easy.

It’s nice to have a brand offering different types of styles plus different types of installation.

However, if you want a true safe floor, the One2Step from Beaulieu vinyl plank is the only obvious and safe option.