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Duraclic Vinyl Plank Flooring Review

Duraclic Vinyl Plank Flooring Review – Pros and Cons

by Dylan Johnson

Duraclic vinyl plank floor may not be your regular kind-of popular brand that storms the big box home improvement stores, but there are some worthy considerations about the floor that may pique your interest.

Whereas not all luxury vinyl flooring is the same, they do share similar features and traits. Duraclic is too having its own similar features to other brands, and yet it remains unique in its own way.

So, what makes this brand special as a luxury vinyl floor?

And differentiates it from others?

About Duraclic in a Glimpse

Duraclic vinyl plank is one of the flooring brands that you can find at Lowe’s and it is gaining popularity over the last few years, somehow. Builders and homeowners are turning to this brand for a reason.

Even though it may not be one of the most popular names in the industry, the floor seems to have its own trademark quality that makes it somehow special.

Luxury vinyl floor alone is gaining more and more notion and popularity lately mostly because the floor is able to blend in the beautiful image quality of hardwood with the resilience and strength of vinyl floor.

You see, hardwood flooring is one of the best and also most beautiful floors in the business. And yet, not only it is super costly, but it has its own weaknesses too.

The floor can’t stand moisture or water, which makes it delicate and can only be installed in some areas.

Forget the basements, bathrooms, laundry rooms, or even the kitchens!

Water is hardwood number one nemesis they just can’t be together.

Vinyl, on the other hand, is water resistant it is also inexpensive. In some high quality flooring, it is even waterproof.

However, vinyl is generally associated with something ugly or lousy something that makes most homeowners not interested.

But luxury vinyl flooring is able to elevate it, bringing vinyl flooring to a whole new level. Luxury vinyl flooring has its own specific and special construction.

Thanks to the high quality printed images on the top surface, the floor is able to imitate tiles, stones, or even wood and yet, there is no stone or wood in the material!

The best thing about luxury vinyl flooring is the fact that it looks like hardwood, but without the weaknesses.

The floor should be able to hold up water just perfectly. Water will no longer be a problem with this type of flooring.

Read Also: DuraLux Vinyl Plank Flooring Reviews

Duraclic Appearance

Keep in mind that different brands have their own collections and designs. Some brands may have hundreds of collections, while some may only have several.

What about Duraclic products?

For a starter, Duraclic vinyl plank may not have tons of options. The planks only offer 5 shades and they are coming in neutral tones of beiges, browns, and grays.

It is considered the ‘safest’ color shade, presented as monochromatic pattern in medium shade variations.

The printed image isn’t high-definition so it is highly likely that you may have plank patterns repeat, especially if you are going to install it in big rooms or areas.

The floor itself has its own texture imitating the hand-scraped light look. The wear player isn’t registered or embossed. It means that you will feel a knot when you see one.

Remember that registered texturing and true embossed may make a difference although they are considered unimportant or simple.

They play a huge role whether a plank would look like a realistic wood or whether it looks like a vinyl sheet with wood patterns. There’s a huge difference in them.

Duraclic brand presents micro bevel (four sides) and low-glossy finish, giving the floor a realistic look. It seems to make up what it has lacked from the texturing.

But then again, does the floor look like a hardwood?

Not really. From afar, you may not be able to differentiate it from the real thing. But when you observe it closely, it is quite obvious that it is a vinyl floor not hardwood.

Construction

Despite the ‘not-so-real’ hardwood appearance, the floor has a pretty thick wear layer. The Duraclic vinyl plank comes with urethane layer in 20 mil which is very thick.

It means that the plank should be able to deal with high foot traffic and fight off scratches.

The floor may not be able to imitate the hardwood look 100%, but then again, it has a pretty impressive and solid core construction. It is mainly constructed from wood fibers, resins, and PVC.

The PVC element is what makes the floor waterproof because it is made from a type of plastic. With waterproof core, you can image the solid quality and construction of it.

Another thing to like about the floor is the fact that it comes with attached pad. The pad comes as a foam pad underlayment with 1mm layer meant to reduce noise.

The underlayment would absorb the noise, making the floor quieter.

Whether you want to use underlayment or not is completely up to you, but if you are looking for a quieter effect or you want to seriously reduce the volume of the noise, then underlayment would be crucial.

Consider installing the floor in certain areas, like vaulted-ceiling rooms or upstairs sections.

With the core, the underlayment pad, and the wear layer, the total thickness of Duraclic products can reach up to 6mm.

Such a thickness range is similar to other brands within the same price range, like Adura Max from Mannington or USFloor’s Coretec Plus.

Installation Matter – Is It Easy?

Although Duraclic vinyl plank is set as a DIY-friendly material, get your facts straight. Yes, it does come as a floating floor, which makes it similar to other brands.

However, you need to remember that there are different locking mechanisms in this kind of floor. Premium products have the so-called drop and lock mechanism.

Basically, you try to fit one plank to another and then it will lock automatically to create perfect attachment. This mechanism, though, is generally found on premium and expensive products.

Duraclic, on the other hand, is using their 5G locking system. The floor comes with a certain angle mechanism and tap so the planks will lock each other. This mechanism isn’t as easy as the drop and lock mechanism.

Not only you will definitely need more time to get the hang of it, but you may want to resist the temptation of using the rubber mallet (and the tapping block) so often.

It’s understandable if you want to use the mallet on some stubborn planks, but before you do it, try to do it gently first instead of tapping it out.

Several reviews have stated that the tabs were separated or broken after the homeowners had tried to deal with the stubborn floor.

Here are some tips on dealing with this Duraclic products:

  • Always buy more planks than you need. It’s better to have more than not to have enough.
  • You may want to consider choosing other brands the premium ones with their easier locking mechanism, if the 5G system is too confusing or too overwhelming.
  • If the installation seems too complicated, think about hiring a professional installer. If you don’t mind spending extra for the installation, a skilled service will help you delivering a flawless and perfect result. Just make sure that you have done a proper research finding a legitimate service.

Duraclic Vinyl Plank Durability and Quality

How is the quality and durability of Duraclic vinyl plank?

Well, since the core is made from PVC, then it is solid and waterproof. The 20 mil thick wear layer will also make sure that your floor is scratches-resistant.

The attached underlayment also makes sure that the floor is comfortable on your feet and it absorbs noise just well.

Another thing to like about the product is the fact that they offer warranties. They have lifetime residential warranty as well as light limited commercial warranty.

The warranty covers product defect or failures like delamination. But the warranty doesn’t cover gouges, scratches, or damages because of improper installation.

You need to consider the aftercare element how you maintain and clean your floor properly. Don’t use just any cleaners that you think will be good for the floor. Use a special cleaner for vinyl floor with pH neutral contents you can do your research about this later.

But if you are able to combine proper installation and also proper care for the floor, expect it to last for many years even up to decades before you finally decide that you need a new one.

The Price Factor Duraclic Vinyl Plank

There are several flooring products sold at Lowe’s, including Duraclic.

How does it perform when compared to the others?

Duraclic vinyl plank probably has higher price tag mostly because of the solid core, the underlayment pad, and the thick wear layer.

The extra underlayment is highly likely contributing to the price because a separate foam pad alone costs around $0.75 a square foot and it usually comes in a roll.

With the attached pad, you basically save yourself from having to spend extra time during the installation and from wasting the pad from partial roll.

Duraclic floor costs around $4.49 a square foot. Each case contains around 30 square feet which can actually save you a lot.

But the floor is only sold at Lowe’s Canada official site. If you do decide to order the floor, consider the freight cost too.

Read Also: CoreLuxe Vinyl Plank Flooring Review

Conclusion Duraclic Vinyl Plank

The floor has its own strength related to durability and easiness in maintenance and cleaning. You don’t have to worry about its quality in high traffic areas.

But then again, don’t rely too much on the visual because the printed images may not be as good as expected.

But you should be able to make decisions after knowing the good and bad things about Duraclic vinyl plank whether it would be perfect for you or not.